What if prayer felt like the quiet embrace of a caring presence. This episode invites you to rest in Mary Cassatt’s tender Nurse and Child alongside Psalm 131, opening space for peace and trust. Step into stillness—and experience God’s nurturing love in the silence.

Psalm 131

In this contemplative episode of Art and Prayer, Rev. Rob McPherson returns to a foundational truth: not all sacred encounters come through explicitly religious images. Sometimes, it is through the everyday—the ordinary moments of care and connection—that we most clearly glimpse the divine. This week, we prayerfully reflect on Mary Cassatt’s impressionist painting Nurse and Child alongside the quiet trust of Psalm 131.

Cassatt’s tender portrait, full of muted colors and soft lines, captures a moment of deep calm and silent intimacy between a caregiver and child. As we gaze upon this artwork, we are invited to imagine ourselves as that child—resting in God’s presence, wrapped in divine embrace, safe and unafraid. With the gentle, poetic language of Psalm 131 as our guide, we let go of striving and lean into the peaceful stillness of being held by a God who loves like a mother.

This episode also reflects on the broader invitation to use art—religious or not—as a vehicle for encountering God. Cassatt’s depiction of domestic tenderness becomes a window into the spiritual life, reminding us that even everyday beauty can carry sacred weight. Through a guided time of reflection, repeated scripture, and visual prayer, viewers are encouraged to notice what draws their attention: a word, a feeling, a color, or a detail in the painting. These moments of noticing become gentle conversations with God.

Whether you’re yearning for rest, seeking a word of comfort, or simply longing to feel closer to the Holy, this practice offers space to slow down and be still. Come and be quieted—like a child in their mother’s arms—and rediscover the nearness of God in the simplicity of care.