The story of the Kovenskaya Mother of God icon is rather convoluted and not particularly memorable. The original 14th century icon seems to have disappeared along the way, probably during war time. Today, a copy of the icon is housed and venerated at the New Valaam Monastery in Finland.
The icon is of the Hodgetria style: the Holy Mother pointing to the Divine Child with her right hand. What makes the relationship between Mother and Child unique however, is that the Infant Christ holds a pigeon-nestling on a string.
The icon is called wonder-working, which usually means inexplicable cures have taken place after prayer in its presence. But what I find most attractive is that the Kovenskaya Mother of God seems to have as her specialty helping people in their obsessions.
Obsession is an early 16th century French word which comes directly from the Latin obsessio which means attack, blockade, a blocking up, besiege. Perhaps what comes most readily to mind are our cultural obsessions with drugs, drinking, pornography, eating or shopping. I'd suggest there's more than that.
Notice that the little bird is held on a string. Obsessions keep us tied down. Obsessions lay claim to a mind. Obsessions are an onslaught of thought, they own and embattle our minds. They can cause waste, distraction and fatigue. The young Christ would know that the little bird ought to be free to fly.
My sense is that people want to be loved in some practical way. That's the task put before humankind. Perhaps the Christians ought to be the best at pointing the way, afterall, Jesus said: "A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34-35.
But one needs to possess a degree of inner freedom to know (experience in the heart) the love of Christ and to live well his way of love. Here, the Mother of God understands - she is looking at us, not her Son. We might bring that awareness to our prayer before the icon:
My sense is that people want to be loved in some practical way. That's the task put before humankind. Perhaps the Christians ought to be the best at pointing the way, afterall, Jesus said: "A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34-35.
But one needs to possess a degree of inner freedom to know (experience in the heart) the love of Christ and to live well his way of love. Here, the Mother of God understands - she is looking at us, not her Son. We might bring that awareness to our prayer before the icon:
From the needy claims we place upon others,
From the worn out mental tape of ugly resentments,
From listening to people who would take us along a toxic way,
From sweet revenge,
From the allure of negativity,
deliver me, O Lady.
From endless blaming,
From obsessing over money and things,
From fixating on work,
From a hypochondriac preoccupation with health,
From masks, defensiveness and wounded pride,
deliver me, O Lady.
May my anguish be calmed,
May the arms of my heart be strengthened,
May saints find me among the clean of heart,
May my soul experience free flight,
May we be freed of our fascination with weapons and war,
pray your grace, O Lady.
