Jacob's ladder

Jacob’s ladder, a true picture of the devout life. 

http://www.dsiguidetolivejesus.info/part-iunit-2---nature--effects-of-the-devout-life.html


From St. Francis de Sales' Introduction to Devout Life, Part 1, Ch.2

• 1. Look carefully at Jacob's ladder (Genesis. 28:10ff) since it is a true image of the devout life. 
• 2. The two sides, between which we go up, and to which the rungs are fixed, represent prayer which asks for and receives the love of God and the Sacraments which give it. 
• 3. The rungs are the various degrees of charity by which we move from virtue to virtue, either coming down by action to help and support our neighbour or going up by contemplation to loving union with God.
• 4.Consider, too, who they are who trod this ladder; men with angels' hearts, or angels with human forms.
• 5. They are not youthful, but they seem to be so by reason of their vigour and spiritual activity. 
• 6.They have wings wherewith to fly, and attain to God in holy prayer, but they have likewise feet wherewith to tread in human paths by a holy gracious intercourse with men; their faces are bright and beautiful, inasmuch as they accept all things gently and sweetly; 
• 7.their heads and limbs are uncovered, because their thoughts, affections and actions have no motive or object save that of pleasing God; 
• 8. the rest of their bodies is covered with a light shining garment, because while they use the world and the things of this life, they use all such purely and honestly, and no further than is needful for their condition--such are the truly devout. 
• 9.Believe me, dear child, devotion is the sweetest of sweets, thequeen of virtues, the perfection of love. 
• 10. If love is the milk of life, devotion is the cream thereof; if it is a fruitful plant, devotion is the blossom; if it is a precious stone, devotion is its brightness; if it is a precious balm, devotion is its perfume, even that sweet odour which delights men and causes the angels to rejoice.

                               
                                  Jacob's Dream by William Blake
                            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob's_Ladder

Notes from 

The Image of Jacob’s Ladder 

in the Writings of St. Francis de Sales

ALEXANDER T. POCETTO, O.S.F.S., PH.D. 

Senior Salesian Scholar

It is instructive to note that he invites us to "contemplate" this portrait he draws of Jacob’s ladder. This suggests a prayerful and all-absorbing approach that does not make us view it as a detached observer but rather as one who is drawn into the tableau to be transformed by it as Jacob was by his vision since it is an encounter with the living and loving God. With great verbal artistry, he draws our attention to the structure of the ladder which by its two sides have a twofold function – one to draw us to God by prayer, the other to draw down God’s love by means of the sacraments. This aspect of the portrait announces the second part of his spiritual classic where he gives detailed advice on prayer and the sacraments of the Eucharist and matrimony. At the outset, he establishes a dual upward and downward movement in our relationship with God stressing our involvement and activity as well as our receptivity. Following the many spiritual ladders that preceded, he insists that our progression toward God is a gradual one, rung by rung, or step by step, from virtue to virtue. So each movement up or down on the ladder is a step of charity, a step of love, i.e., love of God even those that descend to assist our neighbor. It is an important aspect of his conception of growth in the spiritual life that we will dwell on below in greater detail. This also foreshadows his treatment of the virtues in Part three of this spiritual classic.
http://web1.desales.edu/assets/salesian/pdf/pocettojacobsladder.pdf

The Ladder Rosary.

http://www.therosarylady.com/shamrock%20ladder.jpg

The "Ladder Rosary," also known as the "Stairway to Heaven Rosary" was first found in Mexico. They are called "Ladder Rosaries" because the beads are strung crossways on a double chain, like rungs of a ladder.
The name reminds one of St. Dominic's vision of souls climbing into Heaven on the Rosary, and St. Francis de Sales' vision of two ladders to Heaven: a rather steep one directly to Jesus, and another, far less steep, towards the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Interestingly, the Russian word for Rosary means "ladder," and, Michaelangelo's "Last Judgment" in the Sistine Chapel shows two souls being pulled out of purgatory by a Rosary!

http://www.sacramentals.org/RosariesandCases.htm