Kathy Coffey

Through Elizabeth Ann Seton, we see poignantly the motherly face of God. As St. Anselm wrote, “Christ my mother, you gather your chickens under your wings.”

It’s harder to show compassion if we disconnect from our own wisdom and experience—perhaps rejecting some part of ourselves we think is shameful. The key to loving another is the ability to love all of ourselves—being flawed but fully human, whole.

Julian of Norwich wrote, “This beloved soul was preciously knitted to God in its making, by a knot so subtle and so mighty that it is oned in God.”

Sit in silence for a few moments. Feel your heart beat and your breath as you inhale and exhale. During this time, there is nothing to accomplish.

The peregrine falcon, spotted fawn, playful dolphin: all show us different faces of God. A hummingbird smaller than most human fists can fly over 500 miles without resting. Each one visits 1,000 flowers a day and can dive at 60 mph.