Saint Brigid and the Love of the Trinity

Saint Brigid of Kildare, along with Saint Patrick and Saint Columba, is one of Ireland's great patrons. As would be expected, there are many stories of wonders and miracles, associated with this woman who walked so closely with God.

Saint Brigid once spent an evening with Sister Dara, a holy nun who was blind. They talked of the love of the Trinity and the joys of heaven. They were so engaged in their conversation they lost all track of time and were still talking as the sun came up over the Wicklow Mountains. Saint Brigid was in awe of the beauty of the rising sun as it lit up the world around her. At the same time she felt disappointment for Sister Dara who would never see the wonder of God’s creation.

Saint Brigid said a quiet prayer and made the sign of the cross over Dara’s eyes. Immediately the darkness that dimmed her vision was lifted and the sister saw the light of the sun as it glistened on the morning dew and made the whole world alive and radiant. She looked for a little while and then turned to St. Brigid and said, “Close my eyes again dear mother, for when the world is so visible to the eyes, God is less clearly seen to the soul.”

Brigid prayed and again the darkness returned to Dara’s eyes.

God reveals much to us about himself as the Creator of the world around us. But he reveals even more as our Redeemer and Sanctifier, inviting us to share in His divine life.

We live in two worlds, the visible and the invisible. But all too often we focus so much on what we can see and hear that we neglect the world of the Spirit. It is in this invisible interior world that we see God more clearly.

When we are baptized, God comes to take up residence within us. Every baptized person has God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit dwelling in their souls.

Jesus ascended into Heaven, leaving the visible world, so that He could be close to us in the invisible world, the world of the heart. If He had remained here He would have been limited by the constraints of time and space, But by ascending to the Father, Jesus makes Himself accessible to us at all times, through the Holy Spirit.

And since the three persons of the Holy Trinity all share the same nature, where one is, the other two are also present. But to help our limited understanding, the Church has always focused on the Holy Spirit as God's presence in our souls.

Jesus reminds us that the Holy Spirit will guide us and teach us in all things, but we have to be able to hear His voice amid all the noise and confusion that surrounds us.

Our greatest challenge then, in a world that demands all of our time, is to find a quiet space to listen as God speaks to us.

Pax Vobiscum