Empathy from the Holy Trinity and the Saints

Who will it be today?
When we go to prayer, whom do we seek?
What is it we need?
How about some empathy to meet us right where we are?

My spiritual mother recently invited me to try praying a different way. She advised that when I catch myself in daily life going up into my head and analyzing myself and my situation, to instead stop and look to Jesus. Let Him love me. To move from analysis to relationship. To open myself to God’s empathy, as well as the empathy of the saints.

She invited me to spend time with each person of the Holy Trinity. And to be very free. Today I may feel moved to hang out with the Father. Maybe I feel I need His protection and strength. I need to know His particular way of loving me and to experience myself as daughter of the God. Maybe another time in prayer I will need to be with Jesus my Bridegroom, in spousal intimacy. Maybe I will want to get to know the Holy Spirit more deeply, to feel His advocacy and comforting presence, to feel the freedom of His wind through my hair, inspiring me to dance or sing or rest. Who knows!

And she encouraged me: You can ask anything! Any question on your mind – ask away! Just talk, share, open it up. As it is. Raw and unfiltered. No walls, no barriers. This is a safe space. A refuge.

After she hangs out with a person of the Holy Trinity, she then asks a saint to come be with her. Just so they can get to know one another and be together. Maybe it’s the Blessed Mother or St. Joseph or our Confirmation saint, or perhaps a new saint to us! What a wonderful invitation as we approach the Feast of All Saints!

My spiritual mother shared that it is often her experience that the person of the Holy Trinity or the saint really wants to share empathy with her. “I understand why you’re scared. That makes sense. I love you right here. I love you scared. I’m so glad you’re coming to me as you are. We’ll live this together.”

I really love this thought of going to the Father, to Jesus, to the Holy Spirit, to any saint, and experiencing empathy. This sounds so consoling and strengthening. A few weeks ago, I was talking with a loved one who was going through a difficult time of mental suffering. Through a heavy heart, I said, “I am fighting for you.” Afterwards I went out the backyard and cried it out with Jesus – my own pain and grief over this dear one. I sat on a rock under a gracefully arching green leafy bough. The Lord was very tender with me as the tears ran down my face. I felt Him gently say to me, “I don’t want you to fight. I want you to rest. Rest under the shade of my apple tree. Let me restore you with raisin cakes and apples, for we are sick with love. (Song of Songs 2:3-5) Just rest. Let Me be your Everything.”

It was such sweet, dear love. So safe. So empathetic. So understanding. A love from Jesus my Divine Bridegroom, meeting me right where I am and comforting me deeply, encouraging me to rest, not fight, to let Him do it. To be in the feminine posture, and allow Him to be the Man, to fight for me, to fill me up, to be my all sufficiency, to love me.

May we take up this invitation to simply “hang out” with a person of the Holy Trinity, with a saint, to simply be in relationship with them, to experience their genuine empathy for us, and to live this day together, resting under the shade of Jesus’ apple tree.

Copyright, 2025 Marian West