God Hugs You

(With musical accompaniment that she has composed, Rosel Feder, SSND, shares a Faith Reflection on Hildegard of Bingen.)

When Hildegard of Bingen says “You are encircled by the arms of the mysteries of God," she means this to be understood in terms of warmth, intimacy, softness, strength, beauty and goodness; her next line is “God hugs you.”

The secret to enjoying this Divine Hug is to be awake to God’s mysteries.

When your eyes water because someone has done something dear and tender for you, God is present. When you catch your breath and become speechless because something beautiful in nature has caught your attention, God is present. When you drop into the deep interior of your soul and find a comforting Presence, you discover the ancient truth that God dwells within you.

As you listen to the music with this reflection, imagine the sound of the piano tenderly invoking an awareness of the spiraling energy of God’s love enfolding you; imagine the tone quality of the singer sealing the mystery of this love with warmth and comfort. With Hildegard, see all of creation as a reflection of God, one of the many ways in which “God hugs you."