Yours Are the Eyes

A request from Kate Taliaferro's toddler led her to contemplate what we see when we allow ourselves to get close to God.

“Mommy, see Nathan in your eyes,” my sweet 2-year-old told me today. He was sitting on a chair, not eating his lunch, and I got down to his level to ask him to please finish his food. He looked straight at me, smiled, and then proceeded to rock my soul.

He was of course, just seeing his reflection. But I was not prepared to receive this great Truth of life in that moment of mundane and ordinary parenting. There was so much for my brain to unpack, I’m not honestly sure he actually finished his lunch.

On one level, we can all see ourselves in our parents, and we can see ourselves in our children. We have the same hair or eye color, we have the same tendency toward optimism or collecting trinkets. It is always fun to look at old photos to see who looks like whom at what age, or to discover your child has the same gap in their teeth as their great-grandfather. I wonder: what qualities and attributes will my children see in themselves someday that come from my husband and me?

Stopping here isn’t quite so earth shattering. But what if we think about our heavenly Father? What qualities of God do you see in you? A follow-up question, have you ever allowed yourself to be so close to Him that you could see your reflection in His eyes?

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Yes, that’s where Nathan sent me today, on a soul-searching quest. Bishop Barron readily explains that the word “adoration” comes from the Latin phrase ad ora, meaning “to the mouth.” The immature teen in me always has to suppress a giggle here, but it truly is something profound to wonder at. This is what our soul is truly seeking: to be close enough to God that we can see our reflection in His eyes.

God is always with us, waiting for us to turn our gaze to Him. Stopping in at adoration, setting aside specific times of prayer, daily Mass—these are all excellent ways to continue turning our gaze to His frequently. There are times in life, however, when these practices are difficult. What continues to amaze me is that God provides even for these seasons.

Click to tweet:
This is what our soul is truly seeking: to be close enough to God that we can see our reflection in His eyes. #CatholicMom

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Jesus isn’t just in a chapel; He is in your very soul. If you want to see Him, look in a mirror. See your reflection gaze back at you, but allow Christ’s eyes to be the ones you see.

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which He looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which He blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are His body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which He looks
Compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours. (Saint Teresa of Avila; italics mine)