Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
“Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” Today the church celebrates one of the great mystical saints, and doctors of the church, Catherine of Siena. She is one of my favorite saints–hence our first daughter’s middle name–because of her powerful influence on our church, her radical and, dare I say, stubborn obedience to her faith, and her passionate love for God. I want to reflect a bit on what I’ve learned from and about Catherine over the years since I first encountered her most well-known writing, The Dialogue, some 12 years ago. Additionally, in light of her memorial today, there are two quotes that struck me as I prayed with the readings:
“One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.” (Ps 27:4)
“One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Mt 4:4b)
Similar to most great saints, Catherine spent a lot of time in prayer and contemplation, seeking to grow in love and understanding of God, “for her union with God was more intimate than was the union between her soul and her body. The holy fire of love grew so fierce within her that its heat made her sweat water…” (57). Catherine has such a beautiful articulation of God’s love for us; it is an experience of love scorching our souls. Though we thirst for God and desire to be loved, so often we push God away by our selfishness and conceit. Catherine declares, “You are a fire always burning but never consuming; you are a fire consuming in your heart all the soul’s selfish love; you are a fire lifting all chill and giving light” (365). God gave us freedom, allowing us to choose him but never forcing the relationship–he simply waits for us patiently and lovingly to feel his warmth and see the light he shines.
Trust in the Lord is the key to the gates of heaven: “only the obedient can attain eternal life, for eternal life, which had been locked by Adam’s disobedience, was unlocked by the key of obedience” (328). Jesus, the new Adam, is our key; no one has been more humble than God for reducing himself to our humanity and suffering death, even death on a cross, out of love for us. The great abundance of God is exemplified in Christ: “He left you obedience to guide and teach you, giving it to you as a key with which you can open [the gate] leading to your goal. He left it to you as a counsel if you are willing to go on to great perfection and pass through the narrow door of the rule” (355). Jesus is not only the key, he is “the Way and Truth and Life” (66). If we follow Christ–if we live on bread and every word that comes from the mouth of God–we receive the keys, we may enter the kingdom. What more could we want than to be with God, who loves us so dearly as to first, become one of us and second, suffer and die for our sake?
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom” (Prv 11:2). Catherine of Siena teaches us to seek God’s love–it is eternal and everlasting and, nothing in this world can compare or stand in its place. There is no substitute for that fiery loving grace that God bestows on our hearts. He is our bridge (64); God provides the warmth and light for us to find his love. Christ showed us the way; God so loved us that he became one of us, reducing himself to humanity so that we might be reunited in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus is the key to that kingdom–the way, the truth, and the life. May we always seek one thing: to dwell in the house of the Lord. May we live on every word that comes from our good and gracious God.
Peace,
Brandon Meyer