Today we celebrate the feast of an outstanding Doctor of the Church: Catherine of Siena. Catherine was but a Dominican tertiary – a layperson who had immense influence on the Church of the 14th century. Apparently the Church then had many abuses occurring in it – as it does in any age. And at this time God the Father chose Catherine to be the one to stand and let the light of her simple faith and intuitive knowledge of matters of faith guide a great many religious leaders of her time – from the pope to the Dominican superiors to the laity.
Catherine was a simple person with next to no formal education, yet as Jesus says in the gospel passage – it was to the childlike – it was to her that the secrets of the mysteries of the kingdom have been revealed. And she passed that information along in person to those who were meant to hear it, and in writing for those who were meant to read it. Her most famous work is The Dialogue – dictated in 1377. This is an amazing spiritual masterpiece of several hundred pages which records a dialogue that Catherine has with God the Father. It is in question and answer format.
It is an incredible insight into the reality of God as loving Father – as one who wants so very much for all of his children to make it safely home to him. And so he sent a "bridge" so that we might cross the chasm of deadly earthly concerns – the bridge being the life, teaching and death of his Son – Jesus. He urges us to get on the bridge and to stay on it – by unswerving obedience to the commandments until we are safely across and begin to enjoy the full benefits of the life merited by the death and resurrection of Jesus – in the Kingdom!
There is no way that Catherine could have come up with this mystical theology of her own accord. It was the Holy Spirit pouring through her that produced the work. And for being a simple holy secretary – Catherine was honored by the Church in being named a Doctor in 1970.
The first reading, today, no doubt, summarizes Catherine's own sentiments. She knew that she was a sinner. She knew that she stood in constant need of Christ's mercy and forgiveness. And she knew that the light and life and forgiveness of Jesus was always available to her. Her own light would be as bright as her humility and obedience to all of Jesus' commands – and to the joy of the Holy Spirit that she allowed to radiate from her.
O bless the Lord my soul! And thank you God for providing such useful and helpful information through such amazing and faith-filled role model as St. Catherine of Siena!
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