Memorial of Saint
Catherine of Siena, virgin and doctor of the Church
(Acts 15:22-31; John 15:12-17)
A painting hanging in the Dominican headquarters in Rome
shows Jesus and St. Catherine of Siena walking side-by-side. The two are not talking to each other
directly but rather meditating on the words of a book that each one holds. Catherine’s red-colored book is probably the
Book of Gospels with their accounts of Jesus’ passion, death and
resurrection. Jesus’ white-colored book
is likely Catherine’s masterpiece, The Dialogue,
a summary of her spirituality.
The painting seems to portray a spiritual relationship
between Jesus and Catherine, but neither feels it in that way. Jesus gave Catherine, as he gives all of us, his
body to eat and his blood to drink. He got
inside her to draw her closer to himself.
For her part Catherine did not hesitate to speak of Jesus as her spouse with
the most intimate of terms.
Catherine’s love for the Lord was demonstrated with deeds. Although
she is rightly considered one of the great Christian mystics, she exhausted
herself working for the Church, the Body of Christ. She is famous for her ministry to the condemned,
for her exhortation to the Bishop of Rome to preside at the see’s center, and
for her efforts to make peace between warring states.
Catherine’s life was extraordinary but not inimitable. We too can and should carry on a dialogue with
Jesus. We should delight in his physical
presence to us as we receive his body and blood. And we should respond to his love by our
efforts to bring peace wherever we go.
