Memorial of St. Catherine of Siena, virgin and Doctor of
the Church
(Acts 4:32-37; John 3:7b-15)
As much as any saint, except for Mary, the Mother of God,
Catherine of Siena exemplifies the spiritual life. Her spirituality is firmly rooted in a relationship
with Christ, whom she considered her spouse.
The relationship presumes active engagement of the theological
virtues. Since they were not
contemporaries, faith enabled Catherine to know the Lord, hope to look forward
to his physical presence, and love to exhaust herself in his service.
As strong a personal feeling as she had for Christ,
Catherine did not lose sight of the ecclesial dimension of spirituality. Since the Church is Christ’s body, she
dedicated her life to its integrity. She
became famous for her exhortations to the pope, hiding from the messy politics
of Rome, to return to the Eternal City. Perhaps
more consequential was her forming a school of followers whom she instructed in
prayer and ministry.
No spiritual life is complete without a dimension of the
cross and an outreach to others. Catherine
filled her life with penitence as she pleaded God for the Church. She also performed both spiritual and
corporal acts of mercy life. She once counseled
a condemned criminal to take refuge in the Lord and was well-known for her
kindness to the indigent.
In this time of papal transition, Catherine’s life indicates
the Church’s need of a holy, wise, and courageous leader. We should assiduously pray for the Spirit’s
guidance in the papal election. We also
need to support whoever is elected by taking active interest in the Church
community.