How good and comforting is your spirit
From a dialogue On Divine Providence by Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
How good and comforting is your spirit dwelling in all men, O Lord
With a look of mercy that revealed his indescribable kindness, God the Father spoke to Catherine:
“Beloved daughter, everything I give to man comes from the love and care I have for him. I desire to show my mercy to the whole world and my protective love to all those who want it.
But in his ignorance man treats himself very cruelly. My care is constant, but he turns my life-giving gifts into a source of death. Yes, I created him with loving care and formed him in my image and likeness. I pondered, and I was moved by the beauty of my creation.
I gave him a memory to recall my goodness, for I wanted to share in my own power. I gave him an intellect to know and understand my will through the wisdom of my Son, for I am the giver of every good gift and I love him with a father’s constant love. Through the Holy Spirit I gave him a will to love what he would come to know with his intellect.
In my loving care I did all this, so that he could know me and perceive my goodness and rejoice to see me for ever. But as I have recounted elsewhere, heaven had been closed off because of Adam’s disobedience. Immediately after his sin all manner of evil made its advance throughout the world.
So that I might commute the death consequent upon this disobedience, I attended to you with loving care – out of provident concern I handed over my only-begotten Son to make satisfaction for your needs. I demanded supreme obedience from him so that the human race might be freed of the poison which had infected the entire earth because of Adam’s disobedience. With eager love he submitted to a shameful death on the cross and by that death he gave you life, not merely human but divine.”
Source: The Liturgy of the Hours – Office of Readings
Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) was one of the great Christian mystics in church history. She recorded her mystical experiences published later as the Dialogue of St. Catherine, a work still sold in book stores today. While her life was cut short at 33 years, her legacy includes some three hundred and sixty-four letters to people in every class of society. These letters give evidence of a truly remarkable life, one tracked and analyzed by over 200 authors and historians who published major works on her life and spirituality. Catherine was the only survivor of twins and only half of her other brothers and sisters lived beyond infancy. She was the last of twenty five children. She was canonized a saint by Pope Pius II in 1461, made the patron of Italy in 1939 and declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI in 1970. The Church officially celebrates her feast day around the world in the calendar of the Mass on April 29th. Her life of grace and spirituality is one that stands out in history with all the brilliance of a star in the night.
Click to listen to the Radio Drama on the Life of Saint Catherine
Produced by Catholic Radio Dramas.com – 27 minute audio production.