The bonds of love
From a dialogue On Divine Providence by Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
The bonds of love
My sweet Lord, look with mercy upon your people and especially upon the mystical body of your Church. Greater glory is given to your name for pardoning a multitude of your creatures than if I alone were pardoned for my great sins against your majesty. It would be no consolation for me to enjoy your life if your holy people stood in death. For I see that sin darkens the life of your bride the Church – my sin and the sins of others.
It is a special grace I ask for, this pardon for the creatures you have made in your image and likeness. When you created man, you were moved by love to make him in your own image. Surely only love could so dignify your creatures. But I know very well that man lost the dignity you gave him; he deserved to lose it, since he had committed sin.
Moved by love and wishing to reconcile the human race to yourself, you gave us your only-begotten Son. He became our mediator and our justice by taking on all our injustice and sin out of obedience to your will, eternal nature. What an immeasurably profound love! Your Son went down from the heights of his divinity to the depths of our humanity. Can anyone’s heart remain closed and hardened after this?
We image your divinity, but you image our humanity in that union of the two which you have worked in a man. You have veiled the Godhead in a cloud, in the clay of our humanity. Only your love could so dignify the flesh of Adam. And so by reason of this immeasurable love I beg, with all the strength of my soul, that you freely extend your mercy to all your lowly creatures.
Source: The Liturgy of the Hours – Office of Readings
Saint Catherine of Siena 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 here to listen to a Radio Drama on the Life of Saint Catherine produced by Catholic Radio Dramas.com – 27 minute audio production.