Wednesday Facts - Thoughts of St. Catherine of Siena

Today is Wednesday. It's no Friday but it's not Monday, either.

To honor the fact that we are in the middle of week, I will tell you five facts of life, about me or someone else, faith, world and existence in general.

And what I want from you, my readers?

I want to know about you! 

Leave me your facts, so I can enjoy reading them!

They can also be about you, your life or anything you find fascinating in this world or in the world beyond.

The picture is from wikipedia. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/St_Catherine._San_Domenico.jpg

I have been reading a book called the Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena by St. Catherine of Siena.

Saint Catherine of Siena was born on March 25, 1347 and died on April 29, 1380.

She is an Italian 14th century saint and Doctor of the Church.

At the age of seven, she consecrated her virginity to Christ and she became a Dominican Tertiary, a lay affiliate, aged 16.

A mystic, philosopher and theologian, she worked to bring the papacy back from Avignon, France to Rome.

 

Her life was dedicated to God and prayer.

She has written many very intelligent and meaningful things that have touched my soul.

“The soul, who is lifted by a very great and yearning desire for the honor of God and the salvation of souls, begins by exercising herself, for a certain space of time, in the ordinary virtues, remaining in the cell of self-knowledge, in order to know better the goodness of God towards her. This she does because knowledge must precede love, and only when she has attained love, can she strive to follow and to clothe herself with the truth. But, in no way, does the creature receive such a taste of the truth, or so brilliant a light therefrom, as by means of humble and continuous prayer, founded on the knowledge of herself and of God; because prayer, exercising her in the above way, unites with God the soul that follows the footprints of Christ Crucified, and thus, by desire and affection, and union of love, makes her another Himself. Christ would seem to have meant this, when He said: To him who will love Me and will observe My commandment, will I manifest Myself; and he shall be one thing with Me and I with him.”

"When God visits you with measureless gifts, let your memory open immediately to receive what your intellect knows in His divine love, and let your will rise with burning desire to receive and gaze at the blazing heart of the giver, the gentle, good Jesus. Thus, you will find yourself burning and clothed with fire, and with the gift of the blood of God’s Son, and you will be free from all pain and unease. This is what took away the pain of the holy disciples when they had to leave Mary and one another, although they willingly bore the separation in order to spread the word of God.

Run, run, run."
— Saint Catherine of Siena

I wanted to share my favorites with you to meditate on this lenten time.

5. It is only through shadows that one comes to know the light.

4. The human heart is always drawn by love.

3. Do not be satisfied with little things, because God wants great things!

2. There are more tears shed over answered prayers than over unanswered prayers.

1. Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.