Letters of Catherine BenincasaCatherine, of Siena, Saint
Religion
Letters of Catherine Benincasa
Catherine, of Siena, Saint
Catherine, of Siena, Saint, 1347-1380 -- Correspondence; Christian women saints -- Italy -- Siena -- Correspondence
Therefore, considering that it is so, and that I have seen it proved, an
impulse has grown in me, with great zeal in the sweet sight of God. Were
you near me in the body, truly I would show you that it is so, and would
give you other than words. I rejoice, and I want you to rejoice; for,
since this desire grows, He will fulfil it in you and me, because He
accepts holy and true desires; provided that you open the eye of your mind
in the light of holiest faith, that you may know the truth of the will of
God. Knowing it you will love it, and loving it you will be faithful, and
your heart will not be overshadowed by any wile of the devil. Being
faithful, you will do every great thing in God: what He puts into your
hands will be fulfilled perfectly; that is, it will not be hindered on
your part from coming to perfection. With this light you will be cautious,
modest, and weighty in speech and conversation and in all your works and
way; but without it you would do quite the contrary in your ways and
habits, and everything else would turn out contrary for you.
So, knowing that this is the case, I desired to see in you the light of
most holy faith; and so I want you to have it. And because I want this,
and love you immeasurably for your salvation, and desire with great desire
to see you in the state of the perfect, therefore I pray you with many
words--but I would do so more willingly in deed; and I use reproaches with
you, in order that you may return continually to yourself. I have done my
best, and I shall do so, to make you assume the burden of the perfect for
the honour of God, and ask His goodness to make you reach the last state
of perfection; that is, to shed your blood for Holy Church, whether your
servant the flesh will it or no. Lose you in the Blood of Christ
crucified, and bear my faults and words with good patience. And whenever
your faults may be shown you, rejoice, and thank the Divine Goodness,
which has assigned someone to labour over you, who watches for you in His
sight.
As to what you write me, that antichrist and his members seek diligently
to have you, do not fear; for God is strong to take away their light and
their force, that they may not fulfil their desires. Beside, you ought to
think that you are not worthy of so great a good, and so you need not
fear. Take confidence; for sweet Mary and the Truth will be for you
always.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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