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
they are to do thus: let them unite, and form a cloak to cover the methods
of their father that may seem faulty. And let them adopt a well-ordered
life, close to those who fear and love Me, and cling together, casting
their lower natures aside. If they do thus, I who am Light will give them
the light needful to Holy Church. And seeing that there is something which
ought to be done among them, let them refer it to My Vicar in true unity,
quickly, boldly, and after much reflection. He then will be constrained
not to resist their goodwills; for he really has a holy and good
intention."
The tongue does not suffice to narrate such mysteries, nor what intellect
saw and affection conceived. And the day passing by, full of marvel, the
evening came. And I, feeling that the heart was so drawn by the force of
love that I could offer no resistance to going to the place of prayer, and
feeling that disposition come upon me which was at the time of my death,
prostrated me with great compunction because I had served the Bride of
Christ with much ignorance and negligence, and had been cause that others
had done the same. And rising, with the impression of what I have said
before the eye of my mind, God placed me before Himself--not but that I am
always before Him, because He contains everything in Himself--but in a new
way, as if memory, intellect, and will had nothing whatever to do with my
body. And this Truth was reflected in me with such light that in that
abyss were then renewed the mysteries of Holy Church, and all the graces
received in my life, past and present, and the day in which my soul was
wedded to Him. All which then vanished from me through the increase of the
inward fire: and I paid heed only to what should be done, that I should
make a sacrifice of myself to God for Holy Church and for the sake of
removing ignorance and negligence from those whom God had put into my
hands. Then the devils called out havoc upon me, seeking to hinder and
slacken with their terrors my free and burning desire. So these beat upon
the shell of the body; but desire became the more kindled, crying, "O
Eternal God, receive the sacrifice of my life in this mystical body of
Holy Church! I have naught to give save what Thou hast given to me. Take
then my heart, and may Thy Bride lean her face upon it!" Then Eternal God,
turning the eyes of His mercy, removed my heart, and offered it to Holy
Church. And He had drawn it to Himself with such force that had He not at
once bound it about with His strength--not wishing that the vessel of my
body should be broken--my life would have gone. Then the devils cried
much more clamorously, as if they had felt an intolerable pain; forcing
themselves to leave terror with me, threatening me so to disport them that
such an act as this could not be wrought. But because Hell cannot resist
the virtue of humility with the light of most holy faith, the spirit
became more single, and worked with tools of fire, hearing in the sight of
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