MAY 9, 2011
DAILY PRAYER WITH REGNUM CHRISTI

THE SINCERE SEARCH FOR CHRIST
May 9, 2011
Monday of the Third Week of Easter
Father Daniel Ray, LC

John 6: 22-29
After Jesus had fed the five thousand men, his disciples saw him
walking on the sea. The next day, the crowd that remained across the
sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had
not gone along with his disciples in the boat, but only his disciples
had left. Other boats came from Tiberias near the place where they
had eaten the bread when the Lord gave thanks. When the crowd saw
that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got
into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. And when they
found him across the sea they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you get
here?" Jesus answered them and said, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you
are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the
loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for
the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will
give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal." So they
said to him, "What can we do to accomplish the works of God?" Jesus
answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you
believe in the one he sent."
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe that you are present here and
now as I turn to you in prayer. I trust and have confidence in your
desire to give me every grace I need to receive today. Thank you for
your love, thank you for your immense generosity toward me. I give
you my life and my love in return.
Petition: Lord, increase my faith.
1. Food of Eternal Life: Some television evangelists preach a
"Gospel of Prosperity," promising financial and health benefits or
general well-being for those who follow Christ in their church. "Good
things will come your way!" they say. While these earthly things are
good, Christ shows us that his greatest gifts are not the "loaves
that fill," but the grace and eternal life that can be ours through
faith. Faith is both our offering to God and his gift to us. It
opens our heart to receive the gift that never perishes: eternal
life.
2. No Complacency in Faith: Christ didn't stay with the crowds, but
rather he crossed over to Capernaum. The crowds, still full with the
bread of the miracle of the loaves, had to figure out where Christ
went, get in their boats, and find him. When Christ seems to have
moved on us, we need to get into our boat and row—to look for
him, to seek him in prayer, to be renewed in his sacraments. He wants
us to follow him pro-actively, not passively sitting on the shore
with our boat in dry-dock. We need to shove off into the waters of
prayer and row.
3. What Must We Do? "This is the work of God...." Our belief
(faith) in the one the Father sent is the result of both God's work
in our lives and our work to use and make that gift of faith grow.
Above all, faith is God's gift to us. But it is a gift that grows
only when we exercise it, use it, and ask for more. Just as a runner
must run more to be a better runner, to believe more we need to
believe more. Only then is our heart open to receive the gift of
greater faith.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, I don't want to settle for seeking
only the "loaves that fill," but the joy and salvation that comes
from believing in you. "I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24).
Show me what I must do to follow you. Make your path clear to me, and
give me the strength to follow it.
Resolution: When faced with any difficulty, obstacle, or frustration
today, I will exercise my faith in God and seek to do his will.
meditation.regnumchristi.org

Primera Lectura (Lectio Divina)
Hechos 6, 8-15
En aquellos días, Esteban, lleno de gracia y de poder, realizaba
grandes prodigios y señales entre la gente.
Algunos judíos de la sinagoga llamada "de los Libertos", procedentes
de Cirene, Alejandría, Cilicia y Asia, se pusieron a discutir con
Esteban; pero no podían refutar la sabiduría inspirada con que
hablaba.
Entonces sobornaron a algunos hombres para que dijeran: "Nosotros
hemos oído a este hombre blasfemar contra Moisés y contra Dios".
Alborotaron al pueblo, a los ancianos y a los escribas; cayeron sobre
Esteban, se apoderaron de él por sorpresa y lo llevaron ante el
sanedrín. Allí presentaron testigos falsos, que dijeron: "Este hombre
no deja de hablar contra el lugar santo del templo y contra la ley. Lo
hemos oído decir que ese Jesús de Nazaret va a destruir el lugar santo
y a cambiar las tradiciones que recibimos de Moisés".
Los miembros del sanedrín miraron a Esteban y su rostro les pareció
tan imponente como el de un ángel.
+ Meditatio
Al escuchar esta lectura nos llena de admiración el odio que se puede
llegar a crear sobre una persona por el simple hecho de creer en
Jesús. Sin embargo, qué lejos estaban las comunidades cristianas de
aquel tiempo, en pensar que esto le sucedería a Esteban. ¿Lo haríamos
nosotros los cristianos con nuestros propios hermanos cristianos? Las
divisiones que han existido, y que aun desgraciadamente existen en la
Iglesia, han sido motivo para calumniar, herir, desterrar e incluso
llegar a matar aquellos que no profesan la fe de la misma manera. Las
luchas religiosas en todo el mundo lo único que han dejado es hambre,
miseria, muerte, desolación y sobre todo grandes heridas en el corazón
de los creyentes. ¿La causa?, que no dejamos que Dios arregle las
cosas, sino que las queremos arreglar nosotros, y de esta manera el
odio solo engendra más odio.
Esteban, nos dice la escritura, lleno del Espíritu Santo, dejó que
Dios hablara por medio de él, con palabras de amor, no con espadas ni
con lanzas. En tu trato con hermanos que no profesan la fe como tú,
permite a Dios actuar; si te atacan, siéntete feliz de padecer por el
nombre de Jesús, y tu caridad mostrará a tus adversarios que Dios
verdaderamente vive en ti. Recuerda que el amor siempre vence.
+ Oratio
Señor, te pido tu cortesía y dulzura para tratar con los que profesan
algo diferente de lo que yo creo; los que difieren en aspectos de fe,
de moral y sobre todo los que difieren con respecto a tu divinidad,
Jesús; enséñame a ser cortés y afable y que en esa manera de
tratarlos, ellos puedan descubrirte a ti.
+ Operatio
En este día buscaré a esas personas de otra religión con las que
siempre se suscitan confrontaciones, o a aquel que niega la fe y
profesa ser irreligioso con el que también suelo discutir, y hoy
simplemente escucharé con atención, no responderé ataques con ataques,
sino responderé con cortesía y amabilidad, confiando en que Dios se
manifestará de una manera más fuerte en mi testimonio de paz, amor y
aceptación.
Regresar
-------------------------
El Evangelio de hoy
Juan 6, 22-29
Después de la multiplicación de los panes, cuando Jesús dio de comer a
cinco mil hombres, sus discípulos lo vieron caminando sobre el lago.
Al día siguiente, la multitud, que estaba en la otra orilla del lago,
se dio cuenta de que allí no había más que una sola barca y de que
Jesús no se había embarcado con sus discípulos, sino que éstos habían
partido solos. En eso llegaron otras barcas desde Tiberíades al lugar
donde la multitud había comido el pan. Cuando la gente vio que ni
Jesús ni sus discípulos estaban allí, se embarcaron y fueron a
Cafarnaúm para buscar a Jesús.
Al encontrarlo en la otra orilla del lago, le preguntaron: "Maestro,
¿cuándo llegaste acá?" Jesús les contestó: "Yo les aseguro que ustedes
no me andan buscando por haber visto señales milagrosas, sino por
haber comido de aquellos panes hasta saciarse. No trabajen por ese
alimento que se acaba, sino por el alimento que dura para la vida
eterna y que les dará el Hijo del hombre; porque a éste, el Padre Dios
lo ha marcado con su sello".
Ellos le dijeron: "¿Qué necesitamos para llevar a cabo las obras de
Dios?" Respondió Jesús: "La obra de Dios consiste en que crean en
aquel a quien él ha enviado".
+ Reflexión
Es importante el trabajo en nuestra vida, Jesús mismo trabajó de la
misma manera que nosotros lo hacemos; después, como trabajo, realizó
el anuncio de la Palabra de Dios. El mismo San Pablo les dice a los
tesalonicenses: "El que no quiera trabajar que tampoco coma". Sin
embargo, ya había dicho Jesús que no sólo de pan vive el hombre. Es,
pues, importante, junto con nuestro trabajo cotidiano con el cual
sostenemos el cuerpo, el trabajar también por el alimento espiritual
el cual nos es dado por el mismo Cristo.
La lectura diaria del "pan de la Palabra", nuestra lectura espiritual,
nuestro rato de oración son los elementos que, como veremos en estos
días, unidos a la Eucaristía, hacen que nuestra vida espiritual crezca
y se fortalezca. Muchos cristianos hoy en día viven con una grande
anemia espiritual que los puede llevar incluso a la muerte espiritual.
Si en todos los comerciales de golosinas han incluido la frase:
"Aliméntate bien, come frutas y verduras", nosotros podríamos decir:
¡Aliméntate bien, ora, medita y comulga!
Permite que el amor de Dios llene hoy tu vida. Ábrele tu corazón.
Como María, todo por Jesús y para Jesús.
Pbro. Ernesto María Caro

The Seven Spiritual Weapons by Catherine of Bologna
read online:
monasticmatrix.usc.edu/cartularium/article.php

The Seven Spiritual Weapons

Preface
Christ Jesus

(1) With reverence and sweet and gentle love, I pray that Christ Jesus will guard from the sin of unbelief anyone who comes to know of this little work which I made with the divine help and not attribute to the vice of presumption nor take amiss any error in this present little book. I am the least puppy barking under the table of the honorable and refined servants and sisters of the immaculate lamb Christ Jesus, sister of the monastery of the Body of Christ in Ferrara. I, the above mentioned puppy, wrote this by my own hand only for fear of divine condemnation if I were silent about what could delight others. (2) I also intend that, as I tell the sweet memory of the saints of the past in their books, each creature ought to make itself praiseworthy in its creator through the manifestation of the divine Providence conferred upon it by the divine Creator. (3) In this, one will know globally the infinite charity of our Lord God when, through his mercy, he deigns to help and conserve his creation each day, keeping it safe amid accidents and frequent dangers.
(4) And, by this, we have an increase of our faith in him, our God the true maker, knowing him to be the conservator of this, his own creation. Thanks be to God. Amen.
(5) In the name of the eternal Father and of his only begotten Son Christ Jesus, of the splendor of the Father’s glory, for love of whom, with jubilation of heart, I cry, saying to his most refined servants and spouses:
Let every lover who loves the Lord
Come to the dance singing of love,
Let her come dancing all afire
Desiring only him who created her
And separated her from the dangerous worldly state
…
Placing her in the most noble cloister of holy religion so that, purged there of every stain of sin, she was clothed in the adornment of holy and noble virtue. He reformed the beauty of the soul and leads it back to its first state of innocence so that after this pilgrimage, she can worthily enter into the glorious bridal chamber of her most chaste and virginal spouse Christ Jesus, from whose hand she will receive the prize of triumphant glory. (6) This he imparts to those who, for love of him, abandon the vain pleasures of this weary world, subjecting themselves to the rule of reason and abandoning their self will, and take refuge in the safe port of holy religion, offering themselves completely to the will of another and following the way of most holy obedience and abandoning their own will in all things.
(7) But, aware that this cannot happen without violence to oneself, I have written here below at some length some counsels to comfort those persons who have entered the noble battle of this obedience and, being strongly attacked and assaulted by their own will and by how they see things or how things appear to them, are very sad, thinking that, by this, they lose all the merit of obedience. (8) That is not true, because every virtue is perfected by its contrary. That this is true I will show later when I will speak of this excellent and beautiful virtue of obedience which is worthily called the queen or noble empress.
(9) So, whoever desires to journey without danger and happily from this passing life to her heavenly homeland, let her, through the most noble, gentle and kind spouse that she could find and that is, take up this obedience as an impenetrable shield which will give complete victory over our enemies and will be judged at the saving port of eternal retribution, as Christ says: “Whoever follows me does not walk in darkness, but has light.”33
(10) But because at the beginning of this battle and even until its very conclusion, she must pass through a stormy sea, that is, by way of many painful temptations and fierce battles, at the beginning of what follows, I will put some powerful weapons with which to fight legitimately against the cunning of our enemies. (11) But it is necessary that each who wishes to enter into this battle never put down her arms, for her enemies never sleep. So, filled with great fervor and confidence, we take up the arms in praise of Christ. Amen.
(12) Whoever from deep within her noble and zealous heart wishes to take up the cross through Jesus Christ our savior who died on the field of battle in order to give us life, let her first take up the arms necessary for such battles and especially those which are treated next in order: first is diligence; second, distrust of self; third, confidence in God; fourth, memory of his passion; fifth, memory of one’s own death, sixth, memory of the glory of God; seventh and last, the authority of Holy Scripture as it gives the example of Christ Jesus in the desert.
(13) The soul which is espoused by the priceless ring of good will, that is of divine love, and wishes to serve God in the spirit of truth, must first cleanse her conscience by a pure and complete confession and make a most firm resolution of not wanting ever again to sin mortally, and instead to die a thousand times if that were possible, because the person who is in mortal sin is not a member of Christ but of the devil, and is deprived of the goods of holy mother the church and cannot do anything which will profit her for eternal life. (14) And she does this also because to wish to serve this God faithfully requires a resolution not to sin mortally, as was said above. But note that, should you be in mortal sin, you should never despair of divine goodness nor cease to do whatever good you can do so that in this way34 you can get out of sin. And with this hope, always do what is right in whatever state you find yourself.
(15) Besides this, it is fitting that the faithful servant of Christ dispose herself to wish to walk the way of the cross, for it befits all those who serve God to engage in battle against the adversaries of God and from them to receive various painful wounds. And above all, it is necessary to have good and even the best arms, especially those which follow below, to fight against those adversaries vigorously.
[I] Of the First Weapon
(1) The first weapon I call zeal, that is solicitude in doing good, since the Holy Scripture condemns those who are negligent and lukewarm in the way of God (Apoc 3.15-16). The office of the Holy Spirit is to inspire in us good inspirations, while our duty is to accept them and put them into operation by waging continual violence against our sensuality which always invites us to what is contrary to what the spirit wills. (2) Therefore, it is necessary to resist it with true diligence and not to let the time granted to us pass by without acquiring the fruit of good works, as it is written:
Whoever wishes to go up, let him rest not
From thoughts, from speaking works and doing deeds
And always exerting himself in God35
but with discretion, so that when our adversary, like a wicked traitor, assails us from ambush, we can defend ourselves. (3) By “from ambush” I mean, when under the appearance of good he wishes to kill you, for there is as much danger in too much as in too little. And so I tell you “with discretion,” aware that this virtue establishes and perfects all the other virtues according to what was said by the glorious teacher of the ancient holy fathers, that is, St. Antonio of Vienna36
(4) So it is proper for us to exercise with true discretion all the spiritual and temporal virtues. However, when the enemy sees that he cannot impede the servant of Christ from doing good, he will seek to entice her with doing too much. So exercise all the virtues in proper measure that the weapon of true and diligent discretion may be exercised by us for our salvation and for the praise of Christ. Amen.
[II] Of the Second Weapon
(1) The second weapon is mistrust of self, that is, to believe firmly and without doubt that one could never do anything good by oneself, as Christ Jesus said: “Without me you can do nothing” (Jo 15.5). Nor could one resist successfully the fury of the infernal enemies for their cunning wickedness. And if someone does confide in her own wisdom and will not do this, let her know for certain that by just judgment she will fall into great ruin and let her be aware that this enemy is more malicious than others even in this wickedness. (2) And therefore, the second weapon for fighting against this enemy tells one not to trust in oneself, and blessed is she who has this noble quality in herself. And to the extent that the person is in a greater state of virtue or exercises the office of prelate, the more her need for it. (3) I received this example from an old and very proven religious who said that when he was a prelate, whenever he was about to begin some task pertaining to his office of governing the monastery, if he did it according to his inclination, God most often allowed some anxiety or tribulation; and if on the contrary, he did it according to the counsel and inclination of the majority of his subjects, it always turned out well and often he found himself consoled. (4) Now, then, how could the subject, especially one newly entered into religion, have such presumption that she would want to live by her own lights and her foolish fervor and not rather by the counsel and will of her superior and mistress so that the virtue of holy humility might shine in her and the weapon of self-diffidence might be wielded by her. To the praise of Christ. Amen.
[III] Of The Third Weapon.
The third weapon is to put one’s trust in God and for love of him to fiercely wage battle with great readiness of spirit against the devil and against the world and one’s own flesh which is given one in order that it might serve the spirit. And as we stand triumphant with the feet of our affectivity on these enemies, we trust in God with firm hope that he will give us his grace abundantly, by which we will have complete victory over all our enemies and will know that he does not abandon those who hope in him. (2) Whenever the servant and spouse of Christ, by the permission of God, finds herself in a grave and dangerous storm, she cries from her heart toward heaven, saying: “God do not abandon me.” Then, however much she feared and doubted whether she was abandoned, she will be raised up by the divine and hidden mystery to the highest perfection with God. (3) We have an example of this in his only Son, when, at the point of a painful and bitter death, he cried out, saying: “Father, why have you abandoned me?”(Mt 27.46). (4) This happened because the divine, united inseparably to him, really abandoned the human and sensitive part in his nature. This was the aim of justice, so that the painful obedience of Christ (Ro 5.19) would cancel the pleasure of the disobedience of our first father. (5) Returning to our theme, the servant of Christ does not fear abandonment whatever it might seem sometimes, for she knows that God our eternal Father will not allow this to happen just as he did not allow it to happen to his own Son. Even then, when she finds herself in great straits and tribulation, she will increase her trust in the divine aid, recalling the sweet promise that he made to us through the mouth of the prophet: “With him I am in tribulation; I will snatch him up and glorify him” (Ps 91.15). (6) Who would not want to be troubled in order to have so sweet and faithful a companion, who offers to be with his faithful in time of adversity? Here we have all the more cause to want more strongly to be troubled than consoled, and in this, to hold to firm hope; that is the third weapon we are to employ, entrusting ourselves to God. To the praise of Christ. Amen.
[IV] Of the Fourth Weapon.
(1) The fourth is the memory of the glorious pilgrimage of that immaculate lamb, Christ Jesus, and especially his most holy death and passion, keeping always before the eyes of our minds the presence of his most chaste and virginal humanity. This is the best means for winning each battle, and without it, we will not achieve victory over our enemies. Every other weapon will achieve little without this one which surpasses all the rest. (2) O most glorious passion and cure for all our wounds. O mother most faithful, who lead your children to the heavenly Father. O true and gentle refuge in all adversities. O supportive nurse who guide child-like minds to the heights of perfection. O refulgent mirror, who illumine those who look at you and recognize their deformities. O impenetrable shield who most smartly defend those who hide behind you. O manna37 suffused with every fulsome sweetness, you are the one who guards those who love you from every deadly poison. (3) O ladder most high who raise up to infinite goods those who fly upward upon you. O true and restorative hospice for pilgrim souls. O ever flowing font who provide drink for the thirsty who are inflamed for you. O abundant sea for those who row on you in their derelict boat. O sweet olive tree who stretch your branches through all the universe. O spouse, gentle to the soul which is always in love with you and does not look toward others. (4) And so exercise yourselves untiringly in this, dearest and kindest sisters and gaze upon yourselves in his radiant splendor so that, in this way, you can conserve the beauty of your souls. Truly this passion is that wise mistress who will lead you, beloved novices, to the beauty of all the virtues, and in this way, you will attain the mantle of victory. To the praise of Christ. Amen.
[V] Of the Fifth Weapon
(1) The fifth weapon is to remind oneself that we must die. This time is called the time of mercy in which God looks down day after day so that we can amend our lives from good to better. If we do not do this, we will have to render account, not only of the evils we have done, but also of the goods left undone by our negligence. And so Paul the glorious apostle spoke well: “Let us do good while we have time” (Gal 6.10). (2) So often think about death and always stand ready for it, for we know neither the day nor the hour when the most strict judge will command us to render account of the talent of good will granted to us so we could exercise it in praise of him and for the salvation of our soul and of our neighbors. (3) Novices should especially be on guard, as was said above, lest, out of excessive confidence in themselves, they trespass the rule imposed on them by their superiors and mistresses. They should devote all their effort to walking along that way which is marked for them regarding the regimen of body and soul. I say this because sometimes the enemy, with shrewd cunning, leads those who are only slightly instructed in the spiritual battle to think that they must soon die and that they will have little to show for themselves if they do not do further penance. (4) For this reason, the malignant one strives and studies to make them exceed the rule of true obedience which is without any doubt more meritorious than any penance they could do. So it is necessary to use with good judgment this weapon of recollection of our death, so that it can be utilized for the salvation of the soul and for the praise of Christ. Amen.
[VI] Of the Sixth Weapon.
(1) The sixth weapon is the memory of the goods of paradise which are prepared for those who lawfully struggle by abandoning all the vain pleasures of the present life in accord with the saying of the most holy doctor Saint Augustine that it is impossible to enjoy present goods and future ones too. (2) So, dear sisters, be content not to have in this world any pleasure or any beloved, and do not grow tired of denying your own will, remembering what our patriarch St. Francis said, that is, that the most excellent and greatest gift that God’s servant can receive from God in this world is to conquer himself by denying his own will. So he said: “So great is the good that I behold / that every wound is beloved by me,”38 in order to show how, through the memory of eternal things, he rejoiced in suffering evil. (3) And in confirmation of the joys which are prepared for you, dearest sisters, I will offer the following example: when I entered this present monastery, not long after I entered the present monastery, there entered a young woman who, after she was here for a little while, tired of doing good and regretted having abandoned the way of the world. And it happened that, being in that frame of mind, she went to make her confession to a very worthy servant of Christ to whom she said that she wanted to return to the world. (4) He was startled by this and responded:“Daughter, be careful what you are about to do for I have received a vision this night or rather early this morning which caused me to wonder a great deal because I did not know what it wished to signify.” She said: “Please tell me about it.” (5) And he said: “I was led to a beautiful feast where there were countless young ladies all over who were resplendent with indescribable beauty, and they were clothed with wondrous glory and had garlands of beautiful flowers on their heads. And thus adorned, they walked toward a young lady who evidently wished to walk in their company. And so with much jubilation and festive honor and glory, they drew up in front of her to receive her as she wished. (6) And when they were in front of her, she seemed to regret having come and turned around, and when that most noble company saw her do that, it seemed that all Romagna was sad. At that moment the vision disappeared. And then, returning to myself, I pondered what this vision was supposed to signify, but now I understand for sure that God has shown that to me by your coming. (7) For this reason, I beg you, daughter, that you not follow your current evil desire and temptation, but stand strong and persevere until the end, so that you can finally reach that noble feast and company which I saw, and rest eternally with these glorious virgins who await you.” (8) When she heard this, she resolved to stay with us, more from shame than anything else. But after a little time had passed, when it was observed that she did not carry herself in a religious way, she was sent back to her family and quickly came to the end of her life amid the vanities of the world. Thus was verified the vision of the servant of God, because, losing the crown of her virginity, she was justly deprived of rising up to the virginal province which the servant of Christ had seen. (9) So, beloved sisters, be strong and constant in persevering in doing good solely for the pure love of our Lord God and hope firmly in the goods of paradise so that you can finally reach them saying together with our seraphic St. Francis:“Those who are just await me until you reward me” (Ps 142.8). To the praise of Christ. Amen.
[VII] Of the Seventh Weapon.
(1) Of the seventh weapon I will elaborate more at length. I will do this in order to make clear a subtle trick played on one of the first sisters by the enemy of our salvation. This is the reason that I have been moved to write the present little book as a warning and instruction for all the novice sisters who are here at present or will follow in the future in this monastery, the salvation of whom, together with that of all rational creatures, I have so desired. With the frequent and daily demand of divine help it seemed to me that in a brief time I would lack the natural powers of my fragile body, so that even with great violence I could scarcely finish compiling this book. The great weakness caused me to tremble, not only in the hand, but also in the head and throughout my body. I would be content, for love of Christ Jesus, if instead, I finished the mortal path and the deadly deceits of the journey.
(2) The seventh weapon with which we can conquer our enemies is the memory of Holy Scripture which we must carry in our hearts and from which, as from a most devoted mother, we must take counsel in the things we have to do. Thus we read of the most prudent and consecrated virgin St. Cecilia where it says: “She always bore the gospel of Christ hidden in her heart.”39 (3) And with this weapon, our savior Christ Jesus conquered and confounded the devil in the desert saying: “It is written” (Lk 4.1-13). Therefore, dearest sisters, let not the daily readings that you read in the choir and at table go without effect; and let the thoughts which you hear each day in the gospels and epistles at Mass be new letters sent to you by your heavenly spouse. And with great and fervent love put them in your breast, and when you have more time, think about them; do this especially when you are in your cell so that you can better and more securely embrace gently and chastely the things which they command you. (4) By doing this you will find yourselves continuously consoled because you will often receive news from the one whom you love above all else. O how sweet and gentle is the divine discourse of Christ Jesus in the soul of her who is truly enflamed by love of him! Is not the word Christ’s own sweet and mellifluous mouth the evangelical doctrine? Certainly it is, and so how attentively you should listen to it and taste it. (5) And here I put an end to the aforesaid weapons. But in this regard I beg you, dear sisters, that you learn to use them wisely and never be found without them so that you can better obtain the triumph of victory against your adversaries. And be on guard that you are not deceived by the mere appearance of good, for the devil sometimes appears in the appearance of Christ or of the virgin Mary or in the shape of an angel of a saint. Therefore, in every apparition that occurs, take up the weapon of Scripture which shows how the mother of Christ comported herself when the angel Gabriel appeared to her. She said to him: “What is this greeting?” (Lk 1.29). (7) Follow her example in every appearance and feeling, and you will want to test much better whether it is a good or a wicked spirit before you listen to him. Blessed is whoever does this. Also, it is not less necessary to keep a close guard on thoughts of the mind, since the devil sometimes puts good and holy thoughts in the mind to deceive it under the appearance of virtue, and after that, in order to show what it is, tries and assaults one strongly with the vice which is contrary to this virtue. This the enemy does in order to be able to entice the person into the ditch of desperation.
(8) That this is true can be shown by what happened in the story told by the little puppy herself who, when she was still young, enlightened by divine grace, came to the service of God in this monastery and, with healthy conscience and good zeal, was eager day and night for holy prayer, and she strove to make her own every virtue which she had seen or heard to be in others. She did this not out of envy but in order to better please God in whom she had placed all her love. (9) And after some time, when she had received many graces from God and had also undergone great and varied battles and temptations, so much so that one time being assaulted by a mental suggestion and knowing from this that the devil was present to her, she spoke to him very firmly: “Know, malignant one, that you cannot come to me in any way, however disguised, that I do not recognize you.”(10) But God, wishing to humble her and show her that the enemy was more malicious and astute than she, permitted one subtle deception, that is, this devil appeared to her in the form of the Virgin Mary and speaking to her said:“If you part from your base love, I will give you the virtuous love.” Having said this, he disappeared. (11) Thinking that this had been the Mother of Christ – because at that moment she was then in prayer and was beseeching the Mother of Christ to deign to give her the grace of being able to love her son ardently – anyway, thinking that the apparition had been the Mother of Christ, when it had disappeared she began to ponder what the Virgin Mary had wished to say when she had told her that if she left her base love, she would give her a virtue love. And the devil elicited from her mind by a hidden deceit the idea that she wished to say that she should abandon the soul of her own senses and of her own opinion. (12) Because of this, with all her zeal she renewed her effort to obey her superior without any discernment nor care for herself as she was used to doing, because in the beginning of her conversion, even before she was obliged to do so, she had loved and desired true and holy obedience more than all the other virtues and to this she had devoted all her zeal. Still, by means of this her enemies sought to deceive her and began to send into her heart various and new thoughts against obedience so that judgments and murmuring entered her mind regarding almost all the things done or said by her superior. (13) And she felt great sorrow and bitterness because of this and told her fault40to her superior many times and with great shame. And still the battle did not cease. There was much that disturbed her and especially this: every time she received strength not to consent completely, she was violently drawn to it.
(14) And then turning herself to the weapon of prayer, she received some comfort. For she did not consent completely but remained in great bitterness thinking that, by this, she was in contempt of the Virgin Mary. She said: “She told me that I ought to leave behind my own opinion, and every day I think the opposite.” Thus she was led into great desperation, unaware that this was the result of the devil’s instigation and thinking it was purely from herself.
(15) When the malign devil saw that nevertheless she did not lose her hope in God, he pondered how to find a more subtle deceit. So, one morning, when she had entered into the church to pray, he suddenly appeared to her in the form of Christ crucified, standing in the form of a cross with his open arms spread somewhat in front of her in a friendly and benign fashion as though wishing to draw her back. He said to her: “Thief, you have robbed me. Give me what you have taken from me.” (16) She believed it was Jesus Christ. So with great reverence and fear – as soon as he had appeared to her, she voluntarily had prostrated her body on the ground, so that she appeared to be submissive in mind – she answered by saying: “My Lord, why do you say this to me? For I have nothing; in fact, I am most poor and as nothing in your sight and in this world I am subordinate to others so that I do not have anything.”(17) He responded by saying: “I want you to know that you are not so poor and that you have something because I made you in my image and likeness by giving you memory, intellect and will; and by abandoning yourself by a vow of obedience, you have returned them to me and moved me to tell you that this shows you to be a thief.” She understood that he said this because of the thoughts of infidelity which she had in her heart against her abbess, as was said above, and she answered: “My Lord, what should I do because I do not have my heart in the control of my free will and I cannot restrain the thoughts which come to me?” (18) He answered saying: “Do as I tell you; catch your will, memory and intellect and make sure that in no matter you do something other than the desire of your elders.” And she said: “How must I do this when I cannot retain the intellect which discerns or the memory which remembers?” And he answered: “Place your will in theirs and think that their will is yours and do not wish to exercise memory or intellect in any matter other than theirs.” (19) And she said she could not do that, aware that she did not have her heart subject to her freedom. He said to her: “Do as I told you; that is, sleep, wake and rest.” She answered him: “Sir, I do not understand what you want to say.”And he said: “By sleeping, I mean that you should not involve yourself in the present things of this world; and by waking, I mean that, nevertheless, you should be zealous about your duty to obey; and by resting, I mean that always and in all your works you keep your mind in continual meditation on my passion.” (20) And having said this and many other things to strengthen her in obedience, he disappeared. She, believing he was Jesus Christ, kept her mind on these things and thought about them often. Nevertheless, she did not think she had her heart free from the above-mentioned battle since with great importunity, as soon as her abbess ordered some exercise or said something, it seemed that a thousand judgments came to her mind: “This matter would be better if it were thus and so,” and many thoughts of infidelity and contradiction of which she never spoke except in her culpa to her superior mentioned above, as was noted earlier. (21) She did this with great shame and bitterness so that many times she could have washed her feet with the abundance of her painful tears. And she said that if she hadn’t made use of this remedy of “saying her culpa,”41 many times she would have become conceited and rebelled against obeying this abbess, for many times she was tempted very violently to go and fight with her and contradict the things she did or ordered. This could have led to the damnation of her soul, for in no way is a religious permitted to contradict her superiors unless it is a matter of mortal sin. (22) And for this reason when she was thus tempted, she resisted strongly, knowing that it didn’t come from herself but from the envy of the enemy, who has the fiercest spite for those people who rightly serve God in the state of obedience, and so he was always searching for new ways by which he could trick her. She resisted him with patience and will have the crown of martyrdom.
(23) But returning to our plan, when some time had passed, this battle grew ever greater, and she would never have resisted had she not endured with love and reverence, and obeyed her superior in all things. Further, she was never found stubborn or obstinate in her opinions, although by not consenting to the devil she was always involved in a great struggle and in bitterness. So great was the multitude of her tears, which so abounded, that if God had not conserved her sight by his grace, it seems impossible that her eyes would not have dissolved in her head. But when such was her bitter weeping that she reached the point that it seemed no more water could flow, blood came in its place. (24) And her heart could not restrain itself from weeping because of the unspeakable sadness which had wounded it, especially since it was deprived of the flame of divine love by which she was often accustomed to be visited with such abundance that she could with great effort barely hide it. She suffered from great dryness in her head and could not pray nor say the office without great pain and effort. Moreover, in this way painful sadness increased because she feared that it might be from the vice of sensuality. (25) This fear proceeded from the enemy because, as was said above, already in the first apparition he had said that sensuality arose from him, and now he aroused her, who feared in her heart – not only her, but even acquaintances – that she was sensual. In this way she bore and sustained many rebuffs and accusations. This was the comfort and support brought to her in the midst of so great a plight. As her pain became continually worse, it was as if she were deprived of understanding while the battles raged within and around her. (26) And for this reason, she began to snatch some repose at night and not to stay awake all night as he did, though she was so accustomed to prayer that, even when she was sleeping, she was raised up in the form of a cross, that is, with her arms extended. No doubt this was induced by the enemy so that, by praying too much, she would wear out. (27) And besides this, it seemed to her, and so it was, that what had happened to her was like what had happened to the glorious Job, that is, that she was deprived of all riches of mental and bodily grace, and the virtues which she had adopted in the beginning with good zeal and without hesitation now seemed impossible for her to have to do. If the virtue of patience were not proposed to her in her mind, she would have very little, but that the slightest word was spoken to her induced in her great bitterness. This happened to her after the above mentioned deceits through the great poverty of spirit which she suffered.
(28) After some more time had passed in such poverty, the enemy of all those who have set foot on earth appeared again. This time he came in the appearance of the Virgin Mary with her little Son in her arms. He addressed her and spoke thus, scolding her: “You have not wished to abandon your wicked self-love, and I will not give you the virtuous love that is my little Son’s.” And having said this, he disappeared like a person who was upset. And she, thinking that it was the Mother of Christ, pondered very bitterly, believing that she was estranged from her and her Son.
(29) Now let the listener think into what mortal weakness and sadness of heart this led her, so much that she could scarcely hold herself upright, so much that many times she would have despaired if she had not known well that the worst sin that can be is that of despair, and also because the divine goodness never takes away the gift of good will, through which she always had the desire of not wanting anything which was contrary to the divine will. (30) And when the malign one saw that through all this he could not obtain her damnation, it seems that he received from God the freedom to redouble his rage against her. Knowing how and how much she loved the honor of this monastery from her heart and the common good of all the sisters, he sought to afflict her in another way. (3l) So, one night, when the other sisters slept, she heard him walking around the monastery like a madman yelling with frightful and terrible voice. And after this, when he didn’t receive from God freedom to destroy the monastery to the ground as happened to blessed Job, he did so much that, in a short while, the monastery was empty of both goods and sisters. But she stood firm and did not wish to go outside until it was promised to her by those who went out of there that she could return and begin again in better surroundings than before. (32) So with this promise, she went outside with great sorrow, saying to those who had come outside: “Put me in a place where I will have no occasion to see or speak to anyone.” And thus it was done. After some days, as it pleased divine providence, she returned to that place with five other of those sisters who were there earlier and began to reform the monastery in good order. But some time passed before they were able to seal themselves in a cloister so that people who came to visit the place went inside.
(33) So the enemy made up his mind against her and aroused some people of high status in the world who secretly asked her to please agree to go and stay in their house in the company of one of their lonely little daughters, and said that if it was necessary to obtain permission from the pope or from anyone else, she should not doubt that all which was necessary to the health of the soul and the body would be provided her better than she could know how to ask for it.. She did not consent to all these promises, but stayed firmly and constantly in the aforementioned place with full faith that she was still established in the cloister under the Rule of St. Clare. And so it was.
(34) But the enemy, furious once more, began again to want to raze to the ground the foundation of the revealed edifice. She was driven into severe doubt and had recourse to the weapons of prayer, and with heartfelt affection, she raised her interior voice, calling out to heaven and asking for divine help. And she was fully heard and bore and sustained many and varied tribulations both in her own person and in her neighbors which I am not going to put down here because the list would be too long to tell. (35) But as it is written so it happened: “They called out in the day of their affliction, and you heard them from heaven” (2 Esdr 9.27-28). And so it happened that the building progressed from good to better, and the enemy lost the battle and remained confused. This happened to the praise of the Lord God who does not abandon those who hope in him, who permitted her to have many great troubles because he wished to test her this way and make her worthy of greater glory.
(36) So he openly permitted that she would know how the above mentioned apparitions had proceeded from the devil and that God had permitted all that in order to make her come to a great knowledge of herself. And so it happened, because, having passed through the above mentioned hellish punishment which lasted for a space of five years, she was once again consoled by the divine visitation and confirmed in such a great knowledge of her own weakness and nothingness that, if all the blessed souls had sworn to the contrary, she would not have believed it. (37) Besides this, she remained in such a salutary fear that before, or rather in the sight of the divine majesty, she saw herself as nothing, incomprehensible and unutterable. And so at some cost, she became rather expert in the diabolical deceits and also in the true and divine visitation about which she says and affirms the following: When God, through his kindness, deigned to visit her mind, suddenly he drew near with this ineffable and trustworthy sign: that is, before him there proceeded the holy aura of humility which, entering her, immediately caused her to incline her interior and exterior head, so that she appeared to be the principal root of all faults past, present and future. (38) And thus accusing herself of any fault committed in her neighbors, she remained in true and heartfelt love of them. And then in her presence shone the radiant sun and true warming fire, Christ, and with this soul he reposed in peace without anything mediating between them so that well can she say: “O high nothingness, your deed is so strong / that it opens all the doors and enters into infinity.”42
(39) And then, as the flame of divine love burned down, the mind stayed illumined, the heart warmed and caught fire with desire to suffer evils, and her face was joyous with jubilant and festive sentiments. And sometimes the eloquence seemed to remain on the ready to augment the virtues and to reprove and to bear with defects gently and sweetly. And sometimes, on the contrary, she remained as though oblivious of any speech through the grace of unity love which abided in her. (40) The more she was in tune with God, the more fear she had of being his enemy and of being deprived of him, and by in this way she was able to enjoy the divine presence without danger of vainglory through whatever person he became present. (41) And she also thought that all mortal creatures were equally nothing in the sight of the divine and imperial majesty; in some ineffable way, she was brought an interior light through which she understood that only God could bring her joy and glory and through grace, give her infinite good and through justice, infinite penalty. (42) It seemed to her the summit of stupidity to vainly glory in oneself, and for dread of that to keep from accepting the divine sentiments and from doing good whenever they were revealed to her. I do not say this for the beginning novice but for the perfect who regard vanity as nothing, to which perfection no one arrives with genuine firmness except by carrying the painful cross, passing by way of many temptations.
(43) On the contrary, now wishing to show by its contrary how to understand and recognize the diabolic messengers through the experience which she had in the above mentioned diabolical apparition, she says that in all three occasions when the enemy showed himself to her in the way described, it never occurred to her at that moment to wonder if it was the wicked spirit. Instead, immediately and without any verification, she believed that it was the good spirit because, in these apparitions, the false enemy always preached to her that virtue which she loved the most, that is, obedience. Then with much importunity, he insinuated the opposite, putting in her heart thoughts which inclined her to pass judgment on her superiors. (44) And then, after this, under the appearance of contrition, he aroused so much sorrow over these suggestions that he made her stay in a pit of unspeakable and damnable sorrow, giving her to understand that this proceeded from herself and not from him from whom it doubtlessly did. (45) The enemy kept to this particular method by giving her for a long time the temptation of blasphemy – for which she never found any remedy either in confession or in any other way – until finally the devil came to her one night while she was sleeping and opened her ears and told her to blaspheme God. She, still sleeping, refused, saying: “I will not do that.” And when the evil one saw how much she despised him, he made such a loud racket that she woke up and felt him depart. (46) And in this way, she realized clearly that it was the enemy who had afflicted her so by putting in her heart such blasphemies and then leading her to think that they came from herself in order to make her fall into despair. And after this, she remained victorious over temptation, seeing openly how the enemy insinuated such blasphemies into her spirit. (47) So if any of you, beloved sisters, should be tempted in a similar struggle, do not be alarmed nor saddened by thinking that it proceeds from yourself rather than only from diabolic envy which cannot stand it that God be adored and praised. But in eternity, without any respite, he will be blessed and praised and magnified and superexalted in despite and derision of Lucifer and all his companions and the dark brigade. Amen. Amen.
(48) Now, wishing to show more clearly what happened to her after the aforesaid deceits, she said that her good will seemed to be partially asleep in relation to doing good, and that the slightest effort began to seem to her like unbearable labor. She was without the taste of devotion to such an extent that everything seemed beyond her, and many years passed before she could recover the taste for prayer. And in the time of these apparitions, she was so strongly tempted by the vice of vainglory that the false enemy placed in her heart that she said that the aforesaid apparitions could be considered good; and by this suggestion he hid himself. (49) Here one should consider with what craftiness the enemy deceived her regarding the way of obedience and then placed in her heart the contrary and beyond this, caused her to think that these thoughts proceeded from her. And the wicked one did all this to make her fall into the ditch of mortal sadness which was so dangerous that when she was liberated from it, she said that she had feared she would depart. She said:“Which do you want: to return to the aforesaid sadness or to have your head cut off?” Without doubt anyone would respond that she was ready to undergo such a death, even with great pleasure and delight rather than to be returned to this sadness.”
(50) Although it may seem presumptuous of me, I sincerely ask all those who will ever find themselves abbesses in this monastery, that they take care to be vigilant over the flock committed to them, knowing that the devil, the hellish wolf, always seeks to devour it. Hence it is necessary to keep a diligent watch and not wait to save the lamb when it is in the mouth of the wolf or at the point of death, but immediately, with true goodness and generosity, support its weaknesses of soul and body. O how pleasing it is to God and salutary to the subject when the superior gives her help before she asks for it, because what is asked for is less pleasing and less rewarded. (51) And who is so hard-hearted that when they hurt their foot or even their little finger, she does not bend her head to look at it and her hand to medicate it? And while each leader must maintain this manner toward all her subjects without any laziness, the opposite is a deadly medicine, bringing damnation to both the head and the members. Now it is enough to merit this if one does not open her eyes to the dove’s simplicity and recommend it to that One who sees all without any rest. (52) She will remember that she must show greater concern for the least soul committed to her than for the whole world with all its decoration. Hers is a very important burden which she should consider well. And always she should show with true prudence greater love for those who are tempted to disobedience and infidelity toward her, rather than toward those who do not follow such a way, because the virtue of obedience is loved more and longingly sought by such a person, as is clear: the enemy always would rather attack the servant of Christ regarding that virtue which he knows is loved by her. (53) That religious is blessed who sustains with patience such barking and conquers herself, because no one will receive the crown of obedience who does not sustain in this way the battle of contradictions, as the infinite goodness of our Lord says; that is, those who conquer themselves will seize hold of heaven.
(54) From this it follows that those who obey with violence to their own opinion and who are vexed in their own will and their own breast and discernment will not lose the merit of true obedience, but will mostly without doubt acquire a greater share of heavenly glory by doing continual violence to themselves and subjecting their own will not only to their mother and superiors, but also to their equals and those under them. The way of such virtue is manifest in the infinite goodness of the Son of God when he was obedient not only to his eternal Father, but also to his mother and to Joseph as the gospel makes clear when it says: “And he was subject to them” (Lk 2.51). (55) Above all feel ashamed of the pride of the human heart which does not wish to be subject, but always seeks to lord it over others and stand above them. And thus the mind of those persons who are invited to the marriage of the lamb, that is to holy religion, are confounded for they believe that, after a short time during which they stood at the gate of salutary obedience, they are suitable to have the power to rule and manage others. (56) In this they are deceived because, believing they have traversed the way of perfection, they fall into the ditch of presumption because they do not consider how far they are from the perfect and humble obedience of Christ Jesus. After the twenty-nine years during which he was subject and obedient, hiding the loftiness of the divinity under the shadow of his virginal humanity, once again more openly and as though he had done nothing by laboring in this obedience, he bore and sustained great and varied sufferings and derision. It is clear that not only was he not regarded as the Son of God he was, but he was even called and regarded as a blasphemer of God and a violator of his law. He was not honored by the princes and great ones of the world as his servants want to be today, but instead he was considered a fool and an evildoer. He bore and sustained all this in order to be fully obedient to his eternal Father. (57) And he showed that his obedience was perfect when not only was he subject to his Father, but also, through obedience to this Father, he submitted to the lordship of the vilest sinners at whose hands he received so cruel a death; and then he completed his obedience.
(58) And because of this example, every person who is called to the state of religion ought not only to desire to stay thirty years or more subject to others as Christ did, but also she should with great fervor ask God every day for the grace of being able to remain in the state of true and humble obedience in order to be more conformed to his Son, who, as was said, not only was subject and obedient to the Father and to human creatures, but to inanimate ones also, because, by taking human, passible flesh, he was subject to suffering from hunger, thirst, cold and heat and other necessities which afflict our weakness. And finally, through the virtue of obedience, he submitted himself to the cruel mastery of the bitter nails which nailed him finally and decisively.
(59) And how could anyone doubt of her salvation if she ended her mortal path in such virtue which makes the servant more like her master than any other virtue? Because of his holy obedience, did not the eternal Father promise Abraham to command his Son to take up our mortality in order to vivify us? Certainly, so whoever wishes to build a good building, let her lay down this virtue as her foundation and believe firmly that she will be better saved by this than by any penitence or fasting or contemplation she wishes. (60) There is no rational creature of so little understanding that she does not know that true religion cannot do any greater thing for the Lord God nor anything more pleasing to him than to give her whole self for him, leaving behind her own will, so that it is clear that the creature who subjects herself to others for love of her creator does something greater and merits more than does the one who serves him with her own self will. And if Abraham was justified for obeying only God, how much more will that one be justified who, for love of God, subjects herself to obey the servant of this God.
(61) And so, dearly beloved, make firm your resolve, knowing that you cannot do anything greater for your spouse Christ Jesus than persevere and finish under the yoke which you have taken up through him, aware that the enemy sometimes makes the way seem too narrow or too long. And it happens that the novices, suddenly entered upon …

9 de marzo o 9 de mayo: Santa Catalina Vigri de Bolonia
En Bolonia, en la provincia de la Emilia, santa Catalina, virgen de la Orden de Santa Clara, la cual, notable por sus dotes naturales, fue más ilustre por sus virtudes místicas y por la vida de penitencia y humildad, siendo guía de vírgenes consagradas (1463).

Fecha de canonización: 22 de mayo de 1712 por el Papa Clemente XI.

Juan de Vigri, padre de Catalina, era abogado y agente diplomático del marqués de Ferrara, Nicolás d'Este. A instancias del marqués, Juan envió a su hija, de once años de edad a servir como dama de honor a la joven Margarita d'Este. Catalina hizo sus estudios con Margarita y fue amiga íntima suya. Entre otras materias, las jóvenes estudiaron el latín; Catalina escribió posteriormente varias obritas en esa lengua. Al casarse con Roberto Malatesta, Margarita tenía intención de conservar a Catalina a su servicio, pero ésta se sintió llamada a la vida religiosa. Poco después de regresar a su casa, perdió a su padre y, casi inmediatamente ingresó en una congregación de terciarias franciscanas de Ferrara, que llevaban una vida semimonástica, bajo al dirección de una mujer llamada Lucía de Mascaroni.

Aunque Catalina sólo tenía catorce años, su deseo de perfección le ganó la admiración de sus hermanas. Desde tan temparana edad empezó a tener visiones, algunas de las cuales provenían de Dios y otras del demonio, como la misma Catalina se vio obligada a reconocerlo más tarde. Para ayudar a otras almas a distinguir entre las visiones divinas y los artificios del diablo, Catalina escribió que había aprendido a discernir las unas de las otras por la santa luz de la humildad, «que precedía siempre a la salida del Sol». Citemos sus propias palabras: «Esa alma, cuando se acercaba el Huésped divino, experimentaba un sentimiento de respeto que ponía de rodillas a su corazón y la obligaba a doblar exteriormente la cabeza; en otras ocasiones, le sobrevenía una gran claridad sobre sus faltas pasadas, presentes y futuras y se veía a sí misma como la causante de las faltas de sus prójimos, por los cuales sentía una inflamada caridad. Así entraba Jesús en su alma, como un rayo de sol y establecía en ella la más profunda paz».

Más tarde, el demonio trató de infiltrar en su alma dudas y pensamientos blasfemos, particularmente sobre la presencia real de Jesucristo en el Santísimo Sacramento. Esto la hizo sufrir mucho, hasta que Dios le reveló claramente la doctrina de la Iglesia y respondió en forma definitiva a sus dificultades de modo que desaparecieron las dudas. Santa Catalina aseguraba que, en las almas puras, los efectos del Sacramento no dependen del fervor sensible y que aquellas dudas no disminuyen tampoco su eficacia, con tal de que el alma no consienta en ellas. También afirmaba que quienes llevan con paciencia tales pruebas sacan de la comunión mayores frutos que si tuviesen las más altas consolaciones. Probablemente a causa de todo lo que había sufrido, Catalina sentía un indomable deseo de dormir, que ella consideraba como tentación del demonio, pero que era probablemente una gracia que le permitía rehacerse de los esfuerzos corporales y mentales anteriores. Después de algún tiempo, desapareció también esa inclinación exagerada al sueño y la paz completa se estableció en el alma de Santa Catalina.

Pensando que con ello podría ayudar a otros después de su muerte, Catalina empezó a escribir un relato de las pruebas que había sufrido y las gracias que recibía. Para evitar que sus hermanas descubrieran su diario, acostumbraba coserlo en el interior de un cojín; pero ellas, sospechando lo que sucedía, buscaron el manuscrito hasta dar con él. Cuando Catalina cayó en la cuenta de la indiscreción de que había sido objeto, arrancó las hojas y las arrojó al fuego. La santa estaba encargada del horno, pues era la panadera de la casa. En cierta ocasión, al darse cuenta de que el resplandor del fuego le hacía daño a la vista, temiendo que eso la inutilizara para el servicio de la comunidad, habló del asunto con su superiora; pero ésta le respondió que permaneciese en su puesto y dejara la salud en manos de Dios. Después de ejercer durante largo tiempo el oficio de panadera, santa Catalina pasó a ser maestra de novicias.

Por la misma época, tuvo una extraordinaria visión, a la que aluden con frecuencia sus imágenes y que referiremos con sus propias palabras: «Esa persona pidió permiso a su superiora para pasar toda la noche de Navidad en la iglesia del monasterio y se dirigió allá lo más pronto que pudo, con la intención de recitar mil avemarías en honor de la Santísima Virgen. Así lo hizo, con toda la atención y el fervor de que fue capaz. En esa ocupación la sorprendió la medianoche, es decir la hora en que, según se cree, nació Nuestro Señor. En ese preciso momento, se le apareció la Santísima Virgen, llevando en sus brazos al Niño Jesús cubierto con pañales. La Madre de Dios se le acercó y le puso a su Hijo en los brazos. Ya podéis imaginar el gozo de esa pobre criatura cuando vio en sus propios brazos al Hijo del Padre Eterno. Temblando de respeto, pero sobre todo abrumada de felicidad, se tomó la libertad de acariciar al Niño, de estrecharlo contra su corazón y de acercar los labios a su rostro... En el momento en que la pobre criatura de la que estamos hablando acercaba los labios a la boca del Divino Niño, se esfumó la visión, dejándola sumida en un gozo indescriptible». La santa escribió por entonces dos libros en versos libres sobre los misterios de la vida de Cristo y su Madre, a los que dio el título de «Rosario», que las religiosas del monasterio de Bolonia conservaron como un tesoro. Escribió igualmente un tratado sobre «Las Siete Armas espirituales», que vio la luz después de su muerte y alcanzó gran fama en Italia.

Algunos años antes, la pequeña comunidad gobernada por Lucía Mascaroni había abrazado la estrecha regla de Santa Clara y se había cambiado a una casa más adaptable a los usos de la vida religiosa; pero tanto santa Catalina como las más austeras de sus hermanas estaban convencidas de que la única manera de asegurar la perfecta observancia consistía en instituir la clausura. Sin embargo, los habitantes de Ferrara se opusieron durante mucho tiempo a tal innovación, hasta que finalmente el Papa Nicolás V decretó y sancionó la clausura, gracias sobre todo a las oraciones y esfuerzos de santa Catalina.

La santa fue entonces nombrada superiora de otro convento de la estrecha observancia en Bolonia; ella hubiese preferido permanecer en Ferrara como simple súbdita, pero el cielo le dio a entender que debía aceptar el cargo y al punto obedeció. Dos cardenales recibieron en Bolonia a la santa y a su acompañante, seguidos por el senado y toda la población. A pesar de la estricta clausura, la fama de santidad, milagros y dones de profecía de santa Catalina, atrajeron a tantas postulantes al nuevo convento de Corpus Christi, que apenas había sitio suficiente.

Santa Catalina trabajaba con todas sus fuerzas durante la semana; los domingos y días de fiesta aprovechaba el tiempo libre para copiar e iluminar su breviario. Este libro, compuesto totalmente por manos de la santa, con miniaturas de Cristo y de la Virgen, se conserva todavía. Catalina compuso también varios himnos y pintó algunos cuadros. La santa recomendaba a sus hijas tres cosas que ella había practicado durante toda su vida: La primera era hablar amablemente a todos, la segunda practicar constantemente la humildad y la tercera no mezclarse nunca en los asuntos ajenos. Aunque era muy estricta consigo misma, la santa se mostraba extraordinariamente bondadosa con las debilidades de sus prójimos.

En las elecciones de la nueva abadesa, el único reproche que sus hermanas pudieron hacer a Catalina fue que era demasiado bondadosa para urgir severamente la observancia. Siendo maestra de novicias, le pareció que algunas de las hermanas no se alimentaban suficientemente; para remediarlo pidió en la cocina algunos huevos duros, les quitó el cascarón y los deslizó en las bolsas de las hermanas, dejando en su propio plato sólo los cascarones. Por ello, fue acusada de sensualidad durante la visita anual, pero la santa soportó la reprimenda sin decir una palabra, como si realmente fuese culpable.

Su salud, que había empezado a debilitarse desde su vuelta a Bolonia, decayó rápidamente. El primer domingo de cuaresma del año de 1463 se vio atacada por violentos dolores, de suerte que debió acostarse y ya no se levantó más. El 9 de marzo entregó su alma a Dios en forma tan apacible, que sus hermanas no se dieron cuenta de que había muerto, sino hasta que empezaron a percibir una deliciosa fragancia y advirtieron que su faz tenía la belleza y frescura de una quinceañera. Su cuerpo fue enterrado sin caja, pero a los dieciocho días fue desenterrado, debido a los numerosos milagros que había obrado y a la suave fragancia que se escapaba de su tumba. Desde entonces, se encuentra incorrupto en la capilla del convento de Bolonia, donde puede verse a través de un cristal. La santa se halla sentada, ricamente vestida; pero el rostro y las manos, que están al descubierto, se han ennegrecido con el tiempo y la humedad. Santa Catalina es la patrona de los artistas. Las miniaturas que pintó se conservan aún en el convento de Corpo di Cristo, en Bolonia; según los expertos, se trata de obras de gran delicadeza. También se conservan dos de sus pinturas, una en la pinacoteca de Bolonia y la otra en la Academia de Bellas Artes de Venecia.
es.catholic.net/santoral/articulo.php
P.D. collage de visita: Bologna collage

May 9 St. Catharine of Bologna (1413-1463)

Some Franciscan saints led fairly public lives; Catharine represents the saints who served the Lord in obscurity.

Catharine, born in Bologna, was related to the nobility in Ferrara and was educated at court there. She received a liberal education at the court and developed some interest and talent in painting. In later years as a Poor Clare, Catharine sometimes did manuscript illumination and also painted miniatures.

At the age of 17, she joined a group of religious women in Ferrara. Four years later the whole group joined the Poor Clares in that city. Jobs as convent baker and portress preceded her selection as novice mistress.

In 1456, she and 15 other sisters were sent to establish a Poor Clare monastery in Florence. As abbess Catharine worked to preserve the peace of the new community. Her reputation for holiness drew many young women to the Poor Clare life. She was canonized in 1712.
Comment:

Appreciating Catharine’s life in a Poor Clare monastery may be hard for us. "It seems like such a waste," we may be tempted to say. Through prayer, penance and charity to her sisters, Catharine drew close to God. Our goal is the same as hers even if our paths are different.

Quote:

Catharine wrote a book on the seven spiritual weapons to be used against temptation. "Jesus Christ gave up his life that we might live," she said. "Therefore, whoever wishes to carry the cross for his sake must take up the proper weapons for the contest, especially those mentioned here. First, diligence; second, distrust of self; third, confidence in God; fourth, remembrance of the Passion; fifth, mindfulness of one’s own death; sixth, remembrance of God’s glory; seventh, the injunctions of Sacred Scripture following the example of Jesus Christ in the desert" (On the Seven Spiritual Weapons).

Patron Saint of:

Art
Artists
www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx