Sacramentally Speaking

Lately I have been reading St. Cathrine of Sienna’s dialogs with the Lord. I must say that I have an inclination to put my guard up against many mystic claims about dialoging with supernatural beings such as St. Maximilian Kolbe’s encounter with Mary and the two crowns as well as some of the Marian apparitions. However, I am really enjoying reading through these writings left by this Doctor of the Church (Check out the version that I’m reading on Amazon here. Purchasing from this link helps support this blog).

I’ve been reflection on the topic of suffering and what that may look like in the context of contrition and penance and how this idea can be utilized to lead us to become more holy. It just so happens that this is one of the topics that St. Catherine dialoged with the Lord about.

The 14th century saint writes of the soul of a Christian and how the tendency is to seek penance for her offenses against God. To this, the Lord responds and states that not all pain brought upon her is as punishment, but it is rather used by the Lord as a correction. To clarify: contrition is not completed in us because of the pain it brings. The Lord is not a task master who lashes out at His servants when they step out of line; but rather, He is a gracious, loving father who desires to teach His children in the midst of their short comings.

According to this dialogue between St. Cathrine and the Lord, true contrition is fulfilled through a truly repentant heart. The Lord is not fully glorified through a mere act of contrition unless it is paired with the sorrow (which is ultimately brought about by love) that should rightly come with dishonoring the creator of the universe.

“O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love.

I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.”