Thursday, May 9 : Saint Catherine of Siena

[Saint Catherine heard God say to her:] When my only-begotten Son returned to me forty days after his resurrection, this bridge was raised high above the earth. For he left your company and ascended to heaven by the power of my divine nature to sit at his eternal Father’s right hand. On the day of his ascension the disciples were as good as dead because their hearts had been lifted up to heaven along with my Son, who is Wisdom. So the angel said to them: “Do not stay here, for he is seated at the Father’s right hand.” (Acts 1:11). (…) So first I made a bridge of my Son as he lived in your company. And though that living bridge has been taken from your sight, there remains the bridge way of his teaching which, as I told you, is held together by my power and my Son’s wisdom and the mercy of the Holy Spirit. My power gives the virtue of courage to those who follow this way. Wisdom gives them light to know the truth along the way. And the Holy Spirit gives them a love that uproots all sensual love from the soul and leaves only virtuous love. So now, as much as before, through his teaching as much as when he was among you, he is the way and truth and life – the way that is the bridge leading to the very height of heaven. This is what he meant when he said: “I came from the Father and I am returning to the Father,” and “I will come back to you” (cf. Jn 16:28 ; Jn 14:28). In other words: my Father sent me to you and made me your bridge so that you might escape from the river and be able to reach life.
maronite readings – rosary,team