Tuesday, January 25 : Saint Catherine of Siena

Il s’y attacha si étroitement que rien désormais ne l’en put séparer, ni les assauts du démon, ni les tentations de la chair auxquelles il demeurait en butte par une permission de ma bonté, qui par ces combats voulait le faire grandir encore en mérite et en grâce et le conserver dans l’humilité, après l’avoir fait jouir de la sublimité de ma Trinité. Jamais plus il ne dépouilla ce vêtement, jamais il ne s’en sépara ne fût-ce qu’un instant. Persécutions, supplices, tribulations, il endura tout plutôt que de renoncer à la doctrine de la Croix. Il se l’était si bien incorporée qu’il sacrifia sa vie plutôt que de s’en dépouiller et que c’est avec ce vêtement qu’il retourna à moi, le Père éternel. [Saint Catherine heard Christ saying to her:] Paul, like a ready vessel, remade by my goodness, for he put up no resistance when he was struck, said: “No, my Lord, what do you want me to do? Tell me what you want me to do and I will do it.” I taught him when I set Christ crucified before his eye and clothed him in my Truth’s teaching. Once most perfectly enlightened by the light of true contrition grounded in my charity, through it he repented of his sin, he clothed himself in the teaching of Christ crucified. And he so held on to it (as he revealed to you) that he was stripped of it. Not for the devil’s tempting, not for the thorn in the flesh that often fought against him (which my goodness had permitted) that let him grow in grace and merit through humiliation after experiencing the height of the Trinity, not for difficulty or anything that happened to him did he loosen his hold on the doctrine of Christ crucified, that is, perseverance in his teaching. He held it so tightly to himsellf that he gave his life for it, and he returned to me, God, wearing that garment.

Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team