Tuesday, October 19 : Saint Catherine of Siena

It often happens that when a man is spending all his efforts on something, and it does not come about in the way or to the end that he wants, his mind falls into weariness and sadness, as if he reflected and said: “It is better for you to give up this enterprise which you have begun and worked on so long, and it has not yet come to an end, and to seek peace and quiet in your mind.” Then the soul ought to reply boldly, hungering for the honor of God and the salvation of souls, and deny personal consolation and say: “I will not avoid or flee from labor for I am not worthy of peace and quiet of mind. No, I wish to remain in that state which I have chosen and courageously give honor to God with my labor and with my labor for my neighbor.” Yet sometimes the devil, to make our enterprises weary us, when we feel little peace of mind will make a suggestion to us, saying in our mind: “I am doing more harm in this thing than I am deserving of good. So I would gladly run away from it, not on account of the labor but because I do not want to do harm.” Oh, dearest father, do not yield either to yourself or the devil, nor believe him when he puts such thoughts into your heart and mind, but embrace your labor with gladness and ardent desire and without any servile fear. Do not be afraid to do wrong in this, for wrong is shown to us in a disordered and perverse will. For when the will is not settled in God, then one does wrong. The time of the soul is not lost because it may be deprived of consolations and of saying its office and many psalms and cannot say them at the right time or place or with that peace of mind which it would itself wish. It is occupied solely for God. So it ought not to feel pain in its mind especially when it is laboring and working for the Bride of Christ. For in whatever way or concerning whatever matter we are laboring for her, it is so deserving and gives such pleasure to God that our intellect does not suffice to see or imagine it.

Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team