St. Catherine of Siena - a hero

We love our heroes. There’s no doubt that we Americans are obsessive about sports figures and movie stars. When they remind us that they share in the same flawed human nature we do, we are rather quick to forgive and turn the other way. The recent “come back” of Tiger Woods is a clear indication of how selective we can be with our heroes. Even O.J. Simpson got away with something that you or I could only dream about, in our nightmares. And the divorce culture is rampant among Hollywood stars. It seems to be almost a badge of honor to hear about who is leaving who for whom.

But today the Church calls to mind a great hero in the person of St. Catherine of Siena. Her life spanned only 33 years but her impact was and is extraordinary. Born in 1347 in Siena, Italy, St. Catherine lived through the Black Death, famine and numerous civil wars. During her lifetime the papal residence moved from Rome to Avignon, France and back again, and the great western Schism pitted Pope against anti-Pope. If you think we are in trouble today, just look back. This is a time of blessed peace and unity by comparison.

Catherine is best remembered for her efforts at urging Pope Gregory XI, happily ensconced along the Mediterranean in southern France, to return to Rome. One can read about the Avignon Papacy in any reliable history of the Catholic Church. Once Gregory returned to Rome at Catherine’s urging, he died but she did not give up and began to correspond with the new Pope Urban VI who appreciated her counsel. Mystical prayer, her spiritual writings, the reception of the stigmata, and her honest and practical wisdom have made St. Catherine a legend in the Catholic Church.

Such a hero we need today. In this morning’s Gospel from John, Jesus reminds his disciples, after he washed their feet, that they must go and do the same. What more could he have done, that side of the cross, to impress on them the mission we all have – to love extravagantly, to defend the truth, to be ready to serve and love after his example. This is the essence of Christian morality and behavior. It was Catherine’s powerful and courageous example. She knew how to reform the Church as needed but did so through respect, love, and humility.

As the Church prays this day:

Father,
in meditating on the sufferings of your Son
and in serving your Church,
St. Catherine was filled with the fervor of your love.
By her prayers,
may we share in the mystery of Christ’s death
and rejoice in the revelation of his glory,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.