Novena to St Catherine - Day 7
Published by Dominican Nuns Ireland in Reflections (Dominican) · 26 April 2021
Tags: Trinity, St, Catherine
Tags: Trinity, St, Catherine
I was wondering recently if there are Anam Cara’s in Heaven? Maybe! Why Not!
And if some of our prophets from the Old Testament may have already been drawn towards Meister Eckhart & Catherine of Siena and indeed to our modern day mystics----- a meeting of very different cultures ------different languages etc. And yet we know that heart language speaks louder than the spoken word.
Let us have a look at a quote from Meister Eckhart.
“We have within us a nameless transcendent depth which we call the ground of the Soul. The ground is a kind of hollow chamber, an empty space in which the Word can be spoken “
I think Eckhart would understand Catherine when she prays in her own inimitable way.
“O Eternal Trinity, You are an unfathomable sea wherein the more I plunge the more I find and the more I find you the more I seek you again. The Soul which satiates itself in your depths still desires you unceasingly, because it still hungers for you.--- O Eternal Trinity could you do more than give Yourself ? You have already told me through the Prophets that “I am precious in your eyes because you are honoured and I love you" (Is. 43). And also that “I have loved you with an everlasting love, so I am constant in my love for you" (Jer 32).
Again Catherine writes – “You are a fire which consumes in itself all the self-love of the soul.” On whatever side I turn I find only the abyss and fire of your charity”
Catherine’s Dialogue is just over flowing with the love of God, whether she is speaking of His Divine Providence in all things or her prayer and union with the Blessed Trinity, a love story between her Heavenly Father and herself-----but also and very much emphasied---a love story between her neighbour and herself.
In a recent homily Fr. Paul spoke of the joy that filled Catherine—the Father’s own joy, and long ago Fr. Anselm in a lecture asked us to “try to diffuse the spirit of joy. Remember Catherine’s gaiety and joy of spirit. In her last illness when her body was completely emaciated her disciples tell us that they saw in her eyes the old gaiety and joy. Joyousness of heart ---an attitude of heart proper to those who live with God. When dying Dominic said 'Father with gladness have I done Thy will.'"
Fr. Anselm at the end of that lecture suggested that Siena could become another Siena if we remain soaked in Catherine’s spirit !!!
And Eckhart too has an insight into this joy of the Blessed Trinity. He wrote
“Truly truly as God lives, at the least good deed, the least good desire, all the saints in Heaven as well as the Angels, rejoice with such great joy that all the joys of this world cannot equal. And yet all this Angelic joy is but “speck” to the delight that God takes in just one least good act.”
Catherine understood so well what another Prophet wrote. “I will betroth you to myself forever, betroth you with integrity and justice, with tenderness and love” (cf. Hos 2).
Dear St. Catherine draw us in your footsteps. Let us run with you.
The King has brought us into His Presence ------
You Lord will be our joy and gladness .
We shall praise your love above wine
How right it is to love You O Blessed Trinity
Come then my Love COME. (cf.Song of Songs)
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