CRYSTAL
Ever since I was a young girl, I have enjoyed reading stories about the saints. Each saint has such a unique story to tell of how their lives were shaped by their love for Christ. Recently, I read a biography of St. Catherine of Siena, and was captivated by the struggles she faced in being faithful to the Church amidst the wars, plagues and schisms which threatened the people of her land. It occurred to me that, although she lived more than six hundred years earlier, many of the difficulties she faced are just as prevalent today. I experienced a great desire to learn more about her life, so that I could benefit from her experiences. It has been recorded that St. Catherine received supernatural assistance in her spiritual life, and was even given the gift of hearing the voice of Jesus speaking to her of His immense love for all of His creatures and of His desire for her to act lovingly on His behalf.
One story struck me in particular. It occurred at a time relatively early in her life, yet Catherine had already had a number of experiences of ecstasy and therefore had a deep understanding of Jesus’ love for all persons. By this time, she was already well known for her generosity in giving the best of her family’s food and clothing to the poor, often needing to smuggle it away because of the resistance she received. One cold winter’s day, she was praying in church when she was approached by a scantily clothed man, who asked her for relief from the cold. Not wanting to force him to come home with her, she took off some of the clothes she was wearing and gave them to him. But they were not enough to keep him warm, so he followed her home where she was able to find a few more items for his comfort. Finally the man realized that she had nothing left to give and he thanked her for her charity.
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Crystal and Kevin Sullivan
