Gospel – Mt 11,25-30
She went to meet Christ with the lamp lit.
Together with s. Francis of Assisi, s. Caterina is patron saint of Italy; together with s. Teresa of Avila was among the first women to be proclaimed “doctor of the Church”. And her entire life (1547-1580) lasted just 55 years! These are very difficult years for the Church: the Pope has left Rome and is in Avignon. All of Italy is in turmoil. This humble and poor woman is not only a mystic, who has received the stigmata; she has the temper of steel, and she launches herself into a grandiose project: everything must be done so that the Pope returns to Rome. This contemplative reveals herself to be an energetic woman of action, a skilled diplomat and a fine mediator. The situation of the Church becomes more serious and even leads to schism: it takes all of Catherine’s faith and courage for her rift to heal and for the Pope to find his way back to Rome. The Gospel helps us to grasp the “secret” of this great saint: her life was marked by vigilance and expectation of the kingdom of God. She did not retreat into sterile intimacy, but exposed herself to dramas and emergencies of his time. She kept the lamp of faith burning with the oil of the Spirit. She was able to combine mystical experience and historical commitment, intertwining ardent contemplation and passionate, faithful, concrete action in a superior synthesis.
