Today is the Memorial of St. Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Church. It is interesting that we hear the story of Jesus and Nicodemus today, as Jesus teaches him that the Holy Spirit cannot be contained, and we must be born again if we desire eternal life. Catherine understood this well and devoted her life to prayer, sacrifice, caring for others, and fostering unity in the Church. Our eternal life comes to us as a gift from Jesus through His cross.
In The Dialogue, which is a conversation between God and Catherine, God tells her, “I gave you a bridge, my Son, so that you cross over the river, the stormy sea of this darksome life, without being drowned.” Then He says, “I want you to look at the bridge of my only begotten Son and notice its greatness. Look! It stretches from heaven to earth, joining the earth of your humanity with the greatness of the Godhead. This is what I mean when I say it stretches from heaven to earth – through my union with humanity” (Dialogue #21 & 22).
It is only through faith and belief on the cross that we can move forward in our lives. Whatever ills or difficulties we have, we know Jesus has conquered them. He conquered death. Jesus is our bridge to heaven. Our humanity is joined to the greatness of God because of Jesus.
When we are baptized, we receive the gift of new life and the Holy Spirit. Our new life is rooted in Christ. As active, faithful believers of Christ, we are meant to turn toward Him. We are to become like Him, conforming our lives to His. The crosses we take up, and the small deaths to self that we experience, combined with allowing the Holy Spirit to move in us, that is how we are reborn from above.
Today, let us ask for the intercession of St. Catherine so as to die a bit to our sinfulness as we look at Jesus, our bridge to heaven.
Hoy es la Memoria de Santa Catalina de Siena, Doctora de la Iglesia. Es interesante que hoy escuchemos la historia de Jesús y Nicodemo, cuando Jesús le enseña que el Espíritu Santo no puede ser contenido y que debemos nacer de nuevo si deseamos la vida eterna. Catalina entendió esto bien y dedicó su vida a la oración, al sacrificio, al cuidado de los demás y al fomento de la unidad en la Iglesia. Nuestra vida eterna nos llega como un regalo de Jesús a través de Su cruz.
En El Diálogo, que es una conversación entre Dios y Catalina, Dios le dice: “Te di un puente, Hija mía, para que cruces el río, el mar tempestuoso de esta vida oscura, sin ahogarte”. Luego dice: “Quiero que mires el puente de mi Hijo Unigénito y notes su grandeza. ¡Mira! Se extiende desde el cielo hasta la tierra, uniendo la tierra de tu humanidad con la grandeza de la Deidad. Esto es lo que quiero decir cuando digo que se extiende desde el cielo hasta la tierra, a través de mi unión con la humanidad” (Diálogos #21 y 22).
Solo a través de la fe y la creencia en la cruz podemos avanzar en nuestras vidas. Cualesquiera sean los males o dificultades que tengamos, sabemos que Jesús los ha conquistado. Él conquistó la muerte. Jesús es nuestro puente al cielo. Nuestra humanidad está unida a la grandeza de Dios por medio de Jesús.
Cuando somos bautizados, recibimos el don de la nueva vida y del Espíritu Santo. Nuestra nueva vida está arraigada en Cristo. Como creyentes activos y fieles de Cristo, debemos volvernos hacia Él. Debemos llegar a ser como Él, conformando nuestras vidas a la Suya. Las cruces que tomamos y las pequeñas muertes a nosotros mismos que experimentamos, combinadas con permitir que el Espíritu Santo actúe en nosotros, es como renacemos de lo alto.
Hoy, pidamos la intercesión de Santa Catalina para renacer un poco más cada día mientras miramos a Jesús, nuestro puente al cielo.
Deanna G. Bartalini, M.Ed.; M.P.A., is a certified spiritual director, writer, speaker and content creator. The LiveNotLukewarm.com online community is a place to inform, engage and inspire your Catholic faith. Her weekly Not Lukewarm Podcast gives you tips and tools to live out your faith in your daily life.
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