Monday, April 30, 2012

Spiritual Chicks II: Catherine of Siena

I hadn't really intended to write a series of posts on famous women saints, but the Revised Common Lectionary for the Easter Season has suggested these heroines. Mary Magdalene, of course, is the first Christian evangelist and a pivotal figure in the Resurrection story. Catherine of Siena, whose feast day was April 29th, seemed to be a great example and illustration for the gospel lesson assigned to that day.


The appointed gospel for Easter 4 is John 10:11-18 in which the evangelist quotes Jesus describing himself as the Good Shepherd. I don't know about you, but I'm not really all that familiar with sheep and the practice of shepherding (I'm a city boy). What I do know is that the Pharisees of John's day would probably have taken no small amount of umbrage at this comparison as it both likens Jesus to the Creator God of Psalm 23 (an obvious blasphemy) and suggests that those charged with the spiritual care of  the people were somewhat less good in their shepherding.

The discourse in John 10 comes on the heels of the story of Jesus healing a man born blind. Now, you might think that such a healing would be hailed universally as a pretty good thing to do; nevertheless, the religious leaders in the story--the other shepherds--have to turn it into a political football. They want to quibble about the legality of healing on the sabbath or about the prophetic status of the healer. When I read the story, I just want to grab these Pharisees by the collar, shake them and say,"Who cares about sabbath law?! This man was a blind begger, and now he's a functioing member of society, for cryin' out loud! Don't you understand? Have you no compassion? You're missing the point!!"

Perhaps I should add that I feel the same way when I listen to our political candidates today. Why are we bickering over "big government" versus "small government" ideology when there are human beings in need of physical, spiritual, and economic healing?

What is wanting, I think, is a personal, flesh-and-blood relationship. In verse 14 Jesus, the Good Shepherd, says, "I know my own, and my own know me..." When we have a personal knowledge of Jesus--a real relationship--we can see past our petty selfish interests and find genuine, visionary compassion.

But how would we achieve such a relationship? The best advice I can give is to imagine the single most virtuous person you have ever known.  Maybe that's your mother or grandmother, or, perhaps, a former teacher, neighbor, or co-worker. Someone with true compassion, wisdom, love, and integrity. Visualize yourself having a conversation with that person and telling him or her about what's on your mind. How do your opinions and feelings stack up against that person's moral character? What advice would that person give you? If you can imagine a relationship with someone you've actually known who has embodied compassion, forgiveness, and truthfulness, you're on your way to having a relationship with Jesus.

Catherine of Siena, a fourteenth century nun, was known for her mystical visions of Christ. She imagined a very intimate relationship with Jesus, often imagining him feeding her the eucharist by his own hand. Touched by the compasson of her Good Shepherd, Catherine became something of a shepherd herself. She obediently and willingly exposed herself to vicitms of the plague. She both fed and nursed them, and even dug their graves. Miraculously, she never became infected.

Catherine was also known for her willingness to speak truth to power. As the fourteenth century was filled with petty wars and political intrigue, Catherine risked her own life to broker peace between warring Italian states, and urged Pope Gregory XI to return to Italy. She worked tirelessly for reconcilliation within the church after the election of Pope Urban VI caused schism, and frequently wrote to the pontiff criticisms of his behavior. Throughout her short life she remained a champion of the poor, often feeding the hungry from her own meager rations.

I find myself wishing for a modern-day Catherine--someone who can see beyond the political intrigues and just say, "Hey! We have hungry and sick people here. We need to care for them! Why? Because I know Jesus, and that's what he wants us to do."

So what is Jesus telling you to do? To whom are you a shepherd?

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