What Divine Love Accomplish?

            The lives of St. Dominic and St. Catherine of Siena are evidence of what Divine Love can accomplish.  As God called them to be who he created them to be, they listened and responded to that Divine Love.  The result was a deep intimacy to Christ that enabled them to bring about results that they could not have imagined in their most hopeful dreams. They entered into the mystery into which we are all called.  Combining their great love of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit with a devotion to Mary, the Mother of God, they were able to detaching themselves of the things of this world and focus on the things of heaven.

               In a time before “screens”, yet a time filled with significant temptations and distractions to pull individuals away from God and into sinful living, both St. Dominic and St. Catherine were able to be in touch with the movement of the Holy Spirit within their souls.  Their love for God gave them the courage and fortitude to follow those movements, resulting in a personal relationship with our Triune God.

               The spiritual journey of this ordained priest and lay woman had many things in common of which I would like to focus on two.  They each spent significant time in prayer and contemplation and they each had a devotion to Mary and the rosary.

               St. Dominic reportedly spent many nights on the ground praying for the salvation of souls.  He prayed and fasted and did penance, binding his sufferings to the sufferings of Christ.  It was during a time of praying for the conversion of souls that he was given the Rosary by Mary.  He continued his active apostolate preaching and forming men to become Dominican priests and brothers while advancing the use of the Rosary throughout Europe. 

               St. Catherine, early in her adulthood, spent three years in solitary prayer.   During this time, the Lord must have formed her for the active work he had planned for her.  She knew at an early age that she was made to be devoted to Christ and had the courage to defy her parents.  Once she began her active life of service, it continued to be sustained by frequent daily prayer and contemplation. 

               The lives of both of these saints illustrate the absolute need for an active apostolate to be supported by a vibrant life of prayer.  They also illustrate lives filled with joy as a result of their relationship with Christ.