"Ahi, Constantin, di quanto mal fu matre,
Non la tua conversion, ma quella dote
Che da te prese il primo ricco patre!"
"For ever since Holy Church has aimed more at temporal than at spiritual
things, matters have gone from bad to worse." Catherine's sorrowful
denunciations of the sins of the Church recall the thought of Dante, the
thought of Petrarch--which is also the thought of all the great saints,
seers, and loyal Catholics, to whom through the Christian ages the
shortcoming of their spiritual mother has meant grief beyond words. The
lovely conception of Holy Church as a garden, borrowed though it be from
Holy Writ, she has made peculiarly her own by constant repetition. We
recognize in it the womanly imagination which, we are told, always found
refreshment in wreathing fragrant flowers and walking abroad through the
fields and woods.
Catherine in this letter presents explicitly her threefold policy: reform
of the Church, return to Rome, the initiation of a Crusade. In her little
letter to Sir John Hawkwood, we have already seen her devotion to this
last cause. A Crusade in the fourteenth century was not to be.
Nevertheless, Catherine never showed more political wisdom than in this
matter, and it was the one aim of her life in which she wholly failed. We
have in the Legenda Minore a racy account of a personal interview with
Gregory on the subject, in which she presented cogent considerations to
him. She shrewdly suggested that the mercenary troops who ravaged Italy,
and were "the very cause and nourishment of war," would gladly turn their
arms against the infidel, "For there are few people so wicked that they
are not willing to serve God by indulging their taste: all men would
gladly expiate their sins by doing what they enjoy." Behind all such
considerations of policy, however, lay, as we clearly see, the intense
desire that the infidels should be saved. And not for their own sake only.
Desperate and desolate as she beheld the worldliness of Christian folk,
and their remoteness from the faith and ardour of an earlier time,
Catherine ventured to dream that new converts, won from the peoples that
sat in darkness, might revive the spiritual life of Christendom by the
infusion of spiritual passion strong in young purity. "Oh, what joy it
would be," she wrote to Gregory, "could we see the Christian people
convert the Infidel! For when they had once received the Light, they might
reach great perfection, like a young plant which has escaped the wintry
cold of faithlessness, and expands in the warmth and light of the Holy
Spirit; so they might bear flowers and fruits of virtue in the mystical
body of Holy Church; so that the fragrance of their virtue might help us
to drive away the sins and vice, the pride and impurity, which abound to-
day among the Christian people, and above all among those high in Holy
Church."
It was a strange dream, and hopeless; but it was the dream of a saint.
In the Name of Jesus Christ crucified and of sweet Mary:
Most holy and dear and sweet father in Christ sweet Jesus: I your unworthy
daughter Catherine, servant and slave of the servants of Jesus Christ,
write to you in His precious Blood. With desire have I desired to see in
you the fulness of divine grace, in such wise that you may be the means,
through divine grace, of pacifying all the universal world. Therefore, I
beg you, sweet my father, to use the instrument of your power and virtue,
with zeal, and hungry desire for the peace and honour of God and the
salvation of souls. And should you say to me, father--"The world is so
ravaged! How shall I attain peace?" I tell you, on behalf of Christ
crucified, it befits you to achieve three chief things through your power.
Do you uproot in the garden of Holy Church the malodorous flowers, full of
impurity and avarice, swollen with pride: that is, the bad priests and
rulers who poison and rot that garden. Ah me, you our Governor, do you use
your power to pluck out those flowers! Throw them away, that they may have
no rule! Insist that they study to rule themselves in holy and good life.
Plant in this garden fragrant flowers, priests and rulers who are true
servants of Jesus Christ, and care for nothing but the honour of God and
the salvation of souls, and are fathers of the poor. Alas, what confusion
is this, to see those who ought to be a mirror of voluntary poverty, meek
as lambs, distributing the possessions of Holy Church to the poor: and
they appear in such luxury and state and pomp and worldly vanity, more
than if they had turned them to the world a thousand times! Nay, many
seculars put them to shame who live a good and holy life. But it seems
that Highest and Eternal Goodness is having that done by force which is
not done by love; it seems that He is permitting dignities and luxuries to
be taken away from His Bride, as if He would show that Holy Church should
return to her first condition, poor, humble, and meek as she was in that
holy time when men took note of nothing but the honour of God and the
salvation of souls, caring for spiritual things and not for temporal. For
ever since she has aimed more at temporal than at spiritual, things have
gone from bad to worse. See therefore that God, in judgment, has allowed
much persecution and tribulation to befall her. But comfort you, father,
and fear not for anything that could happen, which God does to make her
state perfect once more, in order that lambs may feed in that garden, and
not wolves who devour the honour that should belong to God, which they
steal and give to themselves. Comfort you in Christ sweet Jesus; for I
hope that His aid will be near you, plenitude of divine grace, aid and
support divine in the way that I said before. Out of war you will attain
greatest peace; out of persecution, greatest unity; not by human power,
but by holy virtue, you will discomfit those visible demons, wicked men,
and those invisible demons who never sleep around us.
But reflect, sweet father, that you could not do this easily unless you
accomplished the other two things which precede the completion of the
other: that is, your return to Rome and uplifting of the standard of the
most holy Cross. Let not your holy desire fail on account of any scandal
or rebellion of cities which you might see or hear; nay, let the flame of
holy desire be more kindled to wish to do swiftly. Do not delay, then,
your coming. Do not believe the devil, who perceives his own loss, and so
exerts himself to rob you of your possessions in order that you may lose
your love and charity and our coming be hindered. I tell you, father in
Christ Jesus, come swiftly like a gentle lamb. Respond to the Holy Spirit
who calls you. I tell you, Come, come, come, and do not wait for time,
since time does not wait for you. Then you will do like the Lamb Slain
whose place you hold, who without weapons in His hand slew our foes,
coming in gentleness, using only the weapons of the strength of love,
aiming only at care of spiritual things, and restoring grace to man who
had lost it through sin.
Alas, sweet my father, with this sweet hand I pray you, and tell you to
come to discomfit our enemies. On behalf of Christ crucified I tell it
you: refuse to believe the counsels of the devil, who would hinder your
holy and good resolution. Be manly in my sight, and not timorous. Answer
God, who calls you to hold and possess the seat of the glorious Shepherd
St. Peter, whose vicar you have been. And raise the standard of the holy
Cross; for as we were freed by the Cross--so Paul says--thus raising this
standard, which seems to me the refreshment of Christians, we shall be
freed--we from our wars and divisions and many sins, the infidel people
from their infidelity. In this way you will come and attain the
reformation, giving good priests to Holy Church. Fill her heart with the
ardent love that she has lost; for she has been so drained of blood by the
iniquitous men who have devoured her that she is wholly wan. But comfort
you, and come, father, and no longer make to wait the servants of God, who
afflict themselves in desire. And I, poor, miserable woman, can wait no
more; living, I seem to die in my pain, seeing God thus reviled. Do not,
then, hold off from peace because of the circumstance which has occurred
at Bologna, but come; for I tell you that the fierce wolves will put their
heads in your bosom like gentle lambs, and will ask mercy from you,
father. I say no more. I beg you, father, to hear and hark that which Fra
Raimondo will say to you, and the other sons with him, who come in the
Name of Christ crucified and of me; for they are true servants of God and
sons of Holy Church. Pardon, father, my ignorance, and may the love and
grief which make me speak excuse me to your benignity. Give me your
benediction. Remain in the holy and sweet grace of God. Sweet Jesus, Jesus
Love.
TO BROTHER RAIMONDO OF CAPUA
AT AVIGNON
The last letter tells us that Catherine had sent to the Pope her beloved
Confessor, who was later to become her biographer--Fra Raimondo of Capua.
It is evident that the simple Italian priest and his companions have
become somewhat daunted by the conditions they have encountered at
Avignon; and, indeed, the subtlest temptations and most perplexing
problems that Europe could furnish were doubtless focussed at the Papal
Court. Just what the difficulties were which Raimondo had confided to
Catherine and which called forth this spirited answer, we do not know, but
we can easily imagine their nature. A holy man of considerable learning,
Fra Raimondo was also of mild disposition, much inclined to sigh over
dangers and blench before exposure. Catherine, on more than one occasion,
showed herself the better man of the two. There was a militant strain in
her bright nature; she was really the "Happy Warrior"--
"Whose powers shed round him in the common strife
Or mild concerns of ordinary life
A constant influence, a peculiar grace;
But who if he be called upon to face
Some awful moment to which Heaven has joined
Great issues, good or bad for human kind,
Is happy as a Lover; and attired
With sudden brightness, like a man inspired;
And, through the heat of conflict, keeps the law
In calmness made, and sees what he foresaw."
So, in this letter, we find the daughter encouraging the father, with
reflections much in the temper of Browning:
"Was the trial sore,
Temptation sharp? Thank God a second time!
Why come temptations but for man to meet,
And master, and make crouch beneath his feet,
And so be pedestalled in triumph!"
In the Name of Jesus Christ crucified and of sweet Mary:
Reverend father in Christ sweet Jesus: I Catherine, servant and slave of
the servants of Jesus Christ, write to you in His precious Blood: with
desire to see you and the other sons clothed in the wedding garment that
covers all our nakedness. That is a protection which does not let the
blows of our adversary the devil pierce our flesh with mortal wound, but
makes us rather strengthened than weakened by every blow of temptation or
molesting of devils or fellow-creatures or our own flesh, rebellious to
the spirit. I say that these blows not only do not hurt us, but they shall
be precious stones and pearls placed on this garment of most burning
charity.
Now suppose there should be a soul that did not have to endure many
labours and temptations, from whatever direction and in whatever wise God
may grant them. No virtue would be tested in it; for virtue is tested by
its opposite. How is purity tested and won? Through the contrary--that is,
through the vexations of uncleanliness. For were a man unclean already,
there would be no need for him to be molested by unclean reflections, but
because it is evident that his will is free from all depraved consenting,
and purified from every spot by his holy and true desire to serve his
Creator, therefore the devil, the world, and the flesh molest him. Yes,
everything is driven out by its opposite. See how humility is won through
pride. When a man sees himself molested by that vice of pride, at once he
humbles himself, recognizing himself to be faulty--proud: while had he not
been so molested he would not have known himself so well. When he has
humbled and seen himself, he conceives hatred in such wise that he joys
and exults in every pain and injury that he bears. Such a one is like a
manful knight, who does not avoid blows. Nay, he holds him unworthy of so
great grace, as it seems to him to be, to bear pain, temptations and
vexations for Christ crucified. All is through the hate he has for
himself, and the love he has conceived for virtue.
So you see that we are not to flee nor to grieve in the time of darkness,
since from the darkness light is born. O God, sweet Love, what sweet
doctrine Thou givest, that through the contrary of virtue, virtue is won!
Out of impatience is won patience; for the soul that feels the vice of
impatience becomes patient over the injury received, and is impatient
toward the vice of impatience, and is more hurt because it is hurt than
over anything else. And so out of the very contrary its perfection comes
to be won. It is not aware of this; it finds itself become perfect in many
storms and temptations. In no other wise does one ever arrive at the
harbour of perfection.
Yea, meditate on this: that the soul can never receive nor desire virtue,
unless it has cravings, vexations and temptations to endure with true and
holy patience for the love of Christ crucified. We ought, then, to joy and
exult in the time of conflicts, vexations and shadows, since from them
proceeds such virtue and delight. Oh me, my son given me by Mary that
sweet mother, I do not want you to fall into weariness or confusion
through any vexations that you might feel in your mind; but I want you to
keep that good and holy and true faithful will which I know that God in
His mercy has given you. I know that you would rather die than offend Him
mortally. Yes, I want that out of the shadows should issue knowledge of
yourself, free from confusion; out of your goodwill should issue knowledge
of the infinite goodness and unspeakable charity of God; and in this
knowledge may our soul abide and fatten. Reflect that through love He
keeps your will good, and does not let it run by its own consent or
pleasure after the suggestions of the devil. And so, through love, He has
permitted to you and me and His other servants, the many vexations and
deceits of the devil and fellow-creatures and our own flesh, solely in
order that we might rise from negligence, and reach perfect zeal, true
humility and most ardent charity: humility which comes from knowledge of
self, and charity which comes from knowledge of the goodness of God. There
is the soul inspired and consumed by love.
Joy, father, and exult; and comfort you, without any servile fear, and
fear not, for any thing that you should see happen. But comfort you: for
perfection is near you. And answer the devil saying: "That power against
you did not work through me, since it was not in me; it works through
grace of the infinite pity and mercy of God." Yes, through Christ
crucified you shall be able to do all things. Carry on all your works with
living faith; and do not wonder should you see some contrary circumstance
present itself which seemed to oppose your work. Comfort you, comfort you,
because the Sweet Primal Truth has promised to fulfil your and my desire
for you. Slay yourself through your burning desire, with the Lamb that was
slain; rest you upon the Cross with Christ crucified. Rejoice in Christ
crucified; rejoice in pains; steep yourself in shames for Christ
crucified; graft your heart and your affection into the tree of the most
holy Cross with Christ crucified, and make in His wounds your habitation.
And pardon me, cause and instrument that I am of your every pain and
imperfection; for were I an instrument of virtue, you and others would
breathe the fragrance of virtue. And I do not say these words because I
want you to suffer, for your suffering would be mine; but that you may
have compassion, you and the other sons, upon my miseries. I hope and
firmly hold, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, that He will put limit
and end to all those things that are apart from the will of God.
Reflect that I, poor miserable woman, abide in the body, and find me
through desire continually away from the body. Oh me, sweet and good
Jesus! I die and cannot die, my heart breaks and cannot break, from the
desire that I have of the renewal of Holy Church, for the honour of God
and the salvation of every creature; and to see you and the others arrayed
in purity, burned and consumed in His most ardent charity!
Tell Christ on earth not to make me wait longer; and when I shall see him,
I shall sing with Simeon, that sweet old man: "Nunc dimittis servum tuum,
Domine, secundum verbum tuum, in pace." I say no more; for did I follow my
wish, I should begin again at once. Make me see and feel you bound and
fastened into Christ sweet Jesus, in such wise that nor demon nor creature
can ever separate you from so sweet a bond. Love, love, love one another.
Remain in the holy and sweet grace of God. Sweet Jesus, Jesus Love.