St. Catherine: The Dialogue

Become One with the Almighty Through Truth

Day One, Page 25

“And loving, she seeks to pursue truth and clothe herself in it.” p.25

Metaphor distinguishes Catherine’s Dialogue throughout. Here, she clothes herself in the pursuit of truth, by which she identifies herself as a Dominican, bearing the motto, VERITAS. Each time I wear the habit or don the Dominican cross, I commit myself to truth and pursuit of truth so that I, like Catherine, clothe myself in truth. Lord, I repent and ask for forgiveness should I misrepresent the truth intentionally or unintentionally, just as I forgive those who speak falsehoods.

A difficult task presents itself in forgiving those who spoke or speak falsehoods against me, or lambs persecuted by lies, for when touched by falsehoods, I experience the pain of being touched by evil, and so I have been wounded by lies. These servants of lies work for the evil one, master of lies and deceit. I pray out, “Satan be gone.” Lord help me with this task of forgiveness for I find it most challenging to do so. Only Your help will help me deliver forgiveness that bears the fruit of truth.

The pursuit of truth encourages and allows me to follow in Yeshua's footsteps, where no deceit can be found. In doing so, “through desire and affection and the union of love he makes of her another himself (p. 25.) In truth, through humble prayer, I become one with the Holy Trinity.

²² Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?” ²³ Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them (John 14:22-23 NRSV).

References

New Revised Standard Version Bible (NRSV), copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

R.J. Payne & E.H. Cousins, (1980). The Classics of Western Spirituality: Catherine of Siena, The Dialogue. Paulist Press: New York.