UNIT THREE

SAINTS OF THE SECOND MILLENNIUM

PRIMARY SOURCES
This packet contains excerpts from the writings and/or
early hagiography of:
 St. Francis of Assisi
 St. Catherine of Siena
 St. Ignatius of Loyola
 St. Thérèse of Lisieux
 St. Teresa of Calcutta

AQUINAS INSTITUTE OF ROCHESTER

THEOLOGY 12 CATHOLIC SPIRITUALITY
MR. PHILLIPS
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 SOME POEMS AND PRAYERS OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI

Canticle of the Creatures Prayer Before the Crucifix

Most high, all powerful, all good Lord! All praise is yours, all glory, all Most High and Glorious God,
honor, and all blessing. To you, alone, Most High, do they belong. No mortal Give light to the darkness of my heart.
lips are worthy to pronounce your name. Give me right faith, certain hope and perfect charity.
Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures, especially through my Lord, give me insight and wisdom,
lord Brother Sun, who brings the day; and you give light through him. And So I might always discern
he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor! Of you, Most High, he bears Your holy and true will.
the likeness.
Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars; in the heavens We Adore You
you have made them, precious and beautiful. We adore You, Lord Jesus Christ,
Be praised, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, and clouds and In all Your churches throughout the world
storms, and all the weather, through which you give your creatures And we bless You
sustenance. Because by Your holy cross
Be praised, My Lord, through Sister Water; she is very useful, and You have redeemed the world.
humble, and precious, and pure.
Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom you brighten Prayer of Self Giving
the night. He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong. I beg you, Lord,
Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth, who feeds us and Let the fiery, gentle power
rules us, and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs. Of your love
Be praised, my Lord, through those who forgive for love of you; through Take possession of my soul,
those who endure sickness and trial. Happy those who endure in peace, for And snatch it away
by you, Most High, they will be crowned. From everything under heaven,
Be praised, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, from whose That I may die
embrace no living person can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! For love of your love
Happy those she finds doing your most holy will. The second death can do As you saw fit to die
no harm to them. For love of mine.
Praise and bless my Lord, and give thanks, and serve him with great
humility.

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 ST. FRANCIS ON POVERTY
From The Early Rule of St. Francis Chapter Six
Let the Friars appropriate nothing for themselves, neither house nor place,
nor any thing. And as pilgrims and exiles in this age let them go about for
alms confidently, as ones serving the Lord in poverty and humility, nor is it
proper that they be ashamed to do so, since the Lord made Himself poor in
this world for us.
From The Early Rule of St. Francis Chapter Eight
The Lord commands in the Gospel: "Take heed, beware of all malice and
avarice and guard yourselves from the solicitudes of this world, and the
cares of this life." (Lk 12:15) Therefore let none of the brothers, wherever
he may be or wherever he may go, carry or receive money or coin in any
manner, or cause it to be received, either for clothing, or for books, or as
the price of any labor, or indeed for any reason, except on account of the
manifest necessity of the sick brothers. For we ought not to have more use
and esteem of money and coin than of stones.
From The Second Life of St. Francis Chapter 35 by Thomas of Celano
Now that great friend of God1, despising all things that are of the world,
beyond everything also despised money. Hence even from the beginning of
his conversion he held it in special contempt, and always intimated to his
followers that they must fly from it as from the Devil himself. This was the
motto he gave them: “Let dung and money be loved and valued alike.” One
day accordingly a certain layman came into the church of the Portiuncula to
pray, and put down near the cross some money for an offering. When he
withdrew, one of the brothers simply touched it with his hand and threw it
on the windowsill. The Saint heard of what the brother had done. And the
brother, seeing that he was found out, ran to beg for pardon, and, falling on
the ground, offered to submit to whipping. The Saint rebuked him, and after
1
i.e. Saint Francis
4
chiding him most severely for having touched the money bade him remove
it in his mouth from the windowsill, and with his mouth lay it on asses’ dung
outside the precincts. And while that brother gladly obeyed this command,
the hearts of all that heard of it were filled with fear. Thenceforth the
contempt of all for what had thus been put on the same footing as dung
was increased, and they were daily encouraged by fresh examples to
despise it.
From The Little Flowers of Saint Francis Part Four, Chapter Seven
Many sorrows and troubles shall befall the miserable man who sets his
heart and desires upon earthly things, for which he forsakes and loses the
things of heaven, and at last those of earth also. The eagle flies very high;
but if a weight be laid upon his wings, he can no longer soar aloft; and so by
the weight of earthly things man is hindered from soaring on high, from
attaining to perfection; but the wise man, who lays the weight of the
remembrance of death and judgment on the wings of his heart, cannot fly
and range freely amid the vanities of this world, lest they prove to him
occasion of damnation. We see daily how men of the world toil and labor
hard, placing themselves in many bodily dangers, to acquire its false riches;
and then, after they have thus labored and acquired, in a moment they die,
and leave behind them all that they have gathered together in their lifetime.
Therefore there is no dependence to be placed on this deceitful world,
which deceives every man who trusts in it, for it is a liar. But he who desires
to be truly great and rich indeed, let him love and seek the true and eternal
riches, which never satiate or weary or grow less.
 EXCERPTS FROM PART ONE OF THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF ST. FRANCIS
(14TH CENT. ANONYMOUS)

Assignment all birds, of all fish, of all animals, of men, of trees, of stones, of roots, and of
Choose any two chapters of The Little Flowers of St. Francis below. waters - write that this would not be perfect joy." Shortly after, he cried out
For each chapter: again: "O Brother Leo, if the Friars Minor had the gift of preaching so as to
 Summarize the story in your own words. (2.5 pts) convert all infidels to the faith of Christ, write that this would not be perfect
 Explain the spiritual insight of the story and give an example of how joy."
you could apply this insight concretely in your own life. (2.5 pts) Now when this manner of discourse had lasted for the space of two
miles, Brother Leo wondered much within himself; and, questioning the
This assignment is worth 10 points total.
saint, he said: "Father, I pray thee teach me wherein is perfect joy." St.
Francis answered: "If, when we shall arrive at St. Mary of the Angels, all
CHAPTER 8
drenched with rain and trembling with cold, all covered with mud and
HOW ST. FRANCIS, WALKING ONE DAY WITH BROTHER LEO,
exhausted from hunger; if, when we knock at the convent gate, the porter
EXPLAINED TO HIM WHAT THINGS ARE PERFECT JOY
should come angrily and ask us who we are; if, after we have told him, `We
are two of the brethren', he should answer angrily, `What you say is not the
One day in winter, as St. Francis was going with Brother Leo from
truth; you are but two impostors going about to deceive the world, and take
Perugia to St. Mary of the Angels, and was suffering greatly from the cold,
away the alms of the poor; go away I say'; if then he refuse to open to us,
he called to Brother Leo, who was walking on before him, and said to him:
and leave us outside, exposed to the snow and rain, suffering from cold and
"Brother Leo, if it were to please God that the Friars Minor should give, in all
hunger till nightfall - then, if we accept such injustice, such cruelty and such
lands, a great example of holiness and edification, write down, and note
contempt with patience, without being ruffled and without murmuring,
carefully, that this would not be perfect joy." A little further on, St. Francis
believing with humility and charity that the porter really knows us, and that
called to him a second time: "O Brother Leo, if the Friars Minor were to
it is God who makes him to speak thus against us, write down, O Brother
make the lame to walk, if they should make straight the crooked, chase
Leo, that this is perfect joy. And if we knock again, and the porter come out
away demons, give sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the
in anger to drive us away with oaths and blows, as if we were vile impostors,
dumb, and, what is even a far greater work, if they should raise the dead
saying, `Go away, miserable robbers to the hospital, for here you shall
after four days, write that this would not be perfect joy." Shortly after, he
neither eat nor sleep!' - and if we accept all this with patience, with joy, and
cried out again: "O Brother Leo, if the Friars Minor knew all languages; if
with charity, O Brother Leo, write that this indeed is perfect joy. And if,
they were versed in all science; if they could explain all Scripture; if they had
urged by cold and hunger, we knock again, calling to the porter and
the gift of prophecy, and could reveal, not only all future things, but likewise
entreating him with many tears to open to us and give us shelter, for the
the secrets of all consciences and all souls, write that this would not be
love of God, and if he come out more angry than before, exclaiming, `These
perfect joy." After proceeding a few steps farther, he cried out again with a
are but importunate rascals, I will deal with them as they deserve'; and
loud voice: "O Brother Leo, thou little lamb of God! if the Friars Minor could
taking a knotted stick, he seize us by the hood, throwing us on the ground,
speak with the tongues of angels; if they could explain the course of the
rolling us in the snow, and shall beat and wound us with the knots in the
stars; if they knew the virtues of all plants; if all the treasures of the earth
stick - if we bear all these injuries with patience and joy, thinking of the
were revealed to them; if they were acquainted with the various qualities of
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sufferings of our Blessed Lord, which we would share out of love for him,
write, O Brother Leo, that here, finally, is perfect joy.
And now, brother, listen to the conclusion. Above all the graces and
all the gifts of the Holy Spirit which Christ grants to his friends, is the grace
of overcoming oneself, and accepting willingly, out of love for Christ, all
suffering, injury, discomfort and contempt; for in all other gifts of God we
cannot glory, seeing they proceed not from ourselves but from God,
according to the words of the Apostle, `What do you have that you have not
received from God? And if you have received it, why do you glory as if you
had not received it?' But in the cross of tribulation and affliction we may
glory, because, as the Apostle says again, `I will not glory save in the cross of
our Lord Jesus Christ.' Amen."
CHAPTER 10
A CONVERSATION BETWEEN ST. FRANCIS AND BROTHER MASSEO
St. Francis once was living at the Convent of the Portiuncula, with
Brother Masseo of Marignano, a man of great sanctity and great
discernment, who held frequent converse with God; for which reason St.
Francis loved him much. One day, as St. Francis was returning from the
forest, where he had been in prayer, the said Brother Masseo, wishing to
test the humility of the saint, went forth to meet him exclaiming: "Why after
you? Why after you?" To which St. Francis made answer: "What is this?
What do you mean?" Brother Masseo answered: "I mean, why is it that all
the world goes after you; why do all men wish to see you, to hear you, and
to obey your word? For you are neither comely nor learned, nor are you of
noble birth. How is it, then, that the entire world goes after you?"
St. Francis, hearing these words, rejoiced greatly in spirit, and lifting
up his eyes to heaven, remained for a long space with his mind rapt in God;
then, coming to himself, he knelt down, returning thanks to God with great
fervor of spirit, and addressing Brother Masseo, said to him: "Would you
know why all men come after me? Know that it is because the Lord, who is
in heaven, who sees the evil and the good in all places - because, I say, his
holy eyes have found among men no one more wicked, more imperfect, or
a greater sinner than I am; and to accomplish the wonderful work which he
intends to do, he has found no creature more vile than I am on earth; for
which reason he has chosen me, to confound all strength, beauty,
greatness, noble birth, and all the science of the world, that men may learn
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that every virtue and every good gift comes from him, and not from any
creature, that none may glory before him; but if any one glory, let him glory
in the Lord, to whom belongs all glory in eternity." Then Brother Masseo, at
such a humble answer, given with so much fervor, was greatly impressed,
and learned of a certainty that St. Francis was well grounded in humility.
CHAPTER 16
ST. FRANCIS PREACHES TO THE BIRDS AND FOUNDS THE THIRD ORDER
The humble servant of Christ, St. Francis, a short time after his
conversion, having already assembled and received many brothers into the
Order, was much troubled and perplexed in mind as to what he ought to do;
whether to give himself entirely to prayer, or now and then to preach the
Word. Through his great humility, he had no opinion of himself or of the
virtue of his prayers; and, wishing to know the will of God, he sought to
learn it through the prayers of others. Wherefore he called to him Brother
Masseo, and thus addressed him: "Go to Sister Clare, and bid her from me
to set herself with some of the holiest of her sisters to pray the Lord that he
may show me clearly whether he wills that I should preach or only keep to
prayer. Then go to Brother Silvester, and ask of him the same favor."
Brother Masseo did as St. Francis had commanded him; carrying the
message first to St. Clare, and then to Brother Silvester, who set about
praying immediately; and, having received the answer from the Lord,
returned to Brother Masseo, and said to him: "The Lord says, go and tell
Brother Francis that he has called him to this state not to save merely his
own soul, but that he may produce fruits in those of others, and that
through him many souls be saved." Having received this answer, Brother
Masseo returned to Sister Clare, to ask what she had learned from God; and
she told him that she and all her companions had received from God the
same answer as the Lord had given to Brother Silvester.
Then Brother Masseo hastened to St. Francis to bring him these
answers; and St. Francis received him with great charity, washing his feet,
and serving him at dinner. When the meal was over, he called Brother
Masseo into the forest, and, kneeling down before him, put back his hood;
and crossing his arms on his breast, he said to him: "What answer do you
bring me? What does my Lord Jesus Christ order me to do?" Brother
Masseo answered: "The Lord Jesus Christ has revealed both to Brother
Silvester and to Sister Clare that it is his will you should go about the world
to preach; for you have not been called for yourself alone, but for the
salvation of others."
Then St. Francis, having received the answer, and knowing it to be
the will of the Lord Jesus Christ, arose with fervor, saying, "Let us go in the
name of God"; and taking with him Brother Masseo and Brother Agnolo,
both holy men, he let himself be guided by the Spirit of God, without
considering the road he took. They soon arrived at a town called
Savurniano, where St. Francis began to preach, first ordering the swallows,
who were calling, to keep silence until he had finished; and the swallows
obeyed his voice. He preached with such fervor, that the inhabitants of the
town wished to follow him out of devotion; but St. Francis would not allow
them, saying: "Be not in such haste, and leave not your homes. I will tell you
what you must do to save your souls." Thereupon he founded the Third
Order2 for the salvation of all; and leaving them much consoled and well
disposed to do penance, he departed and reached a spot between Cannaio
and Bevagno.
And as he went on his way, St. Francis lifted up his eyes, and saw on
some trees by the wayside a great multitude of birds; and being much
surprised, he said to his companions, "Wait for me here by the way, while I
go and preach to my little sisters the birds"; and entering into the field, he
began to preach to the birds which were on the ground, and suddenly all
those also on the trees came round him, and all listened while St. Francis
preached to them, and did not fly away until he had given them his blessing.
And Brother Masseo related afterwards to Brother James of Massa how St.
Francis went among them and even touched them with his garments, and
how none of them moved. Now the substance of the sermon was this: "My
little sisters the birds, you owe much to God, your Creator, and you ought to
sing his praise at all times and in all places, because he has given you liberty
to fly about into all places; and though you neither spin nor sow, he has
given you a twofold and a threefold clothing for yourselves and for your
offspring. Two of all your species he sent into the Ark with Noah that you
might not be lost to the world; besides which, he feeds you, though you
neither sow nor reap. He has given you fountains and rivers to quench your
thirst, mountains and valleys in which to take refuge, and trees in which to
build your nests; so that your Creator loves you much, having thus favored
2
The Third Order is an order for laypersons, typically with spouses and children, to
be able to follow Francis’ ideals of poverty, prayer and penance.
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you with such bounties. Beware, my little sisters, of the sin of ingratitude,
and study always to give praise to God."
As he said these words, all the birds began to open their beaks, to
stretch their necks, to spread their wings and reverently to bow their heads
to the ground, endeavoring by their motions and by their songs to manifest
their joy to St. Francis. And the saint rejoiced with them. He wondered to
see such a multitude of birds, and was charmed with their beautiful variety,
with their attention and familiarity, for all which he devoutly gave thanks to
the Creator. Having finished his sermon, St. Francis made the sign of the
cross, and gave them leave to fly away. Then all those birds rose up into the
air, singing most sweetly; and, following the sign of the cross, which St.
Francis had made, they divided themselves into four companies. One
company flew towards the east, another towards the west, one towards the
south, and one towards the north; each company as it went singing most
wonderfully; signifying thereby, that as St. Francis, the bearer of the Cross of
Christ, had preached to them and made upon them the sign of the cross,
after which they had divided among themselves the four parts of the world,
so the preaching of the Cross of Christ, renewed by St. Francis, would be
carried by him and by his brethren over all the world, and that the humble
friars, like little birds, should posses nothing in this world, but should cast all
the care of their lives on the providence of God.
CHAPTER 21
THE MIRACLE OF ST. FRANCIS IN
TAMING THE FIERCE WOLF OF GUBBIO
At the time when St. Francis was living in the city of Gubbio, a large
wolf appeared in the neighborhood, so terrible and so fierce, that he not
only devoured other animals, but made a prey of men also; and since he
often approached the town, all the people were in great alarm, and used to
go about armed, as if going to battle. Notwithstanding these precautions, if
any of the inhabitants ever met him alone, he was sure to be devoured, as
all defense was useless: and, through fear of the wolf, they dared not go
beyond the city walls.
St. Francis, feeling great compassion for the people of Gubbio,
resolved to go and meet the wolf, though all advised him not to do so.
Making the sign of the holy cross, and putting all his confidence in God, he
went forth from the city, taking his brethren with him; but these fearing to
go any further, St. Francis bent his steps alone toward the spot where the
wolf was known to be, while many people followed at a distance, and
witnessed the miracle. The wolf, seeing all this multitude, ran towards St.
Francis with his jaws wide open. As he approached, the saint, making the
sign of the cross, cried out: "Come here, brother wolf; I command you, in
the name of Christ, neither to harm me nor anybody else." Marvelous to
tell, no sooner had St. Francis made the sign of the cross, than the terrible
wolf, closing his jaws, stopped running, and coming up to St. Francis, lay
down at his feet as meekly as a lamb.
And the saint thus addressed him: "Brother wolf, you have done
much evil in this land, destroying and killing the creatures of God without
his permission; yea, not animals only have you destroyed, but you have
even dared to devour men, made after the image of God; for which thing
you are worthy of being hanged like a robber and a murderer. All men cry
out against you, the dogs pursue you, and all the inhabitants of this city are
your enemies; but I will make peace between them and you, O brother wolf,
and they shall forgive you all your past offenses, and neither men nor dogs
shall pursue you anymore."
Having listened to these words, the wolf bowed his head, and, by
the movements of his body, his tail, and his eyes, made signs that he agreed
to what St. Francis said. On this St. Francis added: "As you are willing to
make this peace, I promise you that you shall be fed every day by the
inhabitants of this land so long as you shall live among them; you shall no
longer suffer hunger, as it is hunger which has made you do so much evil;
but if I obtain all this for you, you must promise, on your side, never again to
attack any animal or any human being; do you make this promise.?" Then
the wolf, bowing his head, made a sign that he consented. Said St Francis
again: "Brother wolf, will you pledge your faith that I may trust to this your
promise?" and putting out his hand he received the pledge of the wolf; for
the latter lifted up his paw and placed it familiarly in the hand of St. Francis,
giving him thereby the only pledge which was in his power.
Now, the news of this most wonderful miracle spread quickly
through the town. All the inhabitants, both men and women, small and
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great, young and old, flocked to the marketplace to see St. Francis and the
wolf. All the people being assembled, the saint got up to preach, saying,
among other things, how for our sins God permits such calamities, and how
much greater and more dangerous are the flames of hell, which last for
ever, than the rage of a wolf, which can kill the body only; and how much
we ought to dread the jaws of hell, if the jaws of so small an animal as a
wolf can make a whole city tremble through fear. The sermon being ended,
St. Francis added these words: "Listen my brethren: the wolf who is here
before you has promised and pledged his faith that he consents to make
peace with you all, and no more to offend you in anything, and you must
promise to give him each day his necessary food; to which, if you consent, I
promise in his name that he will most faithfully observe the agreement."
Then all the people promised with one voice to feed the wolf to the end of
his days; and St. Francis, addressing the latter, said again: "And you, brother
wolf, do you promise to keep the agreement, and never again to offend
either man or beast, or any other creature?" And the wolf knelt down,
bowing his head, and, by the motions of his tail and of his ears, endeavored
to show that he was willing, so far as was in his power, to hold to the
agreement.
Now this event caused great joy in all the people, and a great
devotion towards St. Francis, both because of the novelty of the miracle,
and because of the peace which had been concluded with the wolf; and
they lifted up their voices to heaven, praising and blessing God, who had
sent them St. Francis, through whose merits they had been delivered from
such a savage beast. The wolf lived two years at Gubbio; he went familiarly
from door to door without harming anyone, and all the people received him
courteously, feeding him with great pleasure, and no dog barked at him as
he went about. At last, after two years, he died of old age, and the people of
Gubbio mourned his loss greatly; for when they saw him going about so
gently amongst them all, he reminded them of the virtue and sanctity of St
Francis.
 SOME EXCERPTS FROM THE WRITINGS OF ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA
Letter 219 From a letter to Raymond of Capua, a Dominican Friar, John, an
Augustinian brother, and their companions while they were in Avignon.
In the Name of Jesus Christ crucified and of gentle Mary,
My dearest sons in Christ Jesus: I your poor mother have longed
passionately to see your hearts and affections nailed to the Cross … So I
wish, because there is mighty need, that you should never cease from
throwing fuel on the fire of holy desire--the fuel of the knowledge of
yourselves. For that is the fuel which feeds the fire of divine charity: charity
which is won by knowledge of the inestimable love of God, and then unites
the soul with its neighbor. And the more material one gives to the flame--
that is, the more fuel of self-knowledge--the more the warmth of the love of
Christ and one's neighbor increases. Abide, then, hidden in the knowledge
of yourselves, and do not live superficially …
Letter 49 From a letter to Alessa dei Saracini, one of Catherine’s fellow
Domincan Mantellate.
In the Name of Jesus Christ crucified and of gentle Mary,
Dearest daughter in Christ gentle Jesus: I Catherine, your poor unworthy
mother, want you to attain that perfection for which God has chosen you …
Make two homes for yourself, my daughter. One actual home in your cell,
that you do not go running about into many places … and another spiritual
home, which you are to carry with you always--the cell of true self-
knowledge, where you will find within yourself knowledge of the goodness
of God. These are two cells in one, and when abiding in the one should also
abide in the other. For if you only have knowledge of yourself, confusion of
mind would fall on you; and if you abide in the knowledge of God alone, you
would fall into presumption. The two, then, must be built together and
made the same thing. If you do this, you will attain perfection. For from self-
knowledge you will gain hatred of your own sinfulness … and in the
knowledge of God you will find the fire of Divine Love.
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Letter 41 From a letter to the Dominican Friar, Thomas della Fonte,
Catherine’s cousin.
In the name of Jesus Christ crucified,
Dearest and very loved father of our souls in Christ Jesus, I beg you to fulfill
my desire, which is to see you united to and transformed into God.
However, we cannot reach this point unless we are united to God’s will. O
gentle, eternal will, you have taught us the way to discover your will! And if,
most merciful Father, we were to ask your gentle, most loving Son about
this way, he would answer as follows: “Dearest children, if you want to
discover and know the fruit of my will, dwell always in the cell of your soul.”
This cell is a well containing soil as our own poverty, knowing that of
ourselves we are nothing. In this knowledge we appreciate that our very
existence comes to us from God.
O indescribable and blazing charity, I see that when we have found the soil,
we also discover the living water, namely, true knowledge of his gentle and
holy will that desires nothing other than our sanctification. Let us then
plunge into this deep well. When we are there, we shall know ourselves and
we shall also know God’s goodness. Recognizing that we are nothing of
ourselves, we are humbled, and so we are able to enter into the blazing,
fiery, open heart of Christ, which like an unfastened window is never closed.
Excerpts from The Dialogue by Catherine of Siena
From Chapter 13
[Catherine speaking] As the soul comes to know herself she also knows God
better, for she sees how good he has been to her. In the gentle mirror of
God she sees her own dignity; that through no merit of hers but by his
creation she is the image of God. And in the mirror of God’s goodness she
sees as well her own unworthiness, the work of her own sin. For just as you
can better see the blemish on your face when you look at yourself in a
mirror, so the soul who in true self-knowledge rises up with desire to look at
herself in the gentle mirror of God with the eye of understanding sees all
the more clearly her own defects because of the purity she sees in him.
 … What reason did you have for creating us in such dignity? With
unimaginable love you looked upon your creature in your very self, and you
fell in love with us, for you created us through love
… O what depth of love! What heart can help breaking when it sees such
dignity as yours descend to such lowliness as our humanity? We are your
image, and you have become ours, by this union which you have
accomplished with us, veiling your eternal deity in the wretched cloud and
dung heap of Adam. Why? For love! You, O God, have become human, and
we have become divine. By this unspeakable love of yours, therefore, I beg
you – I would force you even! – to have mercy on your creatures.
From Chapter 10
[God speaking] Imagine a circle traced in the ground, and in its center a tree
sprouting with a shoot grafted into its side. The tree finds its nourishment in
the soil within the expanse of the circle, but uprooted from the soil it would
die fruitless. So think of the soul as a tree made for love and living only by
love. Indeed without this divine love, which is true and perfect charity,
death would be her fruit instead of life. The circle in which this tree’s root,
the soul’s love, must grow is true knowledge of herself, knowledge that is
joined to me, who like the circle have neither beginning nor end. You can go
round and round within this circle, finding neither end nor beginning, yet
never leaving the circle. This knowledge of yourself, and of me within
yourself, is grounded in the soil of true humility, which is as great as the
expanse of the circle. But if your knowledge of yourself were isolated from
me there would be no full circle at all. Instead, there would be a beginning
in self-knowledge, but apart from me it would end in confusion.
… This tree, so delightfully planted, bears many-fragranced blossoms of
virtue. Its fruit is grace for the soul herself and blessing for her neighbors in
proportion to the conscientiousness of those who would share my servants’
fruits. To me this tree yields the fragrance of glory and praise to my name,
and so it does what I created it for and comes at last to its goal, to me,
everlasting Life, life that cannot be taken from you against your will.
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From Chapter 153
[Catherine speaking] O eternal Father! O fiery abyss of charity! O eternal
beauty, O eternal wisdom, O eternal goodness, O eternal mercy! O hope
and refuge of sinners! O immeasurable generosity! O eternal infinite good!
O mad lover! And you have need of your creature? It seems so to me, for
you act as if you could not live without her, in spite of the fact that you are
Life itself, and everything has life from you and nothing can have life
without you. Why then are you so mad? Because you have fallen in love
with what you have made! You are pleased and delighted over her within
yourself, as if you were drunk with desire for her salvation. She runs away
from you and you go looking for her. She strays and you draw closer to her.
You clothed yourself in our humanity, and nearer than that you could not
have come.
And what shall I say? I will stutter, “A-a,” because there is nothing else I
know how to say. Finite language cannot express the emotion of the soul
who longs for you infinitely.
Questions Each response is worth 2 points.
1. What is the theme of the three excerpts from Catherine’s letters? In your
own words, summarize what Catherine says about this theme in 2-3
sentences.
2. In chapter 13 of The Dialogue, Catherine compares God to a mirror. What
does she mean by this? Why would she use such an image?
3. Draw a picture of the image Catherine describes in chapter 10 of The
Dialogue. Include all of the following in your drawing: a circle, soil, a tree,
and the tree blossoms (or fruit). Label each of these elements of your
drawing with what they represent in Catherine’s analogy. (For 1 bonus point
color your drawing neatly).
4. Catherine likes to use anthropomorphic language when describing God.
(Anthropomorphism is making non-humans, such as God, seem human.)
Identify two words or phrases in chapter 153 of The Dialogue that are
anthropomorphic.
5. In a paragraph, describe Catherine’s writing style. Do you like her writing
style? Why or why not?
 EXCERPTS FROM THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES
BY ST. IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA

Opening Lines (Annotation 1) The Suscipe

(a prayer found in the first point under “Contemplation to Gain Love”)
By this name of Spiritual Exercises is meant every way of examining one’s
conscience, of meditating, of contemplating, of praying vocally and Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
mentally, and of performing other spiritual actions. For as strolling, walking my memory, my understanding,
and running are bodily exercises, so every way of preparing and disposing and my entire will,
the soul to rid itself of all the disordered tendencies, and, after it is rid, to All I have and call my own.
seek and find the Divine Will as to the management of one’s life for the You have given all to me.
salvation of the soul, is called a Spiritual Exercise. To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours;
do with it what you will.
Principle and Foundation Give me only your love
and your grace,
We are created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this that is enough for me.
means to save our souls. … For this it is necessary to make ourselves
indifferent to all created things in all that is allowed to the choice of our free
will and is not prohibited to it; so that, on our part, we want not health
rather than sickness, riches rather than poverty, honor rather than
dishonor, long rather than short life, and so in all the rest; desiring and
choosing only what is most conducive for us to the end for which we are
created.

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 EXCERPTS FROM THE STORY OF A SOUL
BY ST. THÉRÈSE OF LISIEUX
1. I feel in me the vocation3 of the Priest. I have the vocation of the
Apostle. Martyrdom was the dream of my youth and this dream has
grown with me. Considering the mystical body of the Church, I desired
to see myself in them all. Charity4 gave me the key to my vocation. I
understood that the Church had a Heart and that this Heart was burning
with love. I understood that Love comprised all vocations, that Love was
everything, that it embraced all times and places...in a word, that it was
eternal! Then in the excess of my delirious joy, I cried out: O Jesus, my
Love...my vocation, at last I have found it...My vocation is Love!
1. Jesus set before me the book of nature. I understand how all the
flowers God has created are beautiful, how the splendor of the rose and
the whiteness of the lily do not take away the perfume of the violet or
the delightful simplicity of the daisy. I understand that if all flowers
wanted to be roses, nature would lose her springtime beauty, and the
fields would no longer be decked out with little wild flowers. So it is in
the world of souls, Jesus' garden. He has created smaller ones and those
must be content to be daisies or violets destined to give joy to God's
glances when He looks down at His feet. Perfection consists in doing His
will, in being what He wills us to be.
2. You know it has ever been my desire to become a Saint, but I have
always felt, in comparing myself with the Saints, that I am as far
removed from them as the grain of sand, which the passer-by tramples
underfoot, is remote from the mountain whose summit is lost in the
clouds.
Instead of being discouraged, I concluded that God would not inspire
desires which could not be realized, and that I may aspire to sanctity in
spite of my littleness. For me to become great is impossible. I must bear
with myself and my many imperfections; but I will seek out a means of
3
A vocation is a calling from God.
4
In this context, charity means love, the theological virtue.
12
getting to Heaven by a little way5—very short and very straight, a little
way that is wholly new. We live in an age of inventions; nowadays the
rich need not trouble to climb the stairs, they have lifts instead. Well, I
mean to try and find a lift by which I may be raised unto God, for I am
too tiny to climb the steep stairway of perfection. I have sought to find
in Holy Scripture some suggestion as to what this lift might be which I so
much desired, and I read these words uttered by the Eternal Wisdom
Itself: "Whosoever is a little one, let him come to Me." (Prv 9:4) Then I
drew near to God, feeling sure that I had discovered what I sought; but
wishing to know further what He would do to the little one, I continued
my search and this is what I found: "You shall be carried at the breasts
and upon the knees; as one whom the mother caresses, so will I comfort
you." (Is 66:12-13)
Never have I been consoled by words more tender and sweet. Your
arms, then, O Jesus, are the lift which must raise me up even unto
Heaven. To get there I need not grow; on the contrary, I must remain
little, I must become still less. O my God, you have gone beyond my
expectation, and I . . . "I will sing your mercies! You have taught me, O
Lord, from my youth and till now I have declared your wonderful works,
and thus unto old age and grey hairs." (Ps 70:17-18)
3. But I know I shall never recover from this sickness 6, and yet I am at
peace. For years I have not belonged to myself, I have surrendered
myself wholly to Jesus, and He is free to do with me whatsoever He
pleases. He has spoken to me of exile, and has asked me if I would
consent to drink of that chalice. At once I essayed to grasp it, but He,
withdrawing His Hand, showed me that my consent was all He desired.
5
This spirituality of Thérèse is often referred to as her Little Way.
6
On Good Friday of 1896, Thérèse woke up with a mouth full of blood. She was
diagnosed with tuberculosis, and after more than a year of intense suffering, died
on September 30, 1997 at the age of twenty-four.
 O my God! From how much disquiet do we free ourselves by the vow of
obedience! Happy is the simple religious. Her one guide being the will of
her superiors, she is ever sure of following the right path, and has no
fear of being mistaken, even when it seems that her superiors are
making a mistake. But if she ceases to consult the unerring compass,
then at once her soul goes astray in barren wastes, where the waters of
grace quickly fail. Dear Mother7, you are the compass Jesus has given
me to direct me safely to the Eternal Shore. I find it most sweet to fix
my eyes upon you, and then do the Will of my Lord. By allowing me to
suffer these temptations against Faith8, He has greatly increased the
spirit of Faith, which makes me see Him living in your soul, and through
you communicating His holy commands.
4. A holy nun of our community annoyed me in all that she did; the devil
must have had something to do with it, and he it was undoubtedly who
made me see in her so many disagreeable points. I did not want to yield
to my natural antipathy, for I remembered that charity ought to betray
itself in deeds, and not exist merely in the feelings, so I set myself to do
for this sister all I should do for the one I loved most. Every time I met
her I prayed for her, and offered to God her virtues and merits. I felt
that this was very pleasing to Our Lord, for there is no artist who is not
gratified when his works are praised, and the Divine Artist of souls is
pleased when we do not stop at the exterior, but, penetrating to the
inner sanctuary He has chosen, admire its beauty.
would run like a deserter from the battlefield if I could do so without
letting the Sister guess my inward struggle.
One day she said to me with a beaming face: "My dear Sister Thérèse,
tell me what attraction you find in me, for whenever we meet, you greet
me with such a sweet smile." Ah! What attracted me was Jesus hidden
in the depths of her soul—Jesus who makes sweet even that which is
most bitter.
Questions The questions below correspond to the excerpt numbers
above. Each response is worth 2 points.
1. What does Thérèse’ desire to be a priest, apostle and martyr tell us
about her? Explain the key insight she had into her vocation, and
indeed into all vocations.
2. St. Thérèse is often called the “Little Flower.” In your own words,
explain Thérèse’ use of the analogy of flowers.
3. St. Thérèse is often praised for her childlike simplicity and humility.
How are these traits evident in this passage?
4. What is Thérèse’ attitude toward her own suffering? How does this
relate to her understanding of obedience?
5. Explain how Thérèse turned an annoying nun at her convent into a
means of achieving holiness.

I did not rest satisfied with praying for this Sister, who gave me such
occasions for self-mastery, I tried to render her as many services as I
could, and when tempted to answer her sharply, I made haste to smile
and change the subject, for the Imitation9 says: "It is more profitable to
leave everyone to his way of thinking than to give way to contentious
discourses." And sometimes when the temptation was very severe, I

7
This is a reference to Thérèse’ religious superior (who also happened to be her
sister Pauline), for whom she is writing this work under obedience.
8
In the sickness of her last year of life, Thérèse seemed to experience a crisis of
faith in which she doubted the existence of heaven and the afterlife.
9
The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis, a popular fifteenth century
“handbook” of the Christian spiritual life.
13
 ST. TERESA OF CALCUTTA ON SILENCE
Excerpted from the book In the Heart of the World (New World, 2010).
In the silence of the heart God speaks. If you face God in prayer and
silence, God will speak to you. Then you will know that you are nothing. It is
only when you realize your nothingness, your emptiness, that God can fill
you with Himself. Souls of prayer are souls of great silence.
There is a very holy priest, who is also one of the best theologians in India
right now. I know him very well, and I said to him, “Father, you talk all day
about God. How close you must be to God!” And do you know what he said
to me? He said, “I may be talking much about God, but I may be talking very
little to God.” And then he explained, “I may be rattling off so many words
and may be saying many good things, but deep down I do not have the time
to listen. Because in the silence of the heart, God speaks.”
We cannot put ourselves directly in the presence of God if we do not
practice internal and external silence. In silence we will find new energy and
true unity. Silence gives us a new outlook on everything.
The essential thing is not what we say but what God says to us and
through us. In that silence, He will listen to us; there He will speak to our
soul, and there we will hear His voice.
Listen in silence because if your heart is full of other things you cannot
hear the voice of God. But when you have listened to the voice of God in the
stillness of your heart, then your heart is filled with God.
The contemplatives and ascetics of all ages and religions have sought God
in the silence and solitude of the desert, forest, and mountains. Jesus
himself spent forty days in the desert and the mountains, communing for
long hours with the Father in the silence of the night.
We too are called to withdraw at certain intervals into deeper silence and
aloneness with God, together as a community as well as personally; to be
alone with Him — not with our books, thoughts, and memories but
completely stripped of everything — to dwell lovingly in His presence, silent,
empty, expectant, and motionless. We cannot find God in noise or agitation.
In nature we find silence — the trees, flowers, and grass grow in silence.
The stars, the moon, and the sun move in silence.
14
Silence of the heart is necessary so you can hear God everywhere — in
the closing of a door, in the person who needs you, in the birds that sing, in
the flowers, in the animals.
What is essential is not what we say but what God tells us and what He
tells others through us. In silence He listens to us; in silence He speaks to
our souls. In silence we are granted the privilege of listening to His voice.
To make possible true inner silence, practice:
 Silence of the eyes, by seeking always the beauty and goodness of
God everywhere, and closing them to the faults of others and to all
that is sinful and disturbing to the soul.
 Silence of the ears, by listening always to the voice of God and to
the cry of the poor and the needy, and closing them to all other
voices that come from fallen human nature, such as gossip, tale
bearing, and uncharitable words.
 Silence of the tongue, by praising God and speaking the life-giving
Word of God that is the truth, that enlightens and inspires, brings
peace, hope, and joy; and by refraining from self-defense and every
word that causes darkness, turmoil, pain, and death.
 Silence of the mind, by opening it to the truth and knowledge of
God in prayer and contemplation, like Mary who pondered the
marvels of the Lord in her heart, and by closing it to all untruths,
distractions, destructive thoughts, rash judgments, false suspicions
of others, vengeful thoughts, and desires.
 Silence of the heart, by loving God with our heart, soul, mind, and
strength; loving one another as God loves; and avoiding all
selfishness, hatred, envy, jealousy, and greed.
Extra Credit Questions
1. Why is silence so necessary for hearing God speak? Give at least
three reasons.
2. Identify and briefly explain at least three challenges against silence
in our modern world. Keep in mind that silence is much more than
just the absence of sound.
3. Mother Teresa tells us that true inner silence is not just the
emptying of our senses, but also the filling of those senses. Explain
this paradox in your own words.
4. Identify one very specific, practical and concrete thing you could do
today to add true silence to your life.

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