Letter of St. Catherine of Sienna to Br. Raimondo

[žena vojnik]

TO BROTHER RAIMONDO OF CAPUA OF THE ORDER OF THE PREACHERS

The following is one of the famous letters of the world. The record in art and literature of the scene which it
depicts has carried knowledge of Catherine to many who otherwise would have but the vaguest idea of her

personality. The letter has been frequently translated, but most of the translators have avoided the opening

and closing paragraphs, with their amazing, confused, and to our modern taste almost shocking metaphors.

Surely, however, we want the whole just as Catherine poured it out; full of intense excitement, her

emotions clearer than her ideas, lifted into a region where taste and logic have no meaning, and using, to

convey the inexpressible feelings quickened by the events she describes, homeliest figures of speech, such

as her commercial surroundings naturally suggest to her. For the matter of that, modern congregations sing
with no distress:

"Jesus let me still abide In Thy heart and Wounded Side."

The reiteration of the figure of the Blood is here psychologically inevitable. Catherine writes still quivering

from close contact with the victim of a mediaeval execution.

A young gentleman from Perugia, Niccolo Tuldo by name, had been condemned to death for speaking

critically of the Sienese Government. It does not appear that he was a serious political conspirator, but

simply a young man whose aristocratic sympathies led him thoughtlessly to the use of haughty or bitter

speech. But a _parvenu_ Government is always sensitive. We hear of a man at this time being condemned

and executed because he had not invited one of the Riformatori to a feast!

Death was lightly inflicted in those days: probably it was no more lightly suffered than in our own. We

have vivid accounts of the incredulity with which Niccolo Tuldo received his sentence--incredulity leading

to horror, to rage, to rebellion, to black despair. Then Catherine went to him; her own words tell the rest. As
one reads of the wonderful effect of her soothing presence, as one sees the terrified youth becoming quiet

and subdued, clinging wistfully to the spiritual strength of this frail woman, and catching at the end not

only her spirit of calm submission, but even something of her exaltation, one is irresistibly reminded of

another scene--George Eliot's marvellous description in "Adam Bede" of Dinah's ministry to Hetty in the

prison. But this scene is real, that only imagined; and here no third person, but the consoler herself, reveals
the meaning of the experience to her own spirit.

In bringing Niccolo Tuldo to so illumined an end that he recognized the judgment-place as holy, and died

in full accord with the will of God, Catherine achieved a great marvel which only Christianity can compass:

she lifted one of those seemingly purposeless and cruel accidents of destiny which stagger faith, into unity

with the organic work of the world's redemption.

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Name of Jesus Christ crucified and of sweet Mary:





 

Most beloved and dearest father and dear my son in Christ Jesus: I Catherine, servant and slave of the

servants of Jesus Christ, write to you, commending myself to you in the precious Blood of the Son of God;

with desire to see you inflamed and drowned in that His sweetest Blood, which is blended with the fire of

His most ardent charity. This my soul desires, to see you therein, you and Nanni and Jacopo my son. I see

no other remedy by which we may reach those chief virtues which are necessary to us. Sweetest father,

your soul, which has made itself food for me--(and no moment of time passes that I do not receive this food

at the table of the sweet Lamb slain with such ardent love)--your soul, I say, would not attain the little

virtue, true humility, were it not drowned in the Blood. This virtue shall be born from hate, and hate from

love. Thus the soul is born with very perfect purity, as iron issues purified from the furnace.

I will, then, that you lock you in the open side of the Son of God, which is an open treasure-house, full of

fragrance, even so that sin itself there becomes fragrant. There rests the sweet Bride on the bed of fire and

blood. There is seen and shown the secret of the heart of the Son of God. Oh, flowing Source, which givest

to drink and excitest every loving desire, and givest gladness, and enlightenest every mind and fillest every

memory which fixes itself thereon! so that naught else can be held or meant or loved, save this sweet and

good Jesus! Blood and fire, immeasurable Love! Since my soul shall be blessed in seeing you thus

drowned, I will that you do as he who draws up water with a bucket, and pours it over something else; thus

do you pour the water of holy desire on the head of your brothers, who are our members, bound to us in the

body of the sweet Bride. And beware, lest through illusion of the devils--who I know have given you

trouble, and will give you--or through the saying of some fellow-creature, you should ever draw back: but

persevere always in the hour when things look most cold, until we may see blood shed with sweet and

enamoured desires.

Up, up, sweetest my father! and let us sleep no more! For I hear such news that I wish no more bed of

repose or worldly state. I have just received a Head in my hands, which was to me of such sweetness as

heart cannot think, nor tongue say, nor eye see, nor the ears hear. The will of God went on through the

other mysteries wrought before; of which I do not tell, for it would be too long. I went to visit him whom

you know: whence he received such comfort and consolation that he confessed, and prepared himself very

well. And he made me promise by the love of God that when the time of the sentence should come, I would

be with him. So I promised, and did. Then in the morning, before the bell rang, I went to him: and he

received great consolation. I led him to hear Mass, and he received the Holy Communion, which he had

never before received. His will was accorded and submitted to the will of God; and only one fear was left,

that of not being strong at the moment. But the measureless and glowing goodness of God deceived him,

creating in him such affection and love in the desire of God that he did not know how to abide without

Him, and said: "Stay with me, and do not abandon me. So it shall not be otherwise than well with me. And

I die content." And he held his head upon my breast. I heard then the rejoicing, and breathed the fragrance

of his blood; and it was not without the fragrance of mine, which I desire to shed for the sweet Bridegroom

Jesus. And, desire waxing in my soul, feeling his fear, I said: "Comfort thee, sweet my brother; since we

shall soon arrive at the Wedding Feast. Thou shalt go there bathed in the sweet Blood of the Son of God,

with the sweet Name of Jesus, which I will never to leave thy memory. And I await thee at the place of

justice." Now think, father and son, his heart then lost all fear, and his face changed from sorrow to

gladness; and he rejoiced, he exulted, and said: "Whence comes such grace to me, that the sweetness of my

soul will await me at the holy place of justice?" See, that he had come to so much light that he called the

place of justice holy! And he said: "I shall go wholly joyous, and strong, and it will seem to me a thousand

years before I arrive, thinking that you are awaiting me there." And he said words so sweet as to break one's

heart, of the goodness of God.

I waited for him then at the place of justice; and waited there with constant prayer, in the presence of Mary

and of Catherine, Virgin and martyr. But before I attained, I prostrated me, and stretched my neck upon the

block; but my desire did not come there, for I had too full consciousness of myself. Then up! I prayed, I

constrained her, I cried "Mary!" for I wished this grace, that at the moment of death she should give him a

light and a peace in his heart, and then I should see him reach his goal. Then my soul became so full that

although a multitude of people were there, I could see no human creature, for the sweet promise made to

me.

Then he came, like a gentle lamb; and seeing me, he began to smile, and wanted me to make the sign of the

Cross. When he had received the sign, I said: "Down! To the Bridal, sweetest my brother! For soon shalt

thou be in the enduring life." He prostrated him with great gentleness, and I stretched out his neck; and

bowed me down, and recalled to him the Blood of the Lamb. His lips said naught save Jesus! and,

Catherine! And so saying, I received his head in my hands, closing my eyes in the Divine Goodness, and

saying, "I will!"

Then was seen God-and-Man, as might the clearness of the sun be seen. And He stood wounded, and

received the blood; in that blood a fire of holy desire, given and hidden in the soul by grace. He received it

in the fire of His divine charity. When He had received his blood and his desire, He also received his soul,

which He put into the open treasure-house of His Side, full of mercy; the primal Truth showing that by

grace and mercy alone He received it, and not for any other work. Oh, how sweet and unspeakable it was to

see the goodness of God! with what sweetness and love He awaited that soul departed from the body! He

turned the eye of mercy toward her, when she came to enter within His Side, bathed in blood which availed

through the Blood of the Son of God. Thus received by God through power--powerful is He to do! the Son

also, Wisdom the Word Incarnate, gave him and made him share the crucified love with which He received

painful and shameful death through the obedience which he showed to the Father, for the good of the

human race. And the hands of the Holy Spirit locked him within.

But he made a gesture sweet enough to draw a thousand hearts. And I do not wonder, for already he tasted

the divine sweetness. He turned as does the Bride when she has reached the threshold of her bridegroom,

who turns back her head and her look, bowing to those who have accompanied her, and with the gesture

she gives signs of thanks.

When he was at rest, my soul rested in peace and in quiet, in so great fragrance of blood that I could not

bear to remove the blood which had fallen on me from him.



Ah me, miserable! I will say no more. I stayed on the earth with the greatest envy. And it seems to me that

the first new stone is already in place. Therefore do not wonder if I impose upon you nothing save to see

yourselves drowned in the blood and flame poured from the side of the Son of God. Now then, no more

negligence, sweetest my sons, since the blood is beginning to flow, and to receive the life.

 

Sweet Jesus, Jesus Love.