St. Catherine of Siena: "Cry [out] as if you have a million voices, it is silence that kills the world."

Catherine of Siena reminds us that our mission as Christians is not only to comfort the afflicted, but to afflict the comfortable for justice, human rights, peace and equality in our church and world today. 

 A fourteenth century mystic activist, Catherine became involved in some of the major political and ecclesiastical controversies of her time. This included feuds between the papacy and the city states, the return of the papacy to Rome, the reform of the Church and the great Schism. She was immersed in high stress conflicts and had a long to do list!

Statue of St. Catherine at Met, NY, photo by Mary Theresa Streck ARCWP

Many of us can identify with Catherine's over the top agenda.

 As I try to get some perspective on the hot button issues today, I think Catherine is a mentor. She went deep into her soul and, there found a passion for God that ignited her healing and prophetic ministry.

In my book, Praying with Visionary Women, I wrote:

"Today more than ever we need to live with integrity, integrating prayer and action in our lives so that we can be effective instruments of truth and justice in our world. Prayer grounds us in the immensity of God's love. As we experience being loved deeply, passionately, we  become on fire with love for others- family, friends, neighbors, strangers. We become mystic activists, like Catherine, speaking out, taking risks and doing whatever God calls us to do." (Meehan, Praying with Visionary Women, pp. 58-59)

I believe that our spiritual energy wells up from within, in the depths of infinite love, we are embraced and filled with every gift and blessing we need to be a reflection of God in our lives.

St. Paul reminds us that "we can do all things in God who strengthens us." Romans 8:28.

I/we pray: "In your love, O God, I/we have the power to do whatever you are calling me/us to do!"

The time to cry out for justice and equality with a million voices is now!

Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP, www.arcwp.org