530. April 29, St Catherine of Siena (I)

Meditations no. 462 (unofficial computer-aided translation)

We have to love and defend the truth.

Euntes ergo docete omnes gentes (Matt 28: 19). Go and teach all nations. For twenty centuries the Holy Church of Jesus Christ, faithful to her founder’s command, has been carrying out her mission to teach all men the way of Salvation, of Truth and of Life. And she has always experienced, at times during particularly turbulent historical periods, the fulfilment of that promise of our Lord: et ecce ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus, usque ad consummationem saeculi (Matt28: 20). And behold I am with you all through the days that are coming, until the consummation of the world.

Since those humble beginnings - when the Apostles received from God the mission to announce the Gospel throughout a world plunged in the darkness of error - a long path has been trodden. And in spite of the resistance to the light we men put up, we can joyfully repeat those words from Scripture: Does not wisdom call, does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights beside the way, on the paths she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud (Prov 8: 1-3).

Today’s feast invites us to consider the necessity of working to spread the truth at all times. Among the reasons for our Father’s special devotion to St Catherine of Siena, one that stands out is the passionate love for the truth that shines forth from the life of this saint. So much is this so, that these words of Scripture can well be applied to her: You love righteousness and hate wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.

St Catherine of Siena was an indefatigable defender of the truth, in an age in which social convenience and pressure from powerful quarters deterred many from proclaiming it in a straightforward way. This love of hers was brought to light especially in the manifold activity she undertook in her day to bring about the spiritual renewal of the Church.

Nowadays, too, men are thirsting for the truth, notwithstanding the many who try to slake this thirst with various substitutes in a bid to feel justify themselves. It could be said, without too much exaggeration, wrote our Father, that the world lives on lying. And it has now been twenty centuries since Jesus Christ, the divine Word, who is the Truth, came to men.

Nothing in the individual or social orders can be built up while the truth is spurned. The truth will make you free, said our Lord. We must be, in all environments, messengers of that light, of that divine Truth which saves.

Error not only darkens people’s intelligence; it also divides wills. Only when men get used to telling and hearing the truth, will there be understanding and concord. That is our objective: to work for the supernatural truth of the faith, rendering a loyal service also to all the partial human truths. We want to fill up all the paths of the earth with charity and light. And all of this, with constancy, with competence, without loss of heart or omissions, seizing upon all the opportunities and all the lawful means for imparting the doctrine of Jesus Christ, precisely in the exercise of each one’s profession.

Being courageous to proclaim the truth.

Love for the truth has to lead us to adopt a clear, courageous and decided attitude, in the face of the possible conditioning influences which could try to darken or blur it. We ourselves have been sent on this mission in order to be light and supernatural leaven in all human activities. Besides, as Christian faithful, we have heard Christ’s command: Euntes ergo docete omnes gentes! It is not a matter here of a function delegated by the ecclesiastical Hierarchy, of a circumstantial prolongation of its own particular mission, but of the specific mission of the laity, inasmuch as they are living members of the Church of God.

It is a specific mission which has for us, by divine will, the force and the assistance of a special vocation, since we have been called to the Work to give doctrine to all men, carrying out a lay and secular apostolate by means of and in the exercise of the professional work of each one, in each one’s personal and social circumstances, precisely in the domain of these temporal activities, left to the free initiative of men and the personal responsibility of Christians.

If an issue affects the Church’s doctrine, the Work and souls, we have the obligation, grave at times, to clarify the truth. There are those who, out of comfort, so as not to complicate their lives, hide their heads beneath their wings, ostrich-fashion, and prefer to be ignorant of things, pretending not to notice, not to face the consequences. We ourselves cannot allow it. With the upright attitude of someone who does not act out of earthly motives, or let himself be dragged along by human respects, or act in a tactical way, but out of love for the truth, we have to stand up for it nobly, in a supernatural way. And we have to teach our friends to behave likewise. When the good of souls requires it, there is an obligation to speak up, even though to do so might at times end up being painful. Our Father, who suffered a lot because of his love for the truth, wrote in one of his Letters: I am sure that there will be those who will not forgive me easily for speaking with this clarity, but I must do it in conscience and before God, out of love for the Church, out of loyalty for the Holy Church and because of the affection I owe you. I have a special devotion towards St Catherine of Siena - that great gossiper -because she did not remain tight-lipped. She uttered great truths out of love for Jesus Christ, the Church of God and the Roman Pontiff.

But persons and institutions always have to be treated with respect and dignity, without mistreating or defaming anyone: veritatem facientes in caritate. The truth must be stated charitably, without inflicting injury or giving offence. We will thereby efficaciously assist in creating a climate of mutual understanding, of living side by side, with a broad and universal outlook, which drowns out all forms of hatred and rancour: without class struggle, without nationalism, and without discrimination of any kind.

Courage to carry out fraternal correction, whenever necessary.

Courage is called for, if we are to tell the truth to somebody face to face, in the event of having to correct certain fault’s in one another. And here the practice of fraternal correction assumes a particular importance. It may, at times, even become a heroic duty.

If we wish to carry out our duty, we must contend with other people’s sorrow and our own. And our Father went on to say: I don’t hide from you the fact that I suffer before, during and after correcting, and I am not a sentimental type, although I am a man with a heart. It consoles me to think that the brute beasts do not cry. Men, the children of God, do cry. And he added: I understand that at certain times you too will have to go through some bother, if you make an effort to carry out your duty faithfully. Don’t forget that it happens to be more comfortable to avoid suffering at all costs, with the excuse that we don’t want to displease others, but it is an aberration. In this inhibition there is frequently concealed a shameful retreat from one’s own pain, since it is ordinarily unpleasant to point something out in a serious way. My children, remember that hell is full of closed mouths.

The courage that is required to exercise fraternal correction whenever it is called for, while putting into practice the norms of charity and prudence laid down by our particular Law, constitutes a firm support for the duties of charity and prudence. It obviates the development of less noble kinds of behaviour among ourselves. My daughters and sons, you ought to be highly sensitive in respecting rights, and in defending the freedom of others. Never allow anyone among you to fall into the least semblance of back-biting. When you see a deviation in one of your brothers, an error which could pose a danger to his soul, or a hindrance to his efficacy, speak to him clearly. And he will be thankful to you for it.

People who are bothered in the face of a fraternal correction - which is a refined desire to be of help, to make sanctity easier - show little intellectual calibre, or else are intelligent people, but blinded by pride. I have not seen greater fools than smart people who are blinded by pride.

We ought to say things to one another nobly and clearly, with a supernatural motive, face to face, without taking refuge in anonymity. It is a criterion of human - and divine -loyalty for the accuser to realise that the one accused should know his name; and that it is necessary to prove the accusation Acts of informing against a person and vile secrets are quite abhorrent to us.

Fraternal correction does not have a negative connotation. It is, on the contrary, a stimulus, an incitement to carry on fighting, well shored up by fraternal support. Our Father always taught us in the same vein: God takes our weaknesses, our frailty, into account, as he likewise does with the frailty of others, but he also takes into account everybody’s strength, when charity unites us. Love blessed fraternal correction, which secures our being on a straight path, the identity of good spirit.

The Blessed Virgin will obtain for us the grace to tell the truth courageously, even though it may exact a heavy toll from us, even though it may be unpleasant for other persons, so long as the good of souls requires it. As was the case for St Catherine of Siena, we ought to be prompted by considerations of charity; that is to say, by love for God, for the Church, for the Roman Pontiff and for all souls.