The Fire of Divine Love: St. Catherine of Siena’s Journey into the Heart of God

Introduction

In an era when women were largely excluded from public theological discourse, an uneducated laywoman from Siena became one of the most influential mystics and theologians in Christian history. St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) never learned to read until adulthood and never attended formal schools, yet she was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1970, recognized for the profound theological depth of her mystical writings. Her life reveals that authentic contemplation comes not from human learning but from divine grace—that God reveals His mysteries to “the humble and lowly” as Christ promised (Matthew 11:25).

Catherine’s brief life—she died at only thirty-three, the same age as Christ—burned with such intensity of divine love that her influence reshaped both the Church and society. Yet beneath her extraordinary public mission lay an even more remarkable interior life of prayer, contemplation, and mystical union with God that sustained and directed all her external works.

A Childhood Marked by Divine Encounter

Catherine Benincasa was born in 1347, the twenty-fourth of twenty-five children in a dyer’s family in Siena. From her earliest years, she showed a deep attraction to prayer and a desire for solitude. When she was six years old, she received her first vision of Christ as she walked home with one of her brothers. She looked up at the Church of San Domenico and saw Jesus Christ in all His glory sitting on a throne. In addition to being dressed in papal clothing, Jesus was surrounded by Saints Peter, Paul, and John. Even though this vision lasted only a dissonant moment, the knowledge that Jesus had revealed Himself to her radically shaped her life.

This type of divine encounter is mirrored in the stories from Scripture where God calls young children. The biblical prophet Samuel heard the voice of God as a young boy (1 Samuel 3) and to support this idea, Jesus Christ Himself also clearly stated,

Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven

Matthew 19:14

This vision set the pattern for the rest of her life. She had seen the “Beloved” and would become fully devoted to Him.

After receiving her vision from Christ, she engaged in practices of self-denial and prayer that were extraordinary for a child. She would recite the Hail Mary after each step that she took when she was climbing steps; she recited the Psalter even though she was unable to read, and she would search her congested home for quiet corners where she could be totally alone with God. Her actions were not due to any kind of religious scrupulousness but rather were an expression of how the love and grace of God profoundly touched her heart—similar to the declaration of love made by the  “Bride” in the Song of Solomon, who declares,

I sought him whom my soul loves

Song of Solomon 3:2

The Cell of Self-Knowledge

At age sixteen, after resisting her family’s attempts to arrange her marriage, she cut off her hair and eventually was allowed to join the Third Order of St. Dominic as a lay member. This allowed her to reside with her parents while also leading a life of prayer and service.

Catherine’s parents allowed her to build what she referred to as her “interior cell,” a separate room where she could go for as long as she wanted. For the following three years, Catherine lived a practically isolated life; the only time she left her small room was to go to Mass. The time she spent in her room was not an attempt to get away from her family, but was a time of intense preparation for her ministry. During this period, she devoted herself to prayer and received many visions (or mystical encounters) of Jesus, Mary, and the various saints. In order to foster within her the same loving disposition of her heart that Jesus had for Him, she engaged in periods of relentless fasting and very little sleep; her family expressed great concern about this, but Catherine believed that these measures were necessary for the purification of her heart.

At this time, Catherine experienced what she called her “cell of self-knowledge,” an inner space that would never cease to exist. She came to understand that true contemplation requires honest self-examination in light of God’s revelation. The Holy Scriptures declare,

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us

1 John 1:8

Through the power of God’s grace, Catherine experienced the reconciliation between her own sinfulness and her dependency upon God’s grace.

She later wrote to her spiritual children:

Build yourself a cell inside your mind from which you can never flee.

The cell that Catherine refers to is found in one’s mind. It is where God meets them in prayer no matter where they are, whether at home, traveling a dangerous road, or surrounded by crowds. It represents her state of recollection and her awareness of the presence of God throughout her active ministry.

Mystical Espousal to Christ

Catherine’s period of solitude reached its completion at the Carnival of 1368 when she was twenty-one years old. While the city was in the throes of Carnival celebrations outside, Catherine remained in her cell praying. During her prayer, she was granted a vision of Christ with the Virgin Mary, King David (with his harp) and the Apostle John. In this vision, Mary took Catherine by the hand and presented her to her Son, beseeching Him to espouse Catherine in faith.

Christ put a ring on Catherine’s finger—visible only to her—saying to her:

I, your Creator and Savior, espouse you in faith, which you will keep ever unspotted until you celebrate your eternal marriage with me in heaven.

Catherine was able to see this mystical ring continually, as her reminder of her whole body and soul devoted and given to Jesus Christ.

The image of Catherine’s mystical marriage to Christ reflects the Church, the Bride of Christ, as Paul reveals (Ephesians 5:25-27, Revelation 19:7-8). For Catherine, the reality of her marriage was not the same as a metaphor; it was a covenant with God that encompassed every aspect of her existence. Like the willingness of Mary at the Annunciation when she exclaimed:

Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word

Luke 1:38

Catherine would respond completely “yes” to God’s plan for her life at her mystical espousal.

The very foundation for everything to come from Catherine’s life originated from an intimate union with Christ. Catherine realized that her ministry and mission on earth would extend from the secret union that she experienced with Jesus Christ, just as the Apostles would minister and serve based on their time spent with Him. Catherine could understand the deeper meaning of Jesus’s teachings:

Abide in me, and I in you... for apart from me you can do nothing

John 15:4-5

The Heart Exchange and Transformation

A short time following her mystical espousal, Christ called Catherine to leave her solitary confinement and minister to the sick and poor of Siena. This transition from her time of contemplation to her time of action may seem as if the time of action was a different form of prayer; however, for Catherine, the fruits of prayer produce works, as James states:

Faith apart from works is dead

James 2:26

Catherine became fully engaged in her ministry, and she poured herself into this act of love and service to the needy, afflicted, and imprisoned at the same pace she had prayed. Catherine’s ministry provided for those who were afflicted with the plague, bestowed care on those who suffered from leprosy and other infected wounds, and visited prisoners condemned to die. Unlike sentimental love, Catherine’s love was active, sacrificial, and dangerous.

During this time of ministry, her life of prayer had a profound deepening. One of her highest mystical experiences in prayer occurred about 1370 when Christ appeared to her, opened His side and removed Catherine’s heart. A few days later, Christ returned with His heart—so bright and glowing that it was radiant—and He placed it within Catherine’s chest with the words:

Last week I took your heart; now I give you Mine, and with it you will live forever.

This was not a demonstration of greater spiritual height or glory for Catherine; it was a teaching of the most profound theological principle: the Christian life is Christ living in us. Paul expressed the same reality:

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me

Galatians 2:20

This vision proclaimed that truth dramatically; from that moment on, Catherine would say that she felt no heartbeat apart from Christ’s heartbeat.

The Mysticism of the Blood

Catherine had an especially intense devotion to the Passion of Christ, especially to His precious Blood, which was central to her spirituality. In her visions, prayers, and writings, she constantly returned to the price of redemption paid through the Blood of Christ and to the concept of being cleansed from sin through the bath of purification from Christ’s Blood. Catherine’s focus on the Precious Blood of Christ should not be seen as a morbid fixation on a bloody death, but rather that she was meditating intensely on the heart of the Gospel.

Catherine was able to comprehend that the Scriptures teach that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22) and that believers are justified “by his blood” (Romans 5:9). Because of this understanding of both the historical and present reality of Christ’s Blood, Catherine was able to perceive how through the Blood of Christ she is cleansed and transformed.

During prayer, she would imaginatively place herself at the foot of the cross, where she received the blood and water that flowed from His pierced side. She expressed these experiences by saying that she bathed in the Blood of Christ, was clothed in the Blood of Christ, and drank the Blood of Christ. These words reinforce the biblical image that salvation is based on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ alone.

Catherine’s devotion to the Precious Blood of Christ was Eucharistic. Her experience at Mass, especially during the consecration of the bread and wine to Body and Blood of Christ, caused ecstasies that would allow Catherine to be nourished by Christ and His presence. For the majority of Catherine’s life, she would sustain herself almost entirely by the Eucharist and would be unable to consume regular food. Although fasting of this type is not customary or recommended, Catherine’s fasting was her way of stating that Jesus Christ is the only food she needs— “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

Contemplative Prayer: The Cell of Self-Knowledge

Catherine, a mystic and poet, whose insight into prayer through a practice called “the cell of self-knowledge” parallels that of the greatest spiritual masters. To enter this “cell” is not self-absorbed narcissism, but rather self-examination in the light of God’s absolute Truth. Thus, we must recognize two truths: the infinite goodness and love of God and the nothingness of ourselves in comparison to God.

Catherine wrote in her Dialogue, “In self-knowledge, then, you will humble yourself, seeing that, in yourself, you do not even exist.” This echoes Scripture’s teaching that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17).

This knowledge heals us from despair because it is level with the humility from which we encounter God in grace. Catherine taught that pride is the primal block to contemplation; therefore, from the light of humility, we then access the purging nature of the Spirit through contemplation of God. This reminds us that Jesus Himself taught us the way to God by saying,

Learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart

Matthew 11:29

When we have entered the cell of self-knowledge and humbled ourselves before our Creator, our prayer can then ascend to contemplation of the nature of God. Catherine illustrates the movement from knowing our own poverty as a soul to being marveled by God’s mercy, to loving God with greater and greater love until eventually resting in total union with the Divine Will. This path mirrors the classical three-fold path of purgation, illumination, and union found throughout Christian mystical theology.

The Bridge: Christ as the Way to the Father

In Catherine’s great work The Dialogue, she offers the image of Christ as the bridge between humanity and the Divine. In this vision, God the Father told Catherine that this bridge was constructed from Jesus’ Body stretched upon the cross—from which the bridge extends both to Heaven and the earth.

The bridge contains three steps, representing the spiritual ascent: The Feet of Christ (the purging path); The Side and Heart of Christ (the illuminating path); The Mouth of Christ (the uniting path).

This image is derived from the Bible where Jesus taught, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Catherine, in her vision, simply elaborates upon this truth. The journey to God is through humanity; thus, we gain access to the Divine through the wounds of Christ (in the Eucharist).

Catherine taught that contemplation is not a purely spiritual experience; instead, it involves meditating on the humanity of Christ—the suffering of Christ upon the cross (His love) as the way to union with God. The wounds of Christ are the source of all gifts of grace to humanity, and it is through these wounds that we encounter the power of God. The Word became flesh (John 1:14), and through the flesh of Christ, God became mortal.

The Tears of Contemplation

One unique characteristic of Catherine’s intimate prayer life was her experience of tears. She wept frequently and in a capacity for holy desire; tears of remorse for sin, tears of compassion and longing for one another, and tears of rejoicing as one experiences God’s presence. Catherine’s spiritual directors and companions witnessed her weeping on a regular basis during Mass and prayer, as well as the vision of the Holy Spirit.

Catherine’s tears are not a sign of emotional instability; rather they are a gift of the Holy Spirit directly related to her prayer life. The Bible often speaks of the role of tears in prayer:

My tears have been my food day and night

Psalm 42:3

You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle

Psalm 56:8

Jesus Himself wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41) and at Lazarus’s tomb (John 11:35).

Catherine’s tears expressed holy desire: the soul’s desire for God expressed through tears. There are different kinds of tears: dead tears (tears of worldly sorrow) lead to nothing, and living tears flow because of love, transforming the soul. Catherine’s tears accompany her experiences of divine love and intimacy with God.

The gift of tears is to connect her contemplative prayer to Catherine’s life in action. Catherine’s tears continuously flow because she witnesses the sin of the clergy; the suffering of the poor; the souls in danger; and the wounds of Christ in His mystical Body, the Church. Her tears are a form of intercession for others, so her gifts of tears overlap with her intercessory prayer.

Mystical Dialogue with God the Father

Catherine’s most profound theological writing, The Dialogue, comes from a four-day mystical state in 1377-1378. During this period, Catherine lived through a stripping of the flesh until she experienced the most direct contribution by God. While her voice was silent, her spirit was answered in a mystical dialogue from God the Father. In her work, she wrote of the theological experiences that occurred when she was in spiritual ecstasy and the issues of divine truth, God’s Providence, spiritual life, tears, prayer, obedience, and divine truth.

The result of Catherine’s writing is a unique collection of theological meditations on God’s Providence, the spiritual life, tears, prayer, and divine truth. These meditations are included with the most historic texts and are recognized within the Church as authentic mystical theology. Even though Catherine did not physically hear God’s voice, the content of Catherine’s mysticism is completely aligned with the truths of Holy Scripture and orthodox Christian theology.

God spoke directly to Catherine and provided her with new expressions of doctrine (wisdom). God spoke to her in terms of God’s love and commitment to humanity, the damaging effects of sin on the soul, the redeeming power of the Holy Blood of Christ, and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. All of this, God communicated with Catherine (the Dialogue) in a language that was at once intimate, warmly affirming in nature, yet theologically definitive.

The teaching of Catherine on the way we experience God in prayer is fundamentally based on authentic Christian mystical theology. However, the mystical experience of God in your prayers is often different than that of Catherine. As Paul writes, the Spirit “searches everything, even the depths of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10), guiding believers into fuller understanding of divine mysteries.

Catherine teaches us that each of us is able to enter into dialogue with God through Christ; through prayer we access knowledge of what God desires for us and allows us to hear His voice by reading the Scriptures.

Every person on the earth has the ability to speak to God; however, few will ever have the opportunity to write the book of a mystical work (as Catherine has). The Dialogue is representative of the fact that prayer is an embodied activity and not merely a mental exercise. Spiritual life is one of developing the relationship with Christ and being open to the Holy Spirit.

Discernment: The Holy Spirit and the Devil

Catherine’s mystical experiences were characterized by her well-developed ability to perceive the spiritual realities present within them. Catherine recognized that not every so-called “spiritual” experience originates from God; rather, they often have their source in the devil. Catherine instructed her followers to evaluate visions, locutions, and other interior movements using Scripture, the teachings of the Church, and the fruits they produced.

Catherine cautioned her followers against being misled by the enemy who “disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). Catherine noted that the devil’s temptations can sometimes appear as religious inspiration, tempting souls to pride in their spiritual experiences or to disobedience disguised as higher calling.

In contrast to false spiritual experiences, true mystical experience produces humility, charity, obedience to the Church, and peace—which are the fruits of the Holy Spirit as outlined in Galatians 5:22-23. In general, false mystical experiences produce pride, divisiveness, disobedience, and agitation. Catherine advised her followers to bring every mystical experience to the attention of their spiritual directors, because if a mystical experience encourages one to separate from the Church or to think of oneself as spiritually superior, then that should be viewed as suspect.

The teaching of the Holy Spirit through Catherine wasn’t only theoretical. Catherine herself endured trials of an intense spiritual nature, including periods of spiritual dryness, times when she was tormented with involuntary blasphemous thoughts, and trial by abandonment by God. Catherine understood that trials of the spirit were a trial by God to purify and strengthen the individual’s faith and increase the degree of humility.

At a critical time in her trial, Catherine’s devotional devotion was so powerful that Christ appeared to her and when she asked Him, “Where were You, Lord, when my heart was tormented with such horrible temptations?”  He replied, “I was in your heart.” Catherine protested that this couldn’t be true, for her heart had been filled with such darkness. Christ explained, “Did those thoughts give you pleasure or sorrow?” “Sorrow,” she admitted. “Infinite sorrow.” “Who do you think it was,” Christ asked, “who caused them to be so painful if not I, hidden within your heart?”

The teachings of this way of life are based on the biblical principle that God is always with us, though at times He may appear distant; trials test faith, they build character. “so that the tested genuineness of your faith… may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7).

Unceasing Prayer Amid Action

Catherine conducted the greatest percentage of her exterior activity during the remaining ten years of her life, constantly traveling and visiting ill-conformed to the Church and community, involving herself in a multitude of various works of good will, being responsible for tens and hundreds of plague victims, mediating between disputing parties, advising political leaders, and fighting to restore the papacy to Rome from Avignon.

Yet throughout this activism, she maintained what Scripture calls “unceasing prayer” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). All of her companions observed that although she was engaged in an active public life, when talking to visitors, they saw Catherine had her heart totally concentrated on God.

Catherine could talk to more than one secretary at a time dictating different letters to each of them, remaining deeply absorbed in contemplation. Throughout her life, Catherine experienced spontaneous periods of ecstasy. During these times, her body became rigid and her countenance radiant, often considered by the onlookers an outer manifestation of God’s greatness. After the exhibition of her ecstasy, she would remain in an extended period of prayer-contemplation.

This ability to maintain a consistent inner awareness and spiritual union with God while becoming an indispensable force of good upon earth by engaging in various forms of charitable action to meet the needs of all people on the earth represents the maturation process of Christianity. Catherine viewed the activities of her life as an extension of her prayer life. Catherine said, “It is necessary… that you should love your neighbor with the same love with which you love Me.”

She embodied the truth that authentic contemplation doesn’t withdraw from the world but engages it more effectively. Like Mary who, after encountering Christ in the Annunciation, “went with haste” to serve Elizabeth (Luke 1:39), Catherine’s mystical encounters compelled her to urgent service of neighbor and Church.

The Mysticism of Suffering

Catherine’s last years were not easy times. Many physical sufferings afflicted Catherine and caused her participation in the suffering and death of Jesus Christ as a perfect victim. As a result of affliction inflicted upon her physically, spiritually, and through the weight of the Church’s problems, Catherine offered herself to God as a vessel in which God would punish the Church’s sins rather than sending punishment down from heaven upon the Church through calamities.

While many will find this mindset extreme, the mindset of Catherine is actually developed from the biblical teachings of Jesus Christ as a vicarious offering whether or not we want to believe it. Paul wrote of “filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church” (Colossians 1:24)—not that Christ’s atonement was insufficient, but that Christians are called to share in His redemptive suffering.

In the year 1370, Catherine experienced the stigmata—receiving five wounds, representing all of the wounds inflicted upon Christ, in her body. But at Catherine’s request, the marks were not visible while she was living. They became visible to the public only after her death, which was indicative of her desire not to receive any glory from man; glory belonged to God alone. Therefore, Catherine viewed her suffering—a process of becoming like Jesus through her suffering—as an inward reality.

Catherine’s final months were full of very serious physical disabilities. She did not eat or drink; her condition appeared to be similar to human stroke. She continued, however, to drag herself to St. Peter’s Basilica to pray for the Church, until she reached the age of 33 on April 29, 1380, when she said her last words, “Blood! Blood!” Her last words reflected on her experience, as she knelt at the Cross of Christ one last time.

Catherine’s Teaching on Contemplative Prayer

Catherine’s understanding of how to develop a contemplative way of life comes from what she did while praying. Her letters and The Dialogue provide insight into her prayer life. Through reading these two writings, it is evident that there are five major points for consideration concerning the development of a contemplative life:

Prayer begins with desire. Contemplative prayer, as Catherine taught, is based on God filling the desire of the seer for His presence in the soul. In Psalm 42:1, David is used as an example of this:

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God

Psalm 42:1

Humility is essential. Humility is a prerequisite for successful prayer in contemplation. In other words, humility must be established in the seer; otherwise, pride will hinder the reception of God’s goodness.

Love, not feelings, is the goal. Although Catherine experienced some of the most remarkable mystical consolations during her prayer, she taught that the purpose for praying is not to find unusual experiences. Instead, prayer’s purpose is to conform one’s intellect, emotions, and will to God’s intellect, emotions, and will, regardless of the feelings associated with prayer.

Perseverance through darkness. The experiences of spiritual dry and dark times are an anticipated part of the journey of contemplation. These are used by God to purify the seer of those things that entice him to covet the delights of heaven through illusory images and illusion.

Union with God’s will is the summit. The culmination of the prayer of contemplation is total submission of one’s mind and entire being to God’s will. Total submission of the seer’s willing and free choice, for example, along with Christ, would state:

Not my will, but yours, be done

Luke 22:42

This union doesn’t destroy personality but perfects it.

The Cell of Self-Knowledge as Permanent Dwelling

Catherine of Siena emphasizes the importance of the ‘interior cell’, or self-knowledge, in her teachings. The ‘interior cell’ is a space of self-awareness in which we continually come to know the depth of God’s mercy and, therefore, what it means to be human by recognizing both the greatness of God and the nothingness that we are without Him.

This interior cell has two rooms: knowledge of self and knowledge of God. These aren’t sequential but simultaneous—the more we know ourselves truthfully, the more we know God’s mercy; the more we know God’s goodness, the more we see our own poverty. This double knowledge produces humility, gratitude, and love.

Catherine taught her followers to “build yourself a cell inside your mind from which you can never flee.” This meant cultivating continual awareness of God’s presence regardless of external circumstances. Whether in crowded streets or quiet churches, in pleasant activities or difficult trials, the soul remains interiorly recollected in God.

This teaching aligns with Paul’s exhortation to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and Brother Lawrence’s later practice of the presence of God. It makes contemplation accessible to all Christians, not just cloistered religious. The mother changing diapers, the businessman in meetings, the student taking exams—all can maintain this interior cell where they meet God.

Fire: The Central Image

In her writings, Catherine repeatedly refers to the image of fire as the central symbol of her mysticism. Divine love is a fire. Catherine is consumed by fire. The Holy Spirit is the fire of God. Charity sets souls on fire. Fire is not a metaphor; it is the actual experience of God’s love. To Catherine, fire has two attributes—beauty and terror. Fire also gives us warmth as it warms the cold and light as it illuminates the darkness. Additionally, like fire, the love of God purifies, illuminates, and warms.

The biblical basis of Catherine’s mystical experience comes from God’s appearances to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus 3:2), leading Israel with a pillar of fire (Exodus 13:21), and descended to the people as fire on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:3). Jesus said of His coming, “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!” (Luke 12:49). John the Baptist declared that Christ would “baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11).

Catherine’s description of fire is both metaphoric and actually what she experienced. Catherine felt her soul aflame with love for God and for others. During her ecstasies, her body manifested heat. Most important was that divine love transforms all things just as fire transforms whatever it touches.

Catherine believed that the soul must be willing to jump into this fire of divine love. To do so will burn away the false self—the ego. It is a painful process, just as gold is refined in the fire (1 Peter 1:7), yet it is necessary. For if the soul refuses to accept the burning fire of love here in this life, it will face the burning fire of justice after death. Therefore, the soul has a tremendous opportunity to experience and be transformed by the love of God now instead of suffering eternally for unrepented sin.

The Blood and the Fire

The image of Christ’s Blood and the image of divine Fire are two of the most powerful images that Catherine uses to portray Christ and the Holy Spirit in her spirituality. The Blood of Christ cleanses and redeems us from sin. The Fire of the Holy Spirit creates transformation and sanctification in our lives. Together, they form a complete picture of salvation.

Catherine taught that the soul must first be washed in the Blood of Christ (cleansed from sin) and then lit on fire with the love of the Holy Spirit. The Blood of Christ cleanses, and the Fire of the Holy Spirit transforms and sanctifies. Both images of Christ’s Blood and Home-Fire of the Holy Spirit are necessary to fulfill God’s plan for the salvation of the human race.

As a result, Catherine’s mysticism is not morbidly focused on the suffering of Christ or gnostically detached from His humanity. Rather, it is both rooted in the historical reality of Christ’s Passion (the Incarnation) and animated by the Spirit’s current work. Throughout her experiences, Catherine frequently gives account of seeing images containing both Blood and Fire simultaneously: either Christ’s Blood consumed in Fire, or the Blood of Christ basting those souls who were to be eternally nourished by the Fire of the Holy Spirit. Both aspects are essential and inseparable regarding salvation.

Prayer for the Church and for Souls

The contemplative life of Catherine was lived out in her fervent intercession for the Church. In her life of prayer, she constantly petitioned for the reform of the Church, the pope, the priests, the souls in danger, and for the conversion of sinners. Her experience of mystical union with Christ gave her the same heart for the Church that Christ has; therefore, she had compassion for the wounds of the Church and rejoiced in its holiness. A large portion of Catherine’s prayer was a kind of spiritual warfare in which she fought against demonic powers that were working against the salvation of souls and the unity of the Church. She understood from Paul that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against… the spiritual forces of evil” (Ephesians 6:12).

Contemporary witnesses record numerous instances where she prayerfully interceded for those about to die, providing many with “dramatic” last-minute conversions, even for people who had previously been hardened sinners. A well-known example is that of Niccolò di Tuldo, a nobleman sentenced to death. Catherine visited him in prison and prayed with him, and she went with him to his death and held his head as he was killed by the sword. After his execution, she had a vision of his soul being taken to heaven by the mercy of God just before he died.

The intercessory aspect of Catherine’s mystical life is one of the distinguishing traits between genuine Christian mysticism and self-centered spirituality. Catherine desired union with God, not so that she could have the union of God, but so that she could have a closer relationship with God and become a better instrument of His love to others. The depth of her contemplation provided her with greater strength as an intercessor, while her intercessory prayer strengthened her faith in God through her contemplation.

Teaching on Obedience

Catherine had a uniquely mystical experience and a level of divine authority that was unparalleled. Even with this authority, she upheld the importance of obedience to the Church and therefore to legitimate spiritual authority in the Church. Catherine turned her writings, visions, and her actions over to her confessors and to the Church authorities to be examined. She never claimed that what God presented to her in private revelations superseded the teachings of the Church.

Catherine believes that mysticism is a mystical experience that should be lived out through a greater ecclesial union, or communion, with the Church. She has a view that the Holy Spirit of God cannot contradict the authority that is established by the Church. As Paul taught regarding spiritual gifts:

God is not a God of confusion but of peace

1 Corinthians 14:33

Although Catherine had the boldness to correct popes, bishops, and spiritual superiors, she did not correct them out of disdain for their authority, but rather out of recognition of the higher obedience to God. Like the apostles, who stated, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29), Catherine felt the need to be truthful with her superiors, and at times, to correct them when necessary. However, even when correcting superiors, she separated correcting the individual from disrespecting the office; she respected the office of the pope while encouraging popes to lead holier lives.

The balance of the mystical boldness and the ecclesial obedience that Catherine represents provide great insight into the discernment of the Christian life. All private revelations, regardless of how compelling they may seem, do not give us the authorization to disobey the Church or Schism. Catherine remained a member of the Church while working to reform it because she believed that God works through the means that He has established within the Church.

The Dialogue: Mystical Theology

Catherine’s work, The Dialogue, represents the highest level of medieval Christian mystical theology. The work was written in the vernacular Italian language and therefore allowed for a great many people who lacked the ability to read Latin to gain deep insight into theology. The language may appear simple; however, there is profound theological sophistication expressed in its simplicity.

The structure of The Dialogue is depicted as a conversation between “a soul” (which is Catherine) and God the Father. In The Dialogue, all of the bases of Christian life are presented: the providence of God; the love of God; the sinfulness of humanity; the redemption of humanity; the power of prayer and tears; of the priesthood; the mystical body of Christ and the divine truth; and much more. However, while all of the theological doctrines are contained within The Dialogue, the theological truths are not presented in an abstract way, but through the experience of the soul in contemplative union with God.

One of the most beautiful elements of The Dialogue is the way in which Catherine describes the knowledge that a soul has of God:

You, eternal Trinity, are a deep sea; the more I enter you, the more I discover, and the more I discover, the more I seek you. You are insatiable, you in whose depth the soul is sated yet remains always hungry for you, thirsty for you, eternal Trinity, longing to see you with the light in your light.

This absolutely captures the paradox of knowing God mystically. The soul is always both satisfied and unsatisfied; the soul both rests and is in motion; the soul has, yet continues to seek, God. This describes Augustine’s famous prayer:

You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.

The Dialogue also contains intense Trinitarian theology; Catherine considers the Father to be eternal love; the Son, divine wisdom who took on flesh; and the Spirit, as the bond of love between the Father and the Son. Catherine views the Trinity not as a philosophical abstract, but as a God who calls us into agreements with the members of Himself: Who is a family of love.

Spiritual Motherhood

Although Catherine was not a mother in the traditional sense, she was a true spiritual mother to many people and their souls. Many young people sought her out to guide them and form a “family” of followers, whom she considered to be her children. She wrote and sent hundreds of letters to them, personally met with them to give them advice, prayed for them, and sacrificed herself for their salvation.

Her spiritual motherhood shared in that of Mary, the Blessed Virgin . At the cross, Jesus gave His mother to John and John to His mother (John 19:26-27), establishing spiritual motherhood and sonship in the Church. Catherine, united to Christ in mystical marriage, participated in His maternal care for souls.

Her example of spiritual motherhood is a refutation of the false belief many people have that having a relationship with God through deep contemplation means that one is detached from any type of relationship with people. In reality, the more intimately we come to know and love God, the more intimately we can love others. As Catherine’s love for God enabled her to love her “spiritual children” very deeply and loyally, she could express that love freely.

Catherine taught that all Christians need to have a sense of spiritual fatherhood and motherhood—not just those who have biological children. St. Paul fulfilled his apostolic calling as a result of his spiritual mothering to the younger Christians; thus, he illustrates this view concerning spiritual parenthood:

My little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you

Galatians 4:19

As a sacrificial lover of God and man and prayerfully teaching others, Catherine carried out her vocation of spiritual motherhood.

Longing for Death

In her final years, Catherine expressed intense longing for death—not from despair or life-rejection, but from desire for perfect union with God. She yearned to see “face to face” what she had known only “in a mirror dimly” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Her desire echoed Paul’s:

My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better

Philippians 1:23

Yet she simultaneously prayed, “If it be Your will, Lord, I desire to live to serve You.” She held both desires in tension: longing for heaven while remaining willing to serve on earth. This wasn’t contradiction but the paradox of mature faith—wanting heaven while accepting earth, longing for God’s presence while serving His purposes.

Catherine’s longing for Heaven illustrates that, although this longing does not eliminate a believer’s duty to live and do good on this planet, nor does it eliminate the duty to be good on this earth, it does provide a better viewpoint for a believer on how to live on this earth in relation to their earthly and eternal states according to God’s will. The calling to Heaven forms part of the ultimate goal of St. Paul’s encouragement to Christians to “set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2).

Catherine’s longing for death was a testimony that nothing here on this earth could fulfill the empty place in the human heart. As St. Augustine stated:

You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.

Having fully experienced God’s love through life’s realities, Catherine could not be satisfied with anything other than God’s love.

Her Legacy for Contemplatives Today

St. Catherine of Siena exemplified how to live the radical, yet orthodox mystical life; how to embrace both the collective and the individual in mysticism; and how to engage actively but reflectively in one’s mysticism. St. Catherine’s life is a shining example of many eternal truths:

First, authentic contemplation transforms character. Catherine’s mystical experiences didn’t make her otherworldly or impractical; they made her more loving, more courageous, and more effective in serving God and neighbor. The proof of genuine mystical experience isn’t in its drama but in its fruit—the virtues it produces.

Second, deep prayer doesn’t require formal education. Catherine received profound theological revelation despite lacking academic training. This doesn’t diminish the value of study, but it confirms that God reveals Himself to the humble and grants wisdom as He wills (Matthew 11:25, James 1:5).

Third, contemplation and action are complementary, not contradictory. Catherine’s life refutes false dichotomies between prayer and work, between mysticism and mission. Her effectiveness in the world flowed from her union with God in prayer, and her prayer gained urgency from her engagement with the world’s needs.

Fourth, true mysticism deepens ecclesial communion. Catherine’s extraordinary experiences didn’t lead her away from the Church but further into it. She loved the Church with Christ’s own love, suffering for its wounds while trusting in its divine foundation.

Fifth, the goal of contemplation is transformation, not experience. Catherine valued mystical graces as God’s gifts, but she knew they weren’t the goal. The goal is conformity to Christ—dying to self that Christ might live in us (Galatians 2:20).

The Fire Still Burns

St. Catherine of Siena died at thirty-three, but the fire of divine love she carried continues to burn in the Church. Her writings remain required reading for serious students of mystical theology. Her example inspires contemplatives and activists alike. Her intercession aids countless souls.

Most importantly, her life demonstrates that the mystical heights of Christian experience remain accessible to ordinary people. She wasn’t born into privilege, didn’t receive elite education, and didn’t enjoy powerful connections. She was simply a soul captivated by divine love, willing to say “yes” to everything God asked.

Catherine challenges contemporary Christians to seek deeper prayer, more authentic contemplation, and fuller union with God. She assures us that the living water Christ offers (John 4:10) remains available to all who thirst for it. She invites us into the cell of self-knowledge, where we discover simultaneously our poverty and God’s mercy, our nothingness and His everything.

Her final message to the Church echoes still:

Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire

This is the fruit of contemplation—becoming so transparent to divine love that we ignite others with the same fire. This is the mysticism Christ intends for all His followers: union with God that transforms us into instruments of His love for a world dying for lack of it.

As Catherine wrote in one of her letters:

Let us drown ourselves in the blood of Christ crucified. Bathe in the blood, get drunk on the blood, be sated with the blood, clothe yourself in the blood!

As strange and implausible as these words may seem to many, they express the desire for us to become completely immersed in Jesus’ sacrificial love, and become a living witness of that love.

May St. Catherine of Siena inspire all of us to seek that which she sought, and be filled with the fire of God’s love, and live in total surrender to God’s will.

Eternal God, eternal Trinity... You are a mystery as deep as the sea; the more I search, the more I find, and the more I find the more I search for you. But I can never be satisfied; what I receive will ever leave me desiring more. When you fill my soul I have an even greater hunger, and I grow more famished for your light. I desire above all to see you, the true light, as you really are.

St. Catherine of Siena