Saint Catherine of Siena was a simple yet extraordinary woman in her pursuit of holiness, her longing to be with Jesus, and her feminine strength.
In honor of her feast day, we recall one aspect of her life in particular: her battle against the powerful temptations with which the devil tormented her.
In the book The Life of Saint Catherine of Siena, written by Raymond of Capua, her confessor and a direct witness to much of Catherine’s mystical life and miracles, there is a chapter entitled, “Of the Admirable Victories She Obtained Over Temptations and of Her Extraordinary Intimacy With Our Lord.”
In this powerful book, Catherine offers profound advice for fighting the enemy.
This biography is considered the principal and irreplaceable source for understanding Catherine’s life and spirituality. Within its pages lies, in many ways, the secret to attaining holiness.
1) Victory Through the Cross
“My daughter, if you wish to acquire strength, you must imitate Me. I could, with My divine power, have thwarted Satan’s efforts and taken other measures to nullify them, but I wish to instruct you through My example and teach you to conquer him through the Cross. If you wish to have power over your enemies, take the Cross as your safeguard. Have not My apostles taught you that I ran with joy to a death as ignominious as that of Calvary? (Hebrews 12:2).
Therefore, accept trials and afflictions; suffer them not only with patience but with joy. They are lasting treasures, for the more you suffer for Me, the more you will resemble Me, and, according to the teachings of the Apostle, the more you resemble Me in suffering, the closer you will be to Me in grace and glory. Therefore, My beloved daughter, consider bitter things as sweet for My sake, and be assured that your strength will always increase.”
Catherine benefited so greatly from this lesson that she endured harsh trials with joy. The book recounts that nothing comforted her more than sorrows and afflictions. She even suffered when deprived of them because she believed they were precious jewels that would complete her heavenly crown.
2) Never Argue With the Enemy
Strengthened through suffering, Catherine was then severely tempted by the devil, who afflicted her with humiliating temptations.
These torments appeared not only in her sleep, but also through frightening visions and voices that harassed her senses in various ways. Catherine fought valiantly through sacrifice, mortification, and prayer.
She constantly repeated:
“I trust in the power of the Lord, not in my own.”
After much persistence, when the devil could no longer prevail, Catherine recognized his tactics and formulated a rule:
“One should never argue with the enemy, because he is very confident in defeating us through the subtlety of his reasoning.”
3) Do Not Lose Fervor Because of Your Weaknesses
“When the Christian soul realizes that its fervor is diminishing because of some fault or temptation permitted by Providence, it should continue its spiritual exercises and even multiply them, rather than abandoning them or lessening their intensity.”
Catherine always kept her eyes fixed on the ultimate goal, even when her soul felt desolate. She placed all her hope in Heaven, certain that Jesus would console her for all eternity. It was not the fleeting joys of this world that motivated her to serve Him, but the hope of possessing Him forever in heaven.
For this reason, she never abandoned her devotions. Instead, she praised her Creator with even greater fervor.
The book recounts that after one especially intense period of temptation, the Lord appeared to her and spoke these beautiful words—ones that can comfort and strengthen all of us:
“‘Catherine, My daughter,’ He said to her, ‘consider what I have suffered for you, and you will never find it painful to suffer for Me.’
Having said this, He assumed a gentler form in order to comfort Catherine and spoke to her about the victory she had just won. Like Saint Anthony before her, she asked Him, ‘Lord, where were You when my heart was so tormented?’
‘I was in the midst of your heart,’ replied the Lord.
‘Ah, Lord,’ Catherine answered, ‘You are the Eternal Truth, and I humbly bow before Your majesty, but how can I believe that You were in my heart when it was filled with such detestable thoughts?’
‘Did those thoughts give you pleasure or pain?’
‘Excessive sadness and sorrow.’
‘You grieved and suffered because I was hidden within your heart. If I had not been there, those thoughts would have entered your heart and filled you with delight. But My presence made them unbearable to you. You desired to reject them precisely because I was there. Even though you could not drive them away, your soul was filled with sorrow. I acted within your soul and defended you against your enemy.’”