Verbum
A new month brings a new free book, and this one’s a classic.
October’s free book of the month is Catherine of Siena: The Dialogue, in which St. Catherine, named a Doctor of the Church in 1970, shares her conversations with God on the topics of salvation, suffering, perfection, and more.
In the following excerpt, St. Catherine of Siena imagines the Father explaining how Jesus bridged the chasm of sin between humanity and the Godhead.
Open your mind’s eye and you will see the blinded and the foolish, the imperfect, and the perfect ones who follow me in truth. Then weep for the damnation of the foolish and be glad for the perfection of my beloved children. Again, you will see the way of those who choose light and the way of those who choose darkness.
But first I want you to look at the bridge of my only-begotten Son, and notice its greatness. Look! It stretches from heaven to earth, joining the earth of your humanity with the greatness of the Godhead. This is what I mean when I say it stretches from heaven to earth—through my union with humanity.
This was necessary if I wanted to remake the road that had been broken up, so that you might pass over the bitterness of the world and reach life. From earth alone I could not have made it great enough to cross the river and bring you to eternal life. The earth of human nature by itself, as I have told you, was incapable of atoning for sin and draining off the pus from Adam’s sin, for that stinking pus had infected the whole human race. Your nature had to be joined with the height of mine, the eternal Godhead, before it could make atonement for all of humanity. Then human nature could endure the suffering, and the divine nature, joined with that humanity, would accept my Son’s sacrifice on your behalf to release you from death and give you life.
So the height stooped to the earth of your humanity, bridging the chasm between us and rebuilding the road. And why should he have made of himself a roadway? So that you might in truth come to the same joy as the angels. But my Son’s having made of himself a bridge for you could not bring you to life unless you make your way along that bridge.
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Pick up Catherine of Siena: The Dialogue free this month, and get two more books for under $6.
Now only $1.99: St. Cyprian: The Lapsed and The Unity of the Catholic Church. In the wake of Christian persecution under Emperor Decius, the Church was faced with the question: What do we do with people who turn away from the Church to avoid persecution? St. Cyprian, in this book, offers the Church his wisdom on forgiveness and returning to the flock.
Now $3.99: The Great Catholic Reformers: From Gregory the Great to Dorothy Day. In this book, C. Colt Anderson covers the careers of 10 of the most significant reformers in Church history, showing the diverse ways Catholics can pursue purification and renewal in the Church.
