St. Catherine of Siena spent three years of contemplation in her room in her parents' home. Since there were over twenty children in the house, I doubt she had much privacy. Consequently, she learned how to meditate within. Her life became inner prayer. She called this her "cell within." She didn't mean "jail cell" although I'm sure her critics, at that time, would have wished to put her in a jail cell than traveling and conversing with princes and popes.
Catherine encourages me to enter into the depths of my being. My aim is to know myself so that I can transform into God's will. IOW, become holy. This takes honest self-assessment.
Catherine uses her famous, dramatic juxtaposition of opposites to speak about God in relationship to herself (us).
You, eternal Godhead,
are life
and I am death.
You are wisdom
and I am ignorance.
You are light
and I am darkness.
You are infinite
and I am finite.
You are absolute directness
and I am terrible twistedness.
You are the doctor
and I am sick.
You are God. I am not.
Catherine encourages me to enter into the depths of my being. My aim is to know myself so that I can transform into God's will. IOW, become holy. This takes honest self-assessment.
Catherine uses her famous, dramatic juxtaposition of opposites to speak about God in relationship to herself (us).
You, eternal Godhead,are life
and I am death.
You are wisdom
and I am ignorance.
You are light
and I am darkness.
You are infinite
and I am finite.
You are absolute directness
and I am terrible twistedness.
You are the doctor
and I am sick.
You are God. I am not.
