‘How the evil gets hold of souls under pretence of some good…’ ~ 'The Dialogue' of Saint Catherine …
[Saint Catherine of Siena /Caterina di Benincasa/; XIV-XV Century AD; Siena, Republic of Siena/Rome, Papal States; aged 33; Spiritual Writer; Mystic; Virgin; Doctor of the Church]
“How the evil gets hold of souls', under pretence of some good : and, how those are deceived who keep by the river, and not by the aforesaid Bridge, for, wishing to fly pains, they fall into them ; and of the vision of a tree, that this soul once had.
" I have told thee that the Devil invites men to the water of death, that is, to that which he has, and, blinding them with the pleasures and conditions of the world, he catches them with the hook of pleasure, under the pretence of good, because in no other way could he catch them, for they would not allow themselves to be caught if they saw that no good or pleasure to themselves were to be obtained thereby. For the soul, from her nature, always relishes good, though it is true that the soul, blinded by self-love, does not know and discern what is true good, and …More
"Now I want to show thee how they deceive themselves, and how, wishing to flee troubles, they fall into them. For, because it seems to them that following Me, that is, walking by the way of the Bridge, the Word, My Son, is great toil, they draw back, fearing the thorn.
This is because they are blinded and do not know or see the Truth, as, thou knowest, I showed thee in the beginning of thy life, when thou didst pray Me to have mercy on the world, and draw it out of the darkness of mortal sin. Thou knowest that I then showed thee Myself under the figure of a Tree, of which thou sawest neither the beginning nor the end, so that thou didst not see that the roots were united with the earth of your humanity..."
If Saint Catherine of Siena Lived in 2026, sh would have the same fate as
Bishop Strickland.
" I have shown thee how they are deceived by a disordinate fear, and how I am your God, immovable, who am not an Acceptor of persons but of holy desire. And this I have shown thee under the figure of the Tree, as I told thee."
"And they cannot escape enduring pain, for no one can pass through this life without a cross,"