The New Testament includes four Gospels, referred to as the “Synoptic Gospels,” that exhibit comparable literary patterns and themes extensively analyzed by scholars. Nevertheless, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John possess both similarities and differences. The inquiry into which Gospel was composed first and the extent to which the authors relied on oral tradition, written sources, or one another remains unknown. This occurrence of synoptic gospels has sparked scholarly discussions for centuries and captivated numerous students studying New Testament Survey.
In order to fully understand the similarities and differences among these Synoptic Gospels, it is necessary to become familiar with the authors. It is crucial to comprehend their backgrounds, academic qualifications, experiences, literary styles, and occupations. Furthermore, we should investigate the who, what, when, where, why,and how aspects of these Gospels.
Which authors had a profound emotional and intellectual impact on us while teaching us about the life, ministries, and significance of Jesus?
The Gospel of Matthew, written by Matthew himself, is the main book in the New Testament. Its main purpose is to show that the “King” has come. At first, Matthew was disliked because he collected taxes but after a significant transformation and wholeheartedly dedicating himself to Jesus, he became one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. Around 60-65 A.D., Matthew wrote this Gospel specifically for his fellow Jews in order to confirm Jesus as the Messiah and explain the kingdom of God that awaits humanity.
The Jews were waiting for a leader who had been promised by prophets centuries ago, a leader known as the Messiah or “anointed one.” They believed that this Messiah would deliver them from their Roman oppressors and establish a new kingdom, ruling the world with justice. However, many Jews ignored prophecies that also described this king as a suffering servant who would face rejection and death. Therefore, it is not surprising that only a few recognized Jesus as the Messiah. They questioned how a humble carpenter’s son from Nazareth could be their king. Nonetheless, Jesus was the King of all the earth, and it was Matthew (Levi) who made it his mission (though not alone) to spread this message.
Matthew wrote around 1475 words, with approximately 137 being unique to him among all New Testament writers. Of these 137 words, 76 are considered classical and 15 were first introduced or discovered in Matthew’s writings. Furthermore, Matthew and Mark together introduced 8 new words, while Matthew and another New Testament writer brought forth an additional 15 words. It is likely that during Matthew’s time, all of these words were commonly used.
In his Gospel, Matthew employs distinctive expressions that contribute to his unique writing style. For example, he frequently uses the phrase “basileia ton ouranon,” which is not found in Mark and Luke; instead, they use “basileia tou thou” in parallel passages. However, it should be noted that “basileia tou thou” also appears four times in Matthew.
Matthew’s Gospel begins with Jesus’ genealogy and continues with the account of his birth and early years. This includes their escape to Egypt due to Herod’s murderous intentions and their subsequent return to Nazareth. Throughout this Gospel, Matthew consistently conveys the message that Jesus is the Christ – the King of kings and Lord of lords.
The Gospel of Mark, which is thought to be the oldest, was written between 55-65 A.D. Its primary aim was to inspire Roman Christians to strengthen their connection with God and firmly establish Jesus as the Messiah. The author sought to depict the genuine nature, actions, and teachings of Jesus. Mark presents a rapid succession of vibrant portrayals depicting Jesus in action – revealing His true essence through His actions rather than just words. It highlights Jesus’ constant movement.
Starting with John the Baptist’s preaching, Mark skips over the birth of Jesus and proceeds to Jesus’ baptism, temptation in the desert, and calling of the disciples. Mark swiftly progresses into Jesus’ public ministry, with events quickly building towards a climax. The Last Supper, betrayal, crucifixion, and resurrection are vividly depicted, accompanied by further instances of Jesus’ teachings. Mark’s distinct writing style allows us to witness Jesus’ actions of movement, service, sacrifice, and salvation.
Every birth is considered a miracle and every child is seen as a blessing from God. However, around two thousand years ago, an extraordinary miracle happened. A baby was born, but this wasn’t just any ordinary baby; it was the Son of God. The Gospels document this remarkable birth, with Dr. Luke providing detailed descriptions as if he had been present at the delivery. Jesus, being both divine (through his heavenly Father) and human (through his earthly mother), became a crucial part of our history – God in human form.
The belief is that Luke originally came from Antioch. It is clear that Luke was not Jewish, as Paul distinguished him from those of the circumcision (Col. iv, 14), and his writing style indicates he was Greek. Therefore, he cannot be identified with the prophet Lucius mentioned in Acts, xiii, 1, nor with Lucius of Rom., xvi, 21, who had a connection to St. Paul. Being a doctor by profession, Luke possessed scientific knowledge and being a Greek and Gentile Christian (the only known Gentile author in the New Testament), he paid great attention to detail. St. Paul referred to him as “the most dear physician” (Col., iv, 14). This profession implied an extensive education and evidence of his medical background can be seen in his use of medical terminology. Thus, it is not surprising that Luke starts by outlining his thorough research and clarifying his intention to present factual information (Luke 1:1-4). Additionally, Luke had a close friendship with Paul and accompanied him during his travels; this gave him the opportunity to interview other disciples, access other historical accounts and personally witness the birth and development of the early church. His Gospel called Luke along with the book of Acts are reliable historical documents making up approximately one-quarter of the New Testament. The book of Luke is considered as one of the most comprehensive Gospels in terms of vocabulary range and language style which demonstrates Luke’s high level of education.
In the Gospel of Luke, written around 60 A.D., there are similarities with the book of Matthew. Luke recounts Jesus’ birth. Angels appear to Zechariah and Mary, informing them about the upcoming births of their sons. It is prophesied that Zechariah and Elizabeth will have a son named John the Baptist who will prepare the way for Christ. Mary conceives through the Holy Spirit and gives birth to Jesus, referred to as the Son of God.
Luke affirms the dual nature of Jesus as both divine and human, highlighting his humanity as the Son of God and the Son of Man. He provides a detailed account of Jesus’ life, including his death, but does not leave it at that. Instead, he concludes with an exciting narrative of Jesus raising the dead, appearing to his disciples, and promising them the arrival of the Holy Spirit. Luke’s writings are expertly crafted and present a precise documentation of Jesus’ divine and human essence.
The Gospel of John is unique in its approach to the life of Christ, as it is not a traditional biography. Instead, its purpose is to make a compelling argument for the incarnation and provide undeniable proof that Jesus is the Son of God sent from heaven and the sole source of eternal life. What sets this Gospel apart is that 90% of its content is original; it omits any mention of genealogy, Jesus’ birth or childhood, temptation or transfiguration, disciple selection or parables, ascension or Great Commission. Written between 85-90 A.D., it specifically targets both new Christians and non-Christians.
Throughout the entire book of John, the central theme remains constant – Christ’s identity. From the very beginning, John establishes this by declaring, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning” (1:1, 2). Each chapter of this book unveils Jesus’ divine essence.
The question of understanding the origin of these books and their theme revolves around when they were written. Scholars around the world compare and contrast the books of these authors, studying the wording used to determine a general idea of their relative dates. When a careful study of all four Gospels is conducted, one can recognize the astonishing similarities they share. This raises the question, “In what order were the Gospels written?” The synoptic apocalypse suggests a date before 70 A.D. is likely for all three gospels. However, most scholars believe Matthew and Luke were written after 70 A.D. Keeping this in mind, it becomes evident that at least two of the four Synoptic authors possibly wrote their books within a 40-year period.
The introduction of the “synoptic problem” occurs here. It involves investigating the existence and nature of the literary interrelationship among the synoptic gospels. The synoptic gospels, which are Matthew, Mark, and Luke, can be arranged in a three-column harmony called a “synopsis.” Unlike John, these gospels share many parallel accounts and parables, arranged mostly in the same order and told with similar words. Any proposed solution to the synoptic problem must explain these literary similarities among the authors, especially regarding the selection, arrangement, and wording of the content. This is a key aspect of historical critical scholarship of the gospels. The triple tradition refers to material found in all three synoptic gospels. Matthew contains almost all of Mark’s content, while about two-thirds of Mark can be found in Luke. The triple tradition primarily includes narrative material such as miracles, healings, and the passion, but also includes some sayings material.
Some individuals are skeptical about the existence of a synoptic problem. This doubt has been raised in a thought-provoking and contentious book titled “(1992) by Eta Linnemann. Linnemann criticizes numerous textbooks for assuming that the connection between the synoptic gospels is based on written documents rather than oral tradition without first proving this claim.
These questions may never be fully answered by humans while alive, but they will be answered in Heaven. The words written in the Bible need careful examination to better understand their meaning. Just like the example of the “bank” and its interpretations in class, the Words of God can also have multiple interpretations. However, scholars and literates are not always accurate. This is why God entrusts us with determining the meaning of the Bible. Amen, and may God bless you.
Wenham’s book titled “Redating Matthew, Mark & Luke: A Fresh Assault on the Synoptic Problem” was published in 1992 by Intervarsity in Downers Grove, Ill.
Robertson 1992
A.T. Robertson, M.A., D.D., LL.D., LITT.D, A Harmony of the Gospels for Students of the Life of Christ (Harper & Row, Publishers, Incorporated, 1992)
Stevens and Burton, in their 1932 publication, “A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study” (Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York), provide in-depth research on the topic.
Stonehouse 1963
Ned B. Stonehouse, Origins of the Synoptic Gospels, (William B. Eerdmans
Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1963)
Heim 1947
Ralph D. Heim, A Harmony of the Gospels for Students (Fortress Press, Philadelphia, 1947)
Linnemann 1992, ET 1992
Eta Linnemann, English translation by Robert W. Yarbrough, Is There a Synoptic Problem: Rethinking the Literary Dependence of the First Three Gospels (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books, 1992).
Appleton 1910
Robert Appleton, The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume IX (Robert Appleton
Company, 1910)
Koester 1990
Helmut Koester, Ancient Christian Gospels: Their History and Development (Philadelphia: Trinity Press Int’l, 1990).
Farmer 1994
William R. Farmer, The Gospel of Jesus: The Pastoral Relevance of the Synoptic Problem (Louisville, Ky.: Westminster/John Knox, 1994).
Religions Effect In The Modern World Is Harmful
Uttar Tandon glanced up from his corn field outside Sr nagar to gaze at the midday sun. It was a hot day, and Tandon could hear the sound of gunfire in the hills to the north. For the last week or so the Pakistani geurillas had been harassing Indian positions near the city. Although the media was making the recent conflict out to be of major international importance, Tandon saw the fighting as practically a routine event. The corn farmer had been living outside Sr nagar for all his life, and for the last fifty years he had witnessed various conflicts between India and Pakistan occurring on a fairly regular basis. He had lost friends to these wars and had even just lost his son during the most recent round of fighting. Tandon’s loss was great, but he knew that the sacrifice was necessary for India to reclaim that was rightfully theirs: Kashmir. For all his life Uttar Tandon had disliked the Muslims of Pakistan, and he felt confident that when India had built their first nuclear weapon that Pakistan would give back what they had stolen. He now knew that the religious fanatics of Pakistan would concede nothing and that the only solution would be war. Tandon, however, had learned to accept war as a necessary evil – as had so many people in similar situations. As the farmer continued to gaze at the sky, he thought he saw a bright streak of fire. Unfortunately, Tandon didn’t have much time to think about it. In that instant Uttar Tandon’s retinas were burned to blindness by the unnaturally bright light being emitted by a nuclear explosion. Moments later the fire caught up with the light and all that was left of Uttar Tandon was a shadow burned into the ground behind him.
In the modern world, religion causes many problems. Whether it serves to justify segregation, as an excuse to kill, or as a tool for manipulating the masses, modern religion has far too many adverse effects to make it worth while. Although religion has historically served as a guiding force, its benefits in the modern world are few: religion now serves as an excuse to maim and to kill.
The history of religion is very rich, and for the most part very positive. During the plagues of Europe, religion acted as “A great civilizing force,” helping to give people hope and keep them from rioting. This benefit of religion has existed for as long as religion has existed, and has been absolutely vital to the development of humans. Whether it was war, plague, famine, natural disaster, or political unrest, Religion was always there to give people answers to frightening questions and to give them the ability to go on. Throughout history, Religion has also served as reason to murder, to segregate, to war, to commit injustice, and to commit every other crime against humanity. Whether it be the Crusades, the Inquisition, or the Witch Hunts, religion has also been a poster child for the flaws of a mob mentality. In today’s world, religion maintains its adverse effects. There are several examples of conflict throughout the world which are fueled by religion: East Timor, Israel, India, Pakistan etc. These regions represent a very big problem for the entire world. India, Pakistan, and Israel all have nuclear weapons, which means that if ever these conflicts erupt into full scale war that there could be serious consequences for all humanity. The most famous religious absurdity is far and away the series of Crusades led by the countries of Europe with the goal of recapturing Jerusalem. Never before had Europe united on such a large scale and under such an idiotic banner. Men were mustered from the far corners of the continent to go on a “Holy Crusade” that would take Jerusalem back from the “Infidels” or non-believers, meaning the Muslim Turks who controlled the holy city. The countries of Europe were repeatedly defeated by these Infidels, but the only thing holding them back from this mindless assault seemed to be the number of men they could send to their deaths. When they no longer had enough men, they decided to send children. This was known as the Children’s Crusade. Thousands of innocent boys met their deaths at the blades of scimitars wielded by the armies of these Infidels, and all was for the sake of religion.
The second great folly of Christianity was the Inquisition that swept Spain. Although there is no longer any real threat posed by the Catholic Church, there have always been innocents who are harmed as a result of religion: “Religion gave the [entire] world a time of death and persecution.” The Inquisition didn’t prey on Catholics, but rather being Catholic was the only way to avoid its treachery. The Inquisition was an endeavor by the Catholic Church which sought to “Root out non-believers…[and] purify the people of Spain.” What this really meant was burning and torturing all non-Catholics into converting to Catholicism. The result of the Inquisition was the mass conversion of Jews across Spain. Once this happened, the Catholic Church decided that the result wasn’t good enough. They proceeded to “liquidate Jewish communities . . . also [trying] to suppress freedom of thought.”
Despite all of its gruesome effects, religion has always been worth it. Religion gave people across the world answers to our eternal questions: “What is our purpose? Why are we here? How did it all begin?” But perhaps more importantly, Religion gave people a place to turn when they were facing hard times (like the Crusades? haha). Because nearly all people fear the unknown, religion served an invaluable role in giving them answers. Although no two religions are the same, they all have the same purpose: to guide people through life and to give them hope. These effects of religion were helpful in quelling peoples’ fears of things such as natural disasters, bad harvests, death, afterlife, and monsters in the woods. In modern countries, most people are no longer afraid of such things. Therefore, religion has lost its benefits and we are now only experiencing its drawbacks.
Modern religious conflict has taken its toll on people around the world. During the last few weeks, at least one hundred seventy people died in the fighting taking place in Israel. The fighting taking place, while not directly a fight over religion, would not be taking place were it not for religion. After World War II the Jews who fled Germany had no place to go, which led to the winners of the war deciding to make a country for them in the Middle East. This country became Israel. If the Jews weren’t Jewish, and if the Muslims in the Middle East weren’t Muslim, then there never would have been a problem with one group of people taking another group’s land: they would’ve both been part of the same group. However, due to their religions, the two groups are different, which leads to their dislike for each other and to their current situation which is nearing all-out war. Religion is amazingly successful in creating prejudice between religions. Whether one looks at Catholic vs. Protestant, Judaism vs. Islam, Christianity vs. The World, Muslim vs. Hindu, or at any combination between any religions, they will find tension. This tension frequently results in violence and war. Religion also has adverse effects on global economies. Too many people spend valuable time praying, fasting, traveling on pilgrimages, and celebrating. Were it not for religion, this time could be spent working. Muslims must pray five times a day. This can be very time consuming. Taking Sunday off can hurt the economy of any country. To make an example, take a look at one of the blue laws of the United States: it is illegal to sell cars on Sunday. Imagine if it were illegal to buy anything on Sunday. This would decrease the personal consumption expenditures of the United States drastically. In fiscal year 1999, U.S. citizens spent $75 billion. Take away one seventh of that quantity, and U.S. citizens would only have spent $64 billion. To put that in perspective, that costs about the same as either two aircraft carriers, four stealth bombers, or ninety thousand Porsche 911s. In addition to the increasing problems with the drawbacks of religion, the benefits are becoming fewer. Religion is no longer needed to answer frightening questions: modern science answers most of these questions now, and when it doesn’t it is at least able to prove that there aren’t greater (and more evil) forces at work. When religion was needed in the past to pray for health, in modern times we have, well, um, modern medicine to cure the diseases with or without divine assistance. And where religion was needed in the past to quell fears of disaster, we now know that there is nothing to be done about natural disaster except for taking cover or moving to a safer environment. Although religion has historically had great value as a civilizing force, it has been rendered obsolete by modern science. In the today’s world, religion serves only as a difference between people which many see as an excuse to kill. There are still those who believe that religion is vital in the modern world, however.
The opposition to this argument is fairly weak. To list a few benefits of religion, I will start with the most important. Religion gives people a code by which to live. This code, which is characterized by the ten commandments, was useful in telling people the difference between right and wrong. By studying the Bible, or the Torah, or the Koran, one can derive many guidelines for living. These guidelines are usually acceptable by modern standards, but if taken too literally they can often be harsh on certain groups of people. Women for example. In many Middle Eastern countries, women have drastically fewer rights than men do. There are widely accepted laws in these countries which make it acceptable to treat women as second class citizens. If a woman is raped in Afghanistan, it is acceptable for her husband to blame her and punish her at his own discretion. Of course, there are many who – whether as a result of religion or ignorance it is impossible to tell – believe these laws to be just. The second great value of religion is that it serves as a great charity service. Most world religions make it a point not to leave anybody behind, and therefore they serve as great charity services. In America, the Catholic Church supports many charities and offers education as well. Religion also serves to unite people. It is debatable whether or not this is a good thing, however, because it is all too often the case that members of a religion unite simply to present a more formidable opponent to ‘inferior’ religions. In addition to these practical benefits, there are also some perks. Religion gets you into heaven, it allows Mormons a discount when purchasing tickets to BYU football games, it allows Catholics discounts on cemetery plots at Catholic cemeteries, and various other things. At one point, a man actually sold tickets into heaven so that he could raise money to build a cathedral.
Religion was once invaluable to the advancement of humanity, despite the enormous toll it took on human life. In the modern world, Religion still takes that toll. The difference between modern religion and ancient religion is that ancient religion had a social benefit. The difference is very analagous to the difference between cars and guns. Cars kill people, but they’re useful. Guns kill people but they’re useless. The same is true of religion: why keep it around if all it’s good for is killing people? Yes, those who use it may not mean to hurt people with it, but all the same people die. Religion has been rendered obsolete by modern science and modern society. Religion affects not only human life, but also human prosperity. Religion deprives global economies of valuable workers for a large portion of time every day. For some, this toll is acceptable. However, when the problem is examined using logic as the measure of success, religion simply doesn’t measure up. Simply put, religion helps nobody, and in the best instances its followers will get away from it alive.
As a society, we must examine the true benefits of religion. We must decide whether or not this enormous institution has a place in our modern world. During a time when technology is able to answer more and more questions about our existence we must ask ourselves, “Is religion really helping us achieve happiness?”
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Billings, Malcolm, The Cross and the Crescent. (New York: Sterling Publishing Co. Inc., 1987) 232.
Edwards, John. “‘Black Legend’ of the Spanish Inquisition,” Independent 29 Oct. 1999.
Elizabeth Hallam, Chronicles of The Crusades (New York: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1989)
19-25
Kenneth Neill, Larry S. Krieger and Steven L. Jantzen, World History-Perspectives on The Past.
(Lexington, Massachusetts: D.C. Heath and Company, 1994) 241.
Kreger, Kristen. “The Spanish Inquisition.” (October 21, 2000)
McCabe, Joseph. “The Story of Religious Controversy Chapter XXIII,”
(October 21, 2000)
“Protestant Witch Hunts,”
(October 19, 2000)
Ranjit Perera, “Religion,” (29 Sept. 2000)
Richard Bourdeaux, “Thought Police,” The Toronto Star 21 Apr. 1998.
The Bible
St Catherine Of Sienna
Saint Catherine, originally named Caterina Benincasa, was born in Siena, a city in west-central Italy south of Florence. She was born on March 25, 1347, the feast of the Annunciation. She had a twin sister who did not live long after her birth.
Catherine was the youngest of twenty-five children. Her father, Giacomo Benincasa, was a wealthy dyer. He lived with his wife Lupa, the daughter of a then famous poet, in a spacious house which is still standing today. Catherine is described as having been a happy child.
She learned to read at an early age, although she could not write until she became an adult. Catherine led an extremely pious childhood, devoted to prayer and penance, despite her parents’ strong but intermittent opposition. Sometimes on her way up or down the stairs she would kneel on every step and say a Hail Mary. Catherine was six or seven years old when she had a remarkable experience.
She was returning with her brother Stephen from a visit to the home of her married sister Bonaventura when she came to a stop. She stood spellbound in the middle of the road with her eyes to the sky. When Stephen noticed she was not next to him, he called out to her. Catherine was oblivious to his calls.
Stephen went up to her and seized her by the hand, awakening Catherine as if from a dream. Upset that he had awoken her, she burst into tears and told him she had a vision in which she saw the Lord seated with Saint Peter, Saint Paul, and Saint John. He smiled upon her and extended his hand to bless her. When Catherine reached the age of twelve, her parents urged her to pay more attention to her personal appearance in hope that she would soon consider marriage.
She agreed to dress in the fashion and dress her hair only to please her mother and Bonaventura, however, she firmly refused to marry. When they insisted she marry, she cut off her golden-brown hair, her chief beauty. Her family was then determined to change this resolution. They attempted this by petty persecution.
They obligated her to do all the housework and, knowing she valued privacy, took away her bedroom. Finally her father realized that further opposition was useless and decided to give her back her room and allow her to lead the life to which she felt called. Catherine kept the room shuttered and dimly lit. She dedicated herself to prayer and fasting and slept on boards.
With some difficulty, she obtained permission from her parents to receive the habit of a Dominican tertiary at the age of sixteen and joined the Third Order of Saint Dominic in Siena. Catherine often had visions. At times they were of loathsome figures tempting her. In these instances she felt God had abandoned her.
On Shrove Tuesday in 1366, however, Catherine was in her room praying when God appeared accompanied by the Blessed Virgin Mary. He took Catherine’s hand and placed a ring on her finger. The ring was visible to her, although invisible to others. Shortly after, Catherine began to dedicate her time to helping the less fortunate.
She comforted the diseased and those in prison sentenced to execution. At this time God began to appear to Catherine in public, often when she received Holy Communion at mass. In 1375 she accepted an invitation to visit Pisa. Once there she attended mass at the Church of Saint Christina.
While praying by the crucifix, there suddenly came five rays which pierced her hands, feet, and heart. The wounds remained visible only to her, until her death when they became visible to everyone. Also while in Pisa, she received word that the people of two cities, Florence and Perugia, were revolting against the Papacy. Catherine wrote letters to neighboring cities such as Lucca urging them to remain under the papacy.
Catherine then went to Avignon to have a conference with Pope Gregory XI. She arrived there on June 18, 1376. She strongly urged the Pope to make peace with the people, however, peace was not accomplished. She did not give up.
She urged the Pope to return to Rome in hopes to please the people, thus ending their revolt. The Pope agreed and started for Rome on September 13, 1376. That same day Catherine returned to Siena, which was now plagued with violence. On the way she became ill.
She did not let this stop her. She continued to write to the Pope, in order to encourage him in his attempt to bring peace to Italy. Peace was not established during Pope Gregory’s reign, rather under his successor, Pope Urban VI. Upon her return to Siena, Catherine began to write a book now referred to as the “Dialogue of Saint Catherine,” though not titled this during her lifetime.
At this time she became so ill that she was never free from pain, despite the ever content expression on her face. She knew well her work was not yet completed. In 1378, it was declared that the election which won Urban VI the papacy had been illegal. A rival pope was chosen and set up in Avignon.
This executed the Great Schism. At this time the Church was divided into two parts; the Eastern Church and the Western Church. Catherine strongly campaigned for Urban VI. Urban, inspired by her letters and words, invited Catherine to come to Rome and become his advisor.
She accepted and took up residence there. In early 1380, Catherine experienced a strange seizure. She never really recovered from this. On April 21 she suffered a paralytic stroke which disabled her from the waist down.
Eight days later, on April 29, 1380, Catherine died at the age of thirty-three. She died in the arms of her most beloved follower, Alessia Saracini. Her body is buried in the Church of Saint Maria sopra Minerva in Rome. Catherine was canonized by Pope Pius II in 1461 and made a doctor of the Church in 1970.
Her feast day remained April 30 until 1969 when it was changed to April 29. There are several reasons why Catherine of Siena can be considered an extraordinary saint. She played a significant role in the public affairs of her day. She was greatly involved in the politics associated with the development of the Church in the Middle Ages.
This is especially noted because during her lifetime it was not considered proper for women to involve themselves with political affairs, especially those which affected the Church. However, she persisted in her appeal to unite the Church. She often did this through letters. Even before she learned to write, she dictated letters to popes, princes, and religious men and women.
These letters usually addressed religious and spiritual matters, as well as political and social changes. They were a complete expression of Catherine’s many-sided personality. Many of these letters are still in existence today. Catherine also played a role in the reunification of Italy under the Papacy by advising the Popes themselves.
For example, she urged Pope Gregory to move to Rome in order to lessen the conflict within the Church. Catherine was valued by religious leaders such as Pope Gregory and Pope Urban for her impeccable advice. Throughout her life Catherine showed compassion for others. She spent most of her time visiting the poor, diseased, and condemned.
So loving was Catherine that the Lord blessed her with visions of Himself and His Holy Saints. Catherine went to every extent to keep the Church unified and bring God’s message of peace and unity to them so that they may remember that we are all part of God’s Holy Church. She was known to remark that “God’s mission was her own.” It was written by Father B.
de Gaiffier that “It is Catherine’s devotion to the cause of Christ’s Church that makes her such a noble figure.” In these ways Catherine of Siena acted as a saint in life and for these reasons that she is now recognized as one of “the greatest women in Christendom.” Saint Catherine can serve as a role model for us today. We can follow her example of charity to the less fortunate.
We can do this by visiting the elderly and donating to a food or clothing drive. We can emulate Catherine’s devotion to the Church by giving advice to others and educating them about Jesus and the role the Church should play in our lives. One way to do this is by volunteering to teach religious instruction classes. Another way is to simply talk or listen to someone you know is having problems.
In many ways Catherine is an inspiration to many people, primarily young women, today. We can use her spirit of determination in the face of adversity to achieve our goals. We must remember that during her lifetime there were little or no opportunities for women to express their thoughts. She did not let this stop her.
Catherine fought to be able to live the lifestyle she felt God had called her to live. We can use her devotion to the Church to grow in our own spiritual awareness. Catherine is a truly divine example of perseverance. She did not let obstacles stand in her way.
I feel the greatest lesson we can learn from the life of Saint Catherine of Siena is that we are all part of God’s Church and we are all one family under God. We should not let our differences separate us, rather unite us within one Church and one God. Catherine strived to teach the world this lesson. In these ways Saint Catherine can be a role model for us today.