In the book of Matthew,[1] Jesus responds to a Pharisee who asks what the most important Commandment is in the Mosaic Law. Jesus reveals that we are to love God with our heart, soul and mind; and that right there is the most important commandment. However, He sees the importance in outlining this moral command that is at the heart of Christian love: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself”.[2] The truth is, the Pharisees and the Sadducees in this Gospel scene are not attempting to be kind towards Jesus here, and they’re certainly not loving Him. This is one of many episodes where there is a direct attempt to make Jesus ‘trip up’ on the Covenantal Law established in the Old Testament. Jesus carries Himself well here, and He does not reproach them or angrily rebuke those who target Him. Instead, He reminds them of this great commandment, and it holds a mirror up to their faces. Many Christians throughout history have followed in His footsteps, and loved thy neighbour. Some of them have become deeply rooted, established names in the global Church body, and have left for themselves a great legacy, and left for us, blueprints to follow to make the world around us a nicer place. Compiled is a brief overview of three Saints who lived up to these words, and who led lives that don’t even need magnified to see the fruits of their faiths.
St. Catherine of Siena
The bubonic plague, colloquially known as the “Black Death”, was a disease that spanned from 1346 to 1353. What is now acknowledged as one of the deadliest pandemics that the world has seen, St. Catherine’s hometown of Siena, Italy, faced an awful period of outbreak. A document from this time contains a story that explores how Catherine healed her friend through prayer. Matteo, who was afflicted by the plague, was quickly healed after the mystic prayed over him, asking for heavenly intercession. The writer states that the young Catherine “answered most humbly”, when enquired by another about whether she would leave the man to die. In a whimsical way, she replied by questioning if the person wrongly assumed her to be God, Himself, who through His own hands, can bring people back from the dead. The individual was shocked shortly after, upon finding that Catherine had already intervened, and interceded on behalf of the family through spoken prayer. However, it was still known to them before that Catherine had gifts. Still, Catherine decided to ignore praise, and went on her way.[3] What is most incredible here is that Catherine would have been a child, and this is when people started to notice that there was something different about her.
As St. Catherine grew in her faith contemplatively, she revealed that Christ came to her in a vision. He is recorded as saying to her, “Love of me and of neighbour is one and the same thing”. Catherine used this adage throughout all her life, and she lived up to the command.[4] When she matured in her youth and into adulthood, she became known for her extraordinary understanding of theology and spiritual writings – she would posthumously receive the title, “Doctor of the Church”, as a result. Catherine made it her mission to support the sick of Siena, and shone a light from above in every situation where she responded with providing heartfelt love and provision.[5]
Catherine died at thirty-three years old, but her memory has left behind a fantastic legacy. From her upbringing, to adopting a monastic lifestyle, and being a mystic; she was also a political diplomat. During her life, she was closely linked to upper-class families who held political power in Siena, and she used these links to bring peace and combat disunity in the region.[6]
St. Catherine of Siena is a great ambassador for the faith, and one who lived up to loving thy neighbour. These words were echoed throughout her life, and they took on a practical form, enabling her to harness wonderful and spiritual connections with the sick and the poor.
St. Francis of Assisi
The founder of the Franciscan Order, St. Francis of Assisi is known for his love of animals and for serving those who were less fortunate. One of the earliest stories surrounding him responding to the call of loving thy neighbour is a very heartfelt one. It sees him meeting a man who was at a very low ebb, suffering from leprosy. Francis is said to have wrapped the man in his cloak accompanied by a friendly kiss. After this encounter with the poorly man, Francis was inspired to follow God.[7] This scene is very similar to Jesus’ encounter with the leper in the Gospel of Mark, where He showed grace to him and healed him.[8] The young Francis’s spirituality would bloom over time, and it eventually led to him becoming a Deacon. This was a title that allowed him to reach people more spiritually, grow in discipleship, and have him embrace the Eucharist with the reverence that it deserves.[9]
St. Francis is also known for showing incredible devotion and love to animals during his time on earth. He would tenderly call them “brothers and sisters” and saw the value that they had having been created by God.[10] One story places Francis on a walk with friends through the Spoleto Valley, Italy, where he saw a flock of different bird types sitting on the road. He then preached to them as he would to a human, and encouraged them to give the Lord thanks for their existence and heavenly provision. To top it off, the men with him were greatly surprised when Francis blessed the birds.[11] This introduced a new kind of grace: one that looked to include God’s voiceless creations in the love that men are called to give each-other.
The young Francis was an evangelist at heart, and anytime he brought someone to Christ, it was through the gifts that God granted him. Francis was known for attracting people and pointing them to God – something that became apparent during diaconate ministry. He had a warmth of heart that allowed people to see God through him, and this warmth was expressed through his words and actions, that allowed people to feel God’s presence in his life. Francis’s apostolate was to save many through the preaching of Calvary.[12]
From a wealthy background, St. Francis of Assisi has become associated with humility. His selling of all possessions to embrace poverty is telling of that. That humility was displayed in every encounter he had with his non-human and human brothers and sisters alike. We can learn a lot about including animals in this loving thy neighbour approach, too!
St. John Bosco
St. John Bosco, also known as ‘Don Bosco’, was born in Italy in 1815.[13] He was the founder of the Salesians of Don Bosco, a religious order built up of men and women who dedicated their lives to an apostolate that looked to educate and care for young homeless men and boys in the 1800s. Don Bosco was at the forefront of creating a “home” for them, and one of the core themes found in the education there was love over reproach.[14] As a priest, Fr. John Bosco didn’t want socioeconomics to put someone at a disadvantage when it came to learning a craft or life skills that were essential. This was proven by his desire for the young boys and men to learn trades, like tailoring.[15]
St. John Bosco is known for being raised in a humble family, and these roots are important in the story of his life. When he was a young child, John had a dream that, retroactively, is more likely a revelation. In it, he saw very poor children who were misbehaving. John recalled a voice saying to him, “Not with punches will you help these boys, but with goodness and kindness”.[16] This couldn’t have been more apt, as John would grow in faith, become an ordained priest and live to extend a hand to the poor and give them hope.
The life of St. John Bosco invites us to see why it is so important to embrace people regardless of who they are, what their background is, or what their circumstances are. Sometimes, it is just by recognising someone’s misfortune, but also seeing their worth for what it is - a soul made conscious in the image of God – that can point someone towards faith. Loving thy neighbour was not a hard task for St. John Bosco, and that love took on a practical form that will have changed the trajectory of so many lives.
When you reflect on these Saints, it’s hard to avoid some introspection. The impact that they had on those near to them has stretched far and wide across not only the planet, but history and time. Their words, their principles, and their values were all found first in the Scriptures, but living them out became their natural vocation. We can learn a lot from loving our neighbour and the impacts of that by looking to the Saints, who are also our intercessors. These inspired words found in the Book of James also help to encourage us:
“But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.”[17]
It is so important to remember them.
[1] Matthew 22:39.
[2] Jesus was repeating Leviticus 19:18.
[3] St. Catherine of Siena and the plague | Salt + Light Media
[4] Learning from St. Catherine of Siena | Franciscan Magazine
[5] How St. Catherine of Siena Healed the World - Dominican Sisters of Springfield Illinois
[6] A Prayer to and History of Saint Catherine of Siena - Dominican Sisters of Hope
[7] What We Know about the Life of St. Francis of Assisi - National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
[8] Mark 1:40-45
[9] Why St. Francis of Assisi never became a priest
[10] St Francis and the Animals - [Consumer] Monastery Icons
[11] St. Francis and the Animals | Franciscan Media
[12] Saint Francis of Assisi | JSTOR
[13] CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. John Bosco (Don Bosco)
[14] Who We Are | Salesians of Don Bosco
[15] Saint John Bosco, often known as Don Bosco, devoted his life to the care and education of young people, especially those who wer... - Bishops Conference of Scotland > Home > Article Details
[16] 31 January: Saint John Bosco
[17] James 2:18.
Image: Christ healing the paralytic by Anthony Van Dyck
What I love about the stories of the saints is that there are so many extraordinary acts of love and service, yet often in their lifetime they were persecuted and criticised and sometimes not well known. In our strange times, reading their testimonies encourages us to keep our eyes on Christ and seek His love in all things.