The Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena
But the word of God grew and multiplied. Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their service, also taking with them John who was called Mark.
Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them."
Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus. When they were at Salamis, they proclaimed God's word in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their attendant.
That your way may be known on earth, And your salvation among all nations, Let the peoples praise you, God. Let all the peoples praise you.
Let the peoples praise you, God. Let all the peoples praise you.
Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me. He who sees me sees him who sent me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness. If anyone listens to my sayings and doesn't believe, I don't judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects me, and doesn't receive my sayings, has one who judges him. The word that I spoke will judge him in the last day. For I spoke not from myself, but the Father who sent me gave me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak. I know that his commandment is eternal life. The things therefore which I speak, even as the Father has said to me, so I speak."
Saint Catherine of Siena was a fourteenth-century mystic and Doctor of the Church who fearlessly spoke truth to power, even confronting popes and kings with God's call to justice and reform. Her passionate love for Christ drove her to become one of the most influential voices of her time.
Notice how the early church in Acts moves from prayer and fasting directly into mission. The Holy Spirit doesn't call Barnabas and Saul during a planning meeting or strategic retreat, but while the community is worshiping together. There's something profound here about how God's voice becomes clear when we're already listening, already present to the sacred rhythms of prayer and service.
Jesus declares himself light for the world, but not in some distant, ethereal way. His light illuminates the darkness we actually live in—the confusion of difficult decisions, the shadows of doubt that creep in during sleepless nights, the murky territory of relationships that need healing. When he says "whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness," he's offering something immediate and practical.
The connection between Catherine's boldness and today's readings runs deep. Like the early missionaries, she understood that carrying God's word into the world requires both contemplation and courage. Her mystical experiences weren't escapes from reality but preparation for engaging the messiness of her time with divine clarity.
Consider how fasting and prayer in our own lives might create space for hearing what God is asking of us. Perhaps it's not a dramatic call to Cyprus like Paul and Barnabas, but something quieter—a conversation we've been avoiding, a pattern that needs changing, a small act of justice in our neighborhood.
What darkness in your own life might Christ's light be trying to illuminate today? How might prayer and fasting help you hear the Holy Spirit's voice more clearly in the ordinary decisions you face?