Auspice Maria: Becoming Who You Are — A Catholic Plan of Life in Light of St. Catherine of Siena

“If you are what you ought to be, you will set fire to the world.” – St. Catherine of Siena

The saints are extraordinary because the very grace of God at work in their lives helped them to grow in virtue. The grace of God, cooperating with their own will, helped them grow more in Christ's image and likeness. Over the centuries, saints’ writings are powerful testimonies of this reality and of the power of their personal relationship with Jesus and the Church. Spiritual testimonies, diaries, sermons, letters, catechetical works, autobiographies, and poetry are found amidst the extensive collection of saints’ writings. A short phrase written in a letter by St. Catherine of Siena, a young Dominican tertiary of the 14th century, still inspires hearts and minds today. In a letter to a young man named Stefano Maconi, who was discerning his vocation, she wrote: “If you are what you ought to be, you will set fire to all of Italy.” This advice has been handed down over the centuries in a paraphrased form that perhaps we have heard: “If you are what you should be, you will set the world on fire.”

She meant it literally. If we live as God created us to live—fully, freely, courageously, in union with Christ—then our lives can ignite renewal in the Church, healing in our families, and conversion in the world. That’s what saints do. They burn with the love of God, and everything around them catches fire. So, I would like to ask: What does it mean to become who you are? And how do we do that—concretely, faithfully—in our daily lives?

We need more than just good intentions to become who we are in Christ. We need a structure—a plan. People who have attained success and happiness in their personal, spiritual, professional, and family life have a plan and follow it with resilience and fidelity. Another contributing factor to success in following a strategy of life is flexibility, the ability to make adjustments. A “plan of life” is not a legalistic checklist but a rhythm of prayer, sacraments, formation, and service that keeps us rooted in Christ. A “plan of life” is not about doing more. It’s about living with intention and purpose. It’s knowing our purpose is to become saints and pursuing holiness in our everyday lives. St. Catherine did not drift into holiness. She anchored her days in Christ. We’re invited to do the same.

1. Daily Prayer
Begin the day by offering it to God. Spend ten, fifteen, maybe twenty minutes in silence—no distractions—just listening to the Lord. Maybe toward the end of the silence, pray a decade of the Rosary and open the Scriptures. The content of your prayer may consist of various practices. Whatever they may be, it is essential to prioritize time with the Lord every day. If not, the day will pass us by, and we will not create moments of connection with God. At the end of the day, we may conclude with an examination of conscience or the examen prayer. Both provide an opportunity to reflect on the day, recognize the blessings, acknowledge shortcomings, offer thanks, and ask for mercy. The saints didn’t "squeeze" prayer into their day. Prayer was the foundation of their day.

2. Sacramental Life
Sunday Mass is the week's anchor for those aspiring to excellence spiritually and personally. If we are serious about growing our relationship with God, everything else flows from that encounter with Christ. At Mass, we encounter Jesus through word and sacrament. Another dimension of the sacramental life is the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession. Regularly seeking the Sacrament of Reconciliation can help us maintain a “focus” on our mission to grow. A valid Confession requires sincere repentance. Confessing sins and taking no action to remediate the sinful action does not seem to suggest seriousness in one’s intent to change. In addition to receiving sacramental grace, visiting the Blessed Sacrament in Adoration can provide quiet moments with the Lord. The Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation provide opportunities for encounters with the Risen Lord, strengthening our resilience. We need that strength and resilience to become who we are made to be in God’s image and likeness.

3. Ongoing Formation
We cannot love what we do not know. This is so true. Think for a moment about the people we love. I mean people with whom we share a close, personal relationship. We love them because we know them. The more we know them, the more we love them. It’s a natural consequence. Our “plan” ought to include a way to know Jesus more. One way that this is possible is familiarity with the Scriptures. Read the Gospels. Learn the Catechism slowly and prayerfully. Read the lives of the saints. Join a Bible study. Word on Fire and the Augustine Institute, for example, offer many online opportunities for a seeking Catholic to grow in her/his knowledge of the Faith.  

4. Fidelity to Your Vocation
A fourth dimension of a “plan of life” for a Catholic interested in deepening one’s experience of being human and growing in holiness is considering her/his vocational state. Whether married, single, a priest, or consecrated, a person’s vocation is the path to sanctification. This means that God will provide many opportunities for a person to grow in virtue in her/his state of life. Also, in our states of life, God will provide people to help us to grow.  

For the serious-minded Catholic, serving one’s family, fidelity to one’s daily responsibilities, and resilience in the face of sufferings and trials that result from our vocational states all help us to become more who we are made to be. We are invited to embrace our vocation more as our mission. As we live more conscientiously, our mission gives more purpose and meaning to the ‘ordinary’ things of our daily lives.  

5. Friendship in Christ
It is essential to acknowledge that we need others to grow in holiness. It is vital to recognize that many people seek others to help them in various ways. Fitness coaches help us by providing guidance and direction to become more physically fit. Some of us opt to continue our education by formally taking courses in colleges or institutes. Here, we turn to teachers from whom we seek knowledge and wisdom. But to whom do we turn to for help with our souls? Who do we talk to about our soul? Do we have spiritual companions, people who challenge and support us in the ways of the spiritual life? I am not necessarily referring to a formal spiritual director, but that trusted friend with whom we can talk about the things of God. Such a person is important to our “plan of life.” A word of caution here is needed. I suggest we be very selective with whom we share our souls on our life's journey. Just because a person is a priest or religious is not reason enough for us to bear our souls to this person in holy conversation. I would suggest discussing spiritual things be part of our significant friendships. A trusted friend is a true “treasure” in many ways (Sirach 6:14), especially in the spiritual life. Having such a friend who shares the same hunger for holiness is good. 
 
6. Human and Emotional Health
Remembering that God made us body, mind, and soul is necessary. Our “plan of life” needs to be integrated, employing ways for us to holistically take care of ourselves. As humans, we need rest. We also should be encouraged to recognize the beautiful. It is important to acknowledge the beauty in God’s creation, as found in areas such as nature, art, and music. Spending quality time with family and friends is necessary for our “plan of life.”

One area that we may be tempted to neglect until we have a crisis is our emotional and psychological health. It’s imperative not to repress feelings or past wounds. Healthy relationships and wounds are so crucial for living a whole and well-integrated life. Recently, I heard Dr. Greg Bottaro, founder of the Catholic Psych Institute, say that we are wounded and healed in relationships. He’s saying that isolationism is unhealthy, even though our wounds result from our relationships. We need others. Grace builds on nature. By nature, we are social beings. Many saints lived ordered integrated lives. We’re called to do the same.

Conclusion: Set the World on Fire
In conclusion, if we want to take seriously St. Catherine of Siena’s advice to Stefano to become who we are, a “plan of life” is needed. Her advice to Stefano is not just poetic. It’s a call to action: "If you are what you ought to be, you will set fire to the world." St. Catherine does not say we should be what others want us to be. Nor is she suggesting that we should become who the world or social media expects us to be. Instead, our “plan of life" ought to facilitate that we become, who God created us to be.  

We know that by Baptism, we are adopted as our Heavenly Father’s sons and daughters. Thus, the challenge is to live as a son or daughter of a loving and merciful Father. This may seem daunting and impossible; however, let’s begin today with one thing. Perhaps it’s adding five minutes of prayer to our already busy day. Maybe it’s preparing for and going to the Sacrament of Confession this week. Or perhaps it’s finally calling that person we have had on our mind and intend to call. The weather is getting warmer, so maybe it’s finally getting the walking sneakers on and going for a walk. Let’s do something to begin or more seriously continue our “plan of life.” Whatever we do, let’s do it with love. Let’s do it out of love for God, love for our neighbor/friend, and love for ourselves.  

Holiness is not for the few. It’s the Christian vocation. If we become what we ought to be, the fire will spread.

-Bishop James T. Ruggieri