Lord, I Make You a Present of Myself

Lord, I make you a present of myself. I do not know what to do with myself. So let me make this exchange: I will place myself entirely in your hands, if you will cover my ugliness with your beauty, and tame my unruliness with your love. Put out the flames of false passion in my heart, since these flames destroy all that is true within me. Make me always busy in your service. Lord, I want no special signs from you, nor am I looking for intense emotions in response to your love. I would rather be free of all emotion, than to run the danger of falling victim once again to false passion. Let my love for you be naked, without any emotional clothing.



Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510)

After ten years of unhappy marriage, Catherine, who came from a noble family of Genoa, had a religious conversion and began two practices which she continued for the rest of her life: daily communion, and nursing the sick in the city’s hospital. Her husband was then converted and worked with her until he died.