Fontebranda: Getting water in Siena

Reminders that St. Catherine once lived in Siena are everywhere.  It is tempting to see only the places where exceptional signs of holiness occurred, or where her relics are now glorified.  However, to do so is to miss something important.  When you  see only those places, you risk building a wall of separation between yourself and the holy.  The thought “She was a saint,” may be quickly followed by, “and I’m not.”  In so doing, you might forget that you too are a child of God, called by him to grace and holiness.

Sometimes it is easier to remember that in humbler places, like the Fontebranda fountain, where Catherine went to draw water for her family.  (Side note: It also has some literary significance, being cited by Dante in the Inferno.)  You might not be able to imagine yourself caught up in a heavenly vision, but I suspect that you can imagine going down a steep hill each day to get water, and then trudging back up the steps.

God is present in the miraculous, in the visions, and in visible ministry; but God is also present in the daily necessities and faithfulness.