The Spiritual Journey Is Best Walked One Step At A Time

Catherine of Genoa reminds us why it is good that we are taught by God "little by little."

"But the creature can know nothing but what God gives him to know from day to day, nor can he comprehend beyond this, and at each instant remains satisfied with what he receives. If the creature knew the height to which God is prepared to raise him in this life, he would never rest."


"At times I thought my love [of God] was complete. But as my vision grew clearer, I beheld in myself many imperfections. In the beginning they were hidden from me, for it was the purpose of God to accomplish his work by little and little, in order to keep me humble, and enable me to remain among my fellow creatures."

As Catherine so ably points out to us, although we may desire to know God deeply, this is a journey that is taken one step at a time. She reminds us that if we suddenly knew everything we wished to know of God and knew clearly what God desired for us, we would either be so full of ourselves that noone could stand us (so heavenly-minded that we're no earthly good) or we would be so saddened by knowing God's expectations for our lives and seeing how far short of those expectations we fall that we would be paralyzed, unable to accomplish anything. So it is good that we ask each day for the one grace, the one bit of knowledge that God wills to impart to us in order that we may move closer in relationship with the Divine.

The complete text to Catherine's Dialogues, from which the quotes are drawn, can be found at www.ccel.org/ccel/catherine/dialog.html