29 Apr – Memorial for St. Catherine of Siena, virgin & doctor
St. Catherine (1347-1380) was the youngest child in a large family. At the age of six, she had a vision in which Jesus appeared and blessed her. Her parents wanted her to marry, but she became a Dominican tertiary. She was a mystic and stigmatist. She received a vision in which she was in mystical marriage with Christ, and the Infant Christ presented her with a wedding ring. She was counsellor to Pope Gregory XI and Pope Urban VI. She was proclaimed Doctor of the Church on 4 October 1970.
- Patron Saint Index
Acts 12:24-13:5
Jn 12:44-50
…the Holy Spirit said, ‘I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them.’
When I first read this passage, I found myself envious of Barnabas and Saul (later known as Paul). Wouldn’t it be nice to be called and set apart so clearly — to know without doubt that this is what God is asking of you? There would be no need for long periods of discernment or second-guessing. And in case there was any doubt, their mission was given in front of witnesses, who then blessed them and sent them off.
Throughout Scripture, there are countless accounts of people who were chosen and called by God. We are told that the Lord knew them even before they were formed, and that He already had a mission for them. In his letter to the Galatians, St. Paul acknowledged that God had “set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace… to proclaim him among the Gentiles” (Galatians 1:15–16).
Even saints like Catherine of Siena, whose feast day we celebrate today, experienced this call early in life, with a deep sense of belonging to God from a young age.
But what does it actually mean to be called and set apart by the Holy Spirit?
In today’s Scripture, Barnabas’ and Paul’s mission was to proclaim the Gospel and build up the Church in new places. Through their work, many came to believe. In fact, if not for Paul’s mission to the Gentiles, many of us may never have come to know the faith.
Yet, being called does not mean the path will be smooth, or even visibly fruitful.
Take the prophet Jeremiah. God told him that even before he was born, he was already consecrated for mission (Jeremiah 1:5). Yet, Jeremiah is often considered the most unsuccessful prophet in terms of visible results. For over 40 years, he faithfully delivered God’s message — but no one listened. Instead, he was ignored, mocked, persecuted, and even imprisoned.
Jeremiah suffered so much for so long that he even questioned his calling and wanted to give up (Jeremiah 20). But he didn’t. And in God’s eyes, it was not the visible results that mattered, but his faithfulness.
I find this consoling, because there have been times in my life when I wondered if I had misunderstood God’s call — especially when things did not turn out the way I expected. But perhaps it was not His call that was unclear, but my expectations that were misplaced.
In today’s passage, Barnabas and Paul had already been serving together before this new mission. They had worked side by side in Antioch, building up the Church. Yet even in their ministry, things were not always smooth. Later on, they had a disagreement and went their separate ways. This reminds me that being called does not guarantee ease, unity, or success by human standards.
Brothers and sisters, we too are chosen and called. From the moment we are baptised, we are set apart for God. At Confirmation, we are strengthened by the Holy Spirit. And at every Mass, we are sent forth on mission — just as Barnabas and Paul were, with the community as our witness.
Doing God’s work is not easy — especially when we serve in ministry. Even when we share the same desire to serve Him, misunderstandings and conflicts can arise. At times, we may question whether we are truly meant to be there.
Scripture reminds us that being called does not mean the path will be smooth or successful by our standards. What matters is that we remain faithful. God knows us fully — and still chooses us for His work.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Esther Leet)
Prayer: Lord Jesus, here I am. I have come to do Your will. Use me as You will. Help me to remain steadfast in faith, especially when I feel discouraged or uncertain. Amen.
Thanksgiving: Thank You, Lord, for knowing me fully and still choosing me for Your work. Amen.
OXYGEN 
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