Questions over Article:

Catherine of Siena’s Teaching on Self-Knowledge

YOUR NAME: ______

  1. Self-Knowledge according to Catherine actually involves the knowledge of two persons. Who are they?
  1. What is the “intellect” for Catherine?
  1. What is the “will” for Catherine?
  1. Catherine believed that self-knowledge is actually ______in itself!
  1. What was the phrase at the basis of Augustine’s spirituality?
  1. According to Augustine, what is the antidote to the wrong kind of love?
  1. What inscription was placed upon the shrine of Delphi by the ancient Greeks?
  1. Catherin’s understanding of herself and God grew throughout her lifetime. However, in her early years of solitude this teaching was given to her how?
  1. God told her, “I AM HE WHO IS and you are…”
  1. What was the name God gave Himself to Moses?
  1. God tells Catherine that He is the Creator and everything shares in his ______- especially us!
  1. Catherine says, “IF I should claim to be anything of myself, I should be…”
  1. Later in life God tells Catherine that self-knowledge is not enough. She needs a second and deeper dimension of knowledge. What is that?
  1. Catherine said that self-knowledge is compared to a well. Explain.
  1. Catherine said that self-knowledge is compared to a cell in a cell. Explain.
  1. Catherine explains that we are in God just as the fish is…(finish the quote.)
  1. Why is it necessary to keep both kinds of knowledge together?
  1. Catherine’s most mature image of self-knowledge is that of the peaceful sea. Explain this analogy.
  1. Where did Catherine first see the sea?
  1. #1. When we gaze into this peaceful sea, we first see that we are ______.
  1. #2. We also realize that because we are created in God’s image and likeness and theus reflect his ______and ______.
  1. She also uses the image of a gentle mirror of God. Explain.
  1. #3. As we gaze into the sea (or the well) we moved to love what?
  1. What does the water symbolize?
  1. If we love the water, we gradually become ______to it.
  1. If we live in self-knowledge, continued humble prayer our souls become ______with God.
  1. As the soul progresses towards union with God, it realizes another truth. What is that?
  2. #4. What does the “smudge on the face” symbolize?
  1. If we see our defection, what do we wish to have done with it?
  1. Sin prevents the fulfillment of ______.
  1. Sin is literally “______” and to love it is to be transformed into “______.”
  1. Catherine always looks THROUGH sin to find out what?
  1. What is holy hatred?
  1. How can we avoid despair as we witness our own spiritual poverty?
  1. God shares his being and his ______with us!
  1. Does the exercise of self-knowledge end at a certain time in our lives? Explain.
  1. Self-knowledge is a “holy abyss” because God is ______.
  1. What does Catherine mean by the “interior cell?”

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