CHRISTINA THE ASTONISHING'S AGONIES FOR THE HOLY SOULS
For 7 years I've avoided - like I dodge freezing showers - writing about Saint Christina the astonishing. Thus, for this month of the holy souls, and for personal penance I'm meditating on her life, and embracing Saint Christina as one of my best friends in Heaven. She enjoys the bliss of paradise and can't feel slighted by my failure all these years to draw closer. After an epileptic fit, Christina died at 32 and went before the Lord Who gave her the choice of staying dead, or returning to earth and doing a "mission of charity" where she'd undergo torments voluntarily for the souls in Purgatory. The young virgin elected to come back to this life. She was resurrected, and those who had been mourning her, saw her fly like a bird. Then she wastes no time in engaging in pains which make me wince just to consider. Well, "pains" falls exceedingly far short of describing Christina's penances. She became homeless by choice, slept rough, and led...
