Before the beginning of time, when you were just a dream, your purpose had already been assigned by our loving God.

Purposefully created, and created for a purpose, you are here at this very moment to become the-best-version-of-yourself—not to become some poor imitation of your parents, your friends, your siblings, or your colleagues—but to become perfectly yourself (cf. Psalm 139:13-18).

Life is not about doing and having; it is about becoming.

And what will happen when you do become the-best-version-of-yourself, even if for a moment?

Saint Catherine gives us the answer: “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.”

From a young age, Catherine strived with all her being to live God’s dream for her life. As a result, she became not only one of the most revered saints in the Catholic Church, but also a major player in European history.

The youngest of twenty-five children, Catherine dedicated her life to God from an early age and devoted herself to Jesus as his bride. Catherine wanted to enter a convent, but her family wanted to marry her off to a rich nobleman. In response, Catherine cut off all her hair to ward off any possible suitors.

At the age of 16, she became a lay sister of the Third Order Dominicans. From there, she set the world on fire.

At the time Catherine lived, popes had lived in France for the past 67 years, in the city of Avignon. Catherine spent three months there, and successfully convinced Pope Gregory XI to return the papacy to Rome in 1377. She thus ended what was called the "Babylonian Captivity of the Church."

Back in Italy, Catherine traveled from city to city healing the sick and restoring peace between warring factions. She prompted the Pope to make strict reforms to the Church after she said, in all seriousness, that she could smell the cardinals’ sin all over Italy. Catherine also wrote one of the greatest works of mystical literature, simply called The Dialogue, which is a written testimony of her conversation with God.

Many centuries later, in 1970, Saint Catherine of Siena was made one of the first female Doctors of the Church.

Catherine truly lived out God’s dream for her. And God has the same dream for you.

To become the-best-version-of-yourself is God’s dream for your life—and when we turn our attention to living this dream, our lives are flooded with energy, enthusiasm, passion, purpose, and a real and sustainable joy.

The dream is God-given. It is his dream for you. It is time to start living the dream.

Patron Saint of: Italy, Miscarriages, Nurses, Sick People, and Against Fire

Symbols: White Lily

Feast Day: April 29

Canonized: June 29, 1461

Canonized By: Pope Pius II