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Post by Hildegard on Jun 1, 2019 1:19:02 GMT
Teachings and Examples from the Life of the Saintby Salesiana Publishers
Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales
THE TITLE: Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales (changed from the Italian Buon Giorno . . . Teachings and Examples from the Life of Saint Francis de Sales). This replaced the previous title and subtitle: Saint Francis de Sales in Teachings and Example . . . A sacred Diary Extracted from His Life and Works by the Vistandines of Rome. This title was taken from the first edition (Ferrari, Rome, 1953).
CONTENT AND STRUCTURE: Every page contains a thought from the works of Saint Francis de Sales and a brief account of some event of his life which took place on that date.The first taken from the Oeuvres d'Annecy with an indication of volume and page and then the work form which the passage has been taken (e.g. Sermons, Treatises, Letters). As far as the two major woks are concerned, the book or part and chapter have been added, for further clarification. This will allow the reader to refer to the passages for personal consultation or greater understanding. The anecdotes have been taken from the work Anne Sainte, with an indication of both volume and page. Because of the brevity of the selections chosen, we have added a maxim taken froma book by an anonymous author, Massime di S. Francesco di Sales (Salesian Press, Milan, 1929).
TEXT AND FORMAT: The Italian revision of the book made necessary the rereading of the selections chosen and a comparison with the original French. Every effort has been made to keep the gentle tone of Saint Francis de Sales.
ABBREVIATIONS AND REFERENCES:
A.S. Annee Sainte des Religieuse de la Visitation Sainte Marie, (12 vol. ed.)
D.S. Diario Sacre extracted from his life and works, compiled by the Visitandines of Rome. (Ed. Ferrari, Rome 1953)
INT. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life
Hamon P. Hamon, Vie de St. Francois de Sales, (2 vol., Paris 1854)
O. Oeuvres de St. Francois de Sales, publiees par lessouis des Religieuses de la Visitation du Premier Monastere d'Annecy (26 vol. , Annecy 1892-1932)
SOL. Francis de Sales, Meditazioni per la Solitudine
T.L.G. Francis de Sales, Treatise on the Love of God
Please note: If you buy the book, the bible quotes are not from the Douay Reims, in putting these meditations online for The Catacombs,
I have changed the Bible Quotes to reflectthe Douay Reims Bible.
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JUNE 1st (page 154)
When you hear anyone spoken ill of, consider the accusation doubtfull if you can do justly. If you cannot, excuse the intention of the accused party. If that cannot be done, express sympathy for him or her. Or change the subject of conversation, recalling that those who do not fall into sin owe it all to God’s grace. Correct the slanderer in a mild way by telling of some good deed of the offended party, if you know of any. (INT. Part III, Ch. 29; O. III, p. 243)
At the end of May, 1599, Francis de Sales returned from Rome and on his way stopped off at Turin to obtain from the king of Savoy his approbation and support for all the apostolic briefs he had received for the new Church of the Chablais. On the first of June he arrived safely in Annecy, and everything was in order. The good Bishop De Granier was exceedingly happy and was not able to expense sufficiently his tender love for his coadjutor. With admirable modesty, Francis did not want to accept any other garb, any other title, than that of provost of the cathedral. The good bishop took great pleasure in making known to everyone the letters that His Holiness and several cardinals had written to him, congratulating him on such a worthy successor. For this reason, he had his chaplain, Canon Hilary Favier, distribute several copies of these letters, telling him in a prophetic vein, “Take care to remember all that concerns my son and coadjutor, Francis de Sales, seeing that one day you will have to make a report about him.” This was to come true. That chaplain was the first of the witnesses in the process for beatification of our saint. (A.S. VI, p. 2)
How foolish are those who waste time and thought in desiring to be
martyred in far countries, but do not apply themselves to the duties of their state in life.
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Post by Hildegard on Jun 2, 2019 19:26:12 GMT
Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales Teachings and Examples from the Life of the Saint by Salesiana Publishers
JUNE 2nd (page 155)
The process of the purification of our souls is never finished, and will end only with our death. We must not be upset by our imperfections; instead, we must recognize them and learn to combat them. And it is in fighting against our imperfections without being discouraged by them that our very perfection consists. (INT. Part I, Ch. 5; O. III, p. 27)
The second of June was a day of particular importance in the life of Francis de Sales, because of the great devotion he had for the virgin of Lyons, Saint Blandina. He never passed through Lyons without going to venerate her remains. He widely propagated devotion to this saint, who had been, according to him, one of the great protectors of
his mission in the Chablais. He was greatly moved by the saintly and generous courage with which this poor servant ofGod declared herself before tyrants to be a Christian. The precious title of Christian had been for her a shield, a source of strength and a defense in the public confession of her faith. (A.S. VI, p. 32)
Do not become upset because you are tempted. The fact that the enemy puts up
a fight against a soul is a sign that he does not possess it.
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Post by Hildegard on Jun 3, 2019 21:42:08 GMT
Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales
Teachings and Examples from the Life of the Saint by Salesiana Publishers
JUNE 3rd (page 156)
The glorious and seraphic lover, Saint Francis of Assisi, was for a long time moved by ardent desire to praise God. In the last years of his life, having been assured of his eternal salvation by a special revelation, he could not contain his joy. He wasted away from day to day as if his life and his soul were on fire. Like incense, he burned with such an ardent desire to see his Master that he praised Him unceasingly. This desire increased each day until his soul left his body to fly to Heaven. Divine Providence willed that he should die while saying the words, “Lead me forth from prison, that I may give thanks to your name.” [Ps 142:8] Oh my God, Theotimus, how sweet and lovely was that death! A death that was a holy end; a death that was happy and loving. (T.L.G. Book 5, Ch. 10; O. IV, pp. 290-291)
On June 3rd, 1602, Francis de Sales entered into a lasting friendship with Bishop de Berulle, later a cardinal of holy Church. The saint wrote to him about his idea of founding a congregation of priests, similar to one founded by Saint Philip Neri, which he had seen in Rome. Bishop of Berulle replied that he had a similar project in mind. Convinced that his friend had more initiative, grace and merit to put into execution such a great work, Francis blessed God, and although he saw the dire necessity for good priests in the Church, he gave up his own idea. However, he did give Bishop de Berulle the principles that were the basis of his holy house of Thonon. His fraternal advice afforded the bishop many insights and warm encouragement in this holy enterprise. The devout cardinal did not found the Priests of the Oratory until 1611, a congregation for which Francis de Sales always had a high regard. He wanted to introduce them into his diocese of Geneva, but his desire became an actuality only many years afterwards, when his nephew and successor, Bishop Charles Augustus de Sales, established a house for them in the city of Tumilly. (A.S. VI, p. 60)
The disciples of Christ gathered together as a body to beg for the outpouring of the Spirit. [cf. Acts 2:1]
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Post by Hildegard on Jun 4, 2019 20:27:35 GMT
Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales
Teachings and Examples from the Life of the Saint by Salesiana Publishers
JUNE 4th (page 157)
Far from preventing us from praying, sickness should in no way weaken our union with God. It can even bring us closer to Him, if we truly conform our will to His. All that matters, whether in health or in sickness, is that we maintain and increase our relationship with Him. We can find God in sacrifice as well as in prayer. If we truly desire whatever He wills, sickness is as pleasing as anything else. The very acceptance of sickness is the most worthy offering we can make to Him Who has suffered so much to redeem us. (Letters 553; O. XIV, p. 168)
On June 4th, 1607, Francis de Sales received the baroness of Chantal, who had just returned for the second time from Burgoyne. She came to speak with the man of God to put before him her decision to found the Order of the Visitation of Saint Mary. Let us listen to her own account: “I went to see the blessed prelate with the greatest possible abandonment to the will of God, and without any other desire than that of faithfully carrying out the plans that God had mapped out for me, firmly confident that Francis’s words would be the expression of the will of God. He asked me to pray hard until Pentecost and to put myself without reserve in the hands of God. On the day after Pentecost, in a grave, serous and recollected manner, he spoke to me and told me that he had made a decision. Falling on my knees, I replied, “I am prepared to obey you absolutely.” He said, to test me, “You should enter the Poor Clares.” “My father, I am most willing to do that.” “No, You are not strong enough; you should become a nursing sister.” “Father, whatever you think best.” “No, this is still not what I want. You should enter Carmel.” “My father, I am ready to obey.” “No,” he said again, “the Lord is not calling you to any of these. He has destined you to found an order where the charity and gentleness of Jesus Christ will be the prevailing spirit; an order which will admit the weak and the infirm and will have as its mission the care of the sick and the visitation of the poor.” On hearing this, I suddenly felt an interior agreement, a sweet satisfaction I had never felt before, and this assured me that here was the manifestation of the will of God.” Francis still waited for three more years, consulting with spiritual advisers and praying to know the will not God better. (Bougaud, Saint Chantal, I, p. 290)
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Post by Hildegard on Jun 5, 2019 21:00:45 GMT
Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales
Teachings and Examples from the Life of the Saint by Salesiana Publishers
JUNE 5th (page 158)
When inspiration, like a sacred wind, impels us into the air of holy love, it takes hold of our will and moves it by a sentiment of heavenly delight. It expands and unfolds that natural inclination which the will has for good, so that this same inclination captures the soul. All this, as I have already said, is done in us but without us, for it is God’s favor that prepares us in this way. (T.L.G. Book 2, Ch. 13; O. IV, p. 130)
In Francis de Sales’s notebooks we find that on June 5th, 1602, Madame Acarie later to become Blessed Mary of the Incarnation, had gone to confession to him, opened her heart and told him of her great desire to have the Carmelites in France. The saint had a great esteem for all good works and was bound by the cords of holy charity to all souls who loved God and the perfect life. That is why he wrote to his friends in Rome, to several cardinals and to the supreme pontiff himself, whom he had the honor of knowing very well, pointing out, with humility and respect, the great advantages for the growth of piety, especially among the women, that France would reap from the presence of the Carmelite Sisters. He wrote to Cardinal Baronio in words of high praise for Madame Acarie, and said that the very desire of this servant of God was equivalent to a manifestation of the Divine Will, which took delight in such a holy soul. (A.S. VI, p. 119)
From time to time, withdraw yourself from the company of other people so that you can
Peacefully talk with God about the interests of your soul.
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Post by Hildegard on Jun 6, 2019 17:30:54 GMT
Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales
Teachings and Examples from the Life of the Saint by Salesiana Publishers
JUNE 6th (page 159)
How happy those souls who live only to do God’s will! Ah, if we could only get a taste of this at meditation, our heart would experience great delight from the acceptance of the Divine Will. Such souls, even in the midst of crosses, are completely fused with the will of God. What a blessing it is to subject all our affections humbly and entirely to the most pure love of God! (Letters 1076; O. XVI. p. 364)
On June 6th, 1610, a day sacred to the Blessed Trinity and to the commemoration of Saint Claudius, Francis of Sales initiated the Institute of the Visitation. In a small house which he had rented in the suburb of Annecy, he installed the first members, “like three little bees in a beehive or three innocent doves in a nest.” They were the foundress, Jane Frances Fremoit, baroness of Chantal, Marie Jacqueline Favre and Jane Charlotte of Brechard. Around half-past seven in the evening, they left the home of the president where they were lodging and went to the bishop to receive his blessing. Looking upon them with great joy, he said, “You are blessed because the Lord has chosen you. Your courage is great; God will be your King.” He then handed over to Madame de Chantal a compendium of the constitution which he had composed for them and said, “Follow this path, my dearest daughter, and see that it is followed by all those whom Heaven has destined to walk in your footsteps.” Having said this, he raised his eyes to Heaven and blessed them “in the name of the Father Almighty, Who inspired you; in the name of the Son, Eternal Wisdom, Who has directed you; in the name of the Holy Spirit, Who has animated you with the flames of His love.” When they left the bishop’s house they found a great gathering of people from the city waiting for them on the street. Arriving at their own house, which was to be the cradele of the Order of the Visitation, they went straight to the chapel, at the door of which the holy foundress cried out in joy, “Here, my dear sisters, is the abode of our delights and our repose.” They fell on their knees, thanking God by singing the Gloria Patri three times, asking the Lord that His holy will might be fulfilled in this enterpirse. Mother Chantal then tenderly embraced her two companions, and these acknowledging her as their religious superior; promised her obedience, as if to God, and vowed to maintain mutual charity among themselves. The holy superior read from the rule of life given them by the saint, so that they could begin to observe it immediately. (Hamon, Vol. 2, p. 36)
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Post by Hildegard on Jun 8, 2019 0:29:01 GMT
 Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales
Teachings and Examples from the Life of the Saint by Salesiana Publishers
JUNE 7th (page 160)
With foresight, the divine heart of Christ merited and ordered all the favors which we have received, disposing them for each of us in particular. How our hearts should be inflamed with love for so many favors! Consider that they were destined for us by the will of the Father, to be borne in the heart of the Savior, Who earned them for us by His sufferings, above all by His passion. (T.L.G. Book 6, Ch. 12; O. V, pp. 344- 345)
June 7th, 1610, can rightly be recognized as the date of the foundation of the Order of the Visitation. On the early morning of that day, Francis de Sales, accompanied by President Favre and by many distinguished persons, went to visit the first daughters of the order. With the bishop’s blessing they had entered their peaceful enclosure the previous evening. After the saint blessed the simple chapel, which was appropriately adorned, he celebrated Mass and distributed Holy Communion. In finding everything so simple and humble, he experienced an indescribable joy. Then he announced to his dear daughters that on that day their novitiate had begun. For an entire year they were to observe strict enclosure, learning to live by an interior spirit and following spiritual exercises in the practice of the religious virtues. After he blessed them he left them alone with God. Before the novitiate year was over, the number of candidates had risen to ten, nearly all of them physically delicate. The world grumbled, saying that the bishop was establishing a hospital instead of an assembly of devout women. To those who reported this, the saint had this response, “What do you expect? I have always been a partisan of the weak.” (A.S. Vi, p. 148)
There are two extremes to be avoided: speaking too much and speaking too little.
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Post by Hildegard on Jun 8, 2019 0:31:42 GMT
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Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales
Teachings and Examples from the Life of the Saint by Salesiana Publishers
JUNE 8th(page 161)
It seems to some that perfection is an art which can be learned quickly. They think that it is easy once you have found its secred! They fool themselves completely. In fact, the only way to perfection is to work hard and struggle faithfully in the exercise of the love of God. One must unite oneself solely with Him. (Spiritual Treatises IX; O. VI, p. 152)
On June 8th, 1610, Francis de Sales went to see his Daughters of the Visitation and spent some time with them in determining the modulation for the singing of the divine office. He did try to copy the method used by other religious, but desired simplicity even in this. He himself took up the breviary and a pen, and began to sing and write the notes. So, with the assistance of Mother Chantal, he composed the melody for the singing of the office, which these religious still use. (A.S. VI, p. 208)
In dress, adhere a closely as possible to simplicity and modesty,
So you will be adorned with beauty and spared deformity.
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Post by Hildegard on Jun 9, 2019 2:24:47 GMT
Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales
Teachings and Examples from the Life of the Saint by Salesiana Publishers
JUNE 9th (page 162)
You have certainly heard that in General Councils there are great disputations and investigations, establishing the truth after discussion, reasoning and theological argument. At the conclusion of the debates, the pope, who is the chief bishop, together with the other bishops who are the fathers of the council, draws conclusions and resolutions on the subject at hand. Once the final statements have been made, each person accepts them in full agreement. This is done, not out of regard for the reasons advanced in the preceding discussion and investigation, but in virtue of the authority of the Holy Ghost. For it is the Holy Ghost Who invisibly presides over councils, judging, determining and concluding matters under discussion through His servants whom He has chosen as pastors of the Christian community. (T.L.G. Book 2, Ch. 14; O. IV, p. 135)
On June 9th, 1606, Pernette Boutey, who was under the spiritual direction of Francis de Sales, passed away at la Roche. His fatherly heart was visibly moved by this news. There were those who derided him for shedding tears when he heard of this death, but the saint replied, “To souls such as hers, the kingdom of Heaven belongs. This good woman, who was little in the eyes of the world, will be very soon, I hope, our great advocate in Heaven. “He asked a priest to write down the main facts of her life and of their saintly death. To Mother Chantal he addressed the following words: I will send you shortly a summary of the life of a saintly married woman from my diocese. Throughout forty years, by all indications, she lived a life of perfection, both interiorly and exteriorly. She was a real Martha in the management of her household, and a Magdalen in her spirit of prayer. Ah, my daughter! Whose fault is it that all of us are not saints, when we see so many examples of sanctity all around us? Wherever we turn, whether in the city or in the country, everything speaks to us of virtue.” (A.S. VI, p. 243)
Your piety should be vibrant, so that you do good, not just out of habit but by
deliberate choice, with all the application of your soul.
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Post by Hildegard on Jun 10, 2019 16:09:54 GMT
Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales
Teachings and Examples from the Life of the Saint by Salesiana Publishers
JUNE 10th(page 163)
What will we do one day when, in eternal glory, we see the most adorable heart of Jesus through the holy wound in His side, all aflame with the love He bears for us – a heart in which, written in characters of fire, all of us will be inscribed? Ah! We will then say to the Savior, “Is it possible that You have loved me so much that You have even written my name your heart?” (Sermons 57; O.X, pp. 243-244)
On June 10th, 1611, four days after the profession of the first three Daughters of the Visitation, the holy founder, ever anxious for the welfare of the young institute, wrote to the holy foundress: “Greetings, my dearest daughter. The necessity of finalizing an agreement this morning between two of my parish priests of Gise robs me of the consolation of seeing my sheep and feeding them the bread of life with my own hands. Canon Roland will be my substitute. However, a good messenger is not sufficient to pass on to you a thought that God gave me last night; namely that our House of the Visitation is, thanks to you, already worthy enough to have its own coat of arms, its own shield and its own motto. Subject to your approval, I thought it would be a good idea to give it as a symbol a heart pierced by two arrows and surrounded by a crown of thorns. The cavity will serve as a base for the cross which will surmount it, and will have written on it the holy names of Jesus and Mary. Yes, my daughter, our little congregation is the work of the hands of Jesus and Mary. Our Savior, by His death, has brought us to birth from the opening in His Sacred Heart. Therefore it is most fitting that our heart should, by constant sacrifice, always be surrounded by the crown of thorns which was pressed on the head of our Leader, while love held Him fixed on the throne of His mortal sorrows.”1 (A.S. VI, p. 261)
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1The Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi fell on June 10th, 1611. What a marvelous coincidence! Sixty-four years later, in the famous apparition
of June, 1675, Jesus manifested to Saint Margaret Mary His express wish to see His Sacred Heart honored on the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi.
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Post by Hildegard on Jun 11, 2019 16:51:58 GMT
Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales
Teachings and Examples from the Life of the Saint by Salesiana Publishers
JUNE 11th (Page 164)
May the Holy Ghost enlighten our intellect with the consciousness of the gravity of our sins. By them, we have offended the infinite goodness of God. May he stir up our heart with this knowledge. Then repentance will grow little by little in us, and we will experience an affective and warm desire to return to God’s grace. This will lead to an intense love, which, like a sacred fire, is set aflame by repentance. (T.L.G. Book 2, Ch. 20; O.IV, p. 157)
On June 11th, 1619, Francis de Sales was in Paris. The countess of Saint Paul, noted throughout France for her virtue and piety, made her confession to him and received Holy Communion from his hands. She begged him to give a spiritual conference in the church of the Sisters of the Visitation for the fest of Saint Barnabas, to whom she was very devoted. The good prelate agreed, although he was not prepared and had no time to get ready; it was about two in the afternoon. Nevertheless, he gave a very holy and instructive talk on the life of Saint Barnabas, in which he emphasized these three points: 1) We must not be attached to our own opinion.
2) We must not be surprised at our falls since weakness is weak and misery is miserable; rather, we should get up immediately after our falls, seeking to make them as infrequent as possible.
3) We must respect he Divine Mercy that knows how to draw good from our abjection and our failures. When he had finished what he had to say, several ladies put before him their difficulties and doubts about several matters, and he, as another Saint Jerome among the Roman ladies, listened to them and answered their questions. But in the heat of the discussion these ladies all began to speak at the same time, so the kindly and gentle prelate said to them with admirable patience, “Ladies, please. Can you tell me how on earth I can answer the first question if you all insist on talking at the same time?” This kindly correction silenced them all, and no one dared to ask a question. The man of God, smiling patiently, took up an orderly manner the questions proposed. He answered all, one after the other, with so much wisdom and piety that the duchess of Vendome, on leaving, said to the superior of the convent, “Truly, my mother, we have nothing less than a Solomon.” The Countess of Saint Paul stayed on a little longer and spoke privately with the saint, with pen and paper in hand, and put down in writing some advice from the great direction, ‘fearing,” as she said, “that I might forget some sentence or word of the holy man.”
(A.S. VI, p. 288)
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Post by Hildegard on Jun 13, 2019 0:44:47 GMT
Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales
Teachings and Examples from the Life of the Saint by Salesiana Publishers
JUNE 12th (page 165)
Charity spreads delight throughout the soul, which is rendered beautiful, pleasing and lovable by God’s goodness. If the soul were a kingdom where the Holy Ghost is king, charity would be its queen . . . and if the soul were a queen, a spouse of Heaven’s great King, then charity would be the crown of royalty adorning here head; if the soul, together with the body, were a little world, then charity would be the sun giving it light, warmth and life.
(T.L.G. Book 2, Ch. 22; O. IV, p. 165)
On June 12th, 1608, Francis de Sales went to Thonon in the Chablais. “I was driven, urged on to go,” he said, “without clearly understanding the reason for that trip. I just felt that God wanted me to go.” When he got there, he understood the reason why Divine Providence had brought him there. He learned that the dissolute living of two young, well-known ecclesiastics was driving the people to become Calvinists. One cleric was from Salex in Provence and the other from Verdun. The two lost sheep felt drawn toward their holy pastor, who so befriended them that they repented. Francis received them like a father, instructed them like a teacher, embraced them like a friend and treated them like a shepherd. For a long time be kept these two priests by his side, and having watched over their conversion, he did all he could for them, both materially and morally. Relating this incident, the saint used to say that the trip to Thonon was the happiest he had ever made in his life. Not only was it totally inspired by God, but it was the occasion for these two priests of a frank and open accounting of their vocation, their fall and their conversion, providing the saint with many clues for the direction of young people and gently confirming him in his own vocation. Thus the holy bishop used the whole experience for his own growth in virtue. (A.S. VI, p. 312)
Walk joyously through life. And if at times you cannot, at least walk with faith and courage.
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Post by Hildegard on Jun 13, 2019 1:15:01 GMT
Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales
Teachings and Examples from the Life of the Saint by Salesiana Publishers
JUNE 13th (page 166)
Complain as little as possible about the wrongs you suffer; the one who complains usually commits a sin. Self-love feels that injuries are worse than they really are. Above all, do not complain to irascible or fault-finding people. If you feel it necessary to complain to someone, do so to those who are even-tempered and who really love God. Otherwise you will find that those to whom you complain upset you still more, instead of calming you. (INT. Part III, Ch. 3; O. III, p. 136)
The feast of Saint Anthony of Padua (June 13th) was one of Francis de Sales’s favorites. He had learned to honor this saint in his own church during, his period of studies at Padua, when not one day passed without his paying a visit to his tomb. He said in confidence to Mother Chantal that throughout the period of the mission of the Chablais he had received miraculous assistance from the saintly wonder-worker. Among other things, he had once prayed in the church of the Conventuals of Evian, when the saint made himself intellectually present and said to him, “You desire martyrdom just like I did; you yourself must be the instrument of your martyrdom.” “From that day,” added Francis, “I resolved to mortify myself, seizing every opportunity to practice virtue whenever the occasion arose – great or small. Indeed, in order to be a martyr, it is enough to know how to mortify oneself well. Those who do not mortify themselves or who accept grudgingly the trials that others give them make me wonder what place they hope to occupy in the kingdom of God, because they do not want to be either martyrs or confessors, and Saint Anthony was both at the same time.” A lady who often criticized his pious actions and made fun of him said to him one day that he cultivated the devotions of old women, the sort who run to light a candle to Saint Anthony to find a walking stick or spindle they had lost. The holy bishop put up with her mockery patiently, but then instructed her quite seriously, “Yes,” he said, “I approve wholeheartedly the recourse to Saint Anthony when one suffers from loss or affliction. God has shown His approval by the great miracles worked through the intercession of this saint.”
(A.S. VI, p. 331)
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Post by Hildegard on Jun 14, 2019 18:01:16 GMT
Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales
Teachings and Examples from the Life of the Saint by Salesiana Publishers
JUNE 14th(page 167)
Always walk in the presence of God, because His shade is healthier than the rays of the sun. There is nothing wrong in trembling before the face of Him whose very presence makes the angels tremble as they contemplate the Supreme Majesty. This is on the condition, however, that love predominates in all your actions as the principle and goal of your motivation. (Letters 837; O. XV, p. 319)
Among all the prophets mentioned in the Scriptures, Francis de Sales had a particular love for the prophet Elisha, whose death is devoutly commemorated on this day, June 14th. The respect of the saint for this prophet was based on his generosity. This was proven by his cure of the great Syrian lord, Naaman, and by his refusal of his rich presents of silver and gold. [cf. 2 Kgs 5:1-16] The good saint used to say that this example had taught him to serve his neighbor generously because he had received so much from the generous hand of the Creator. He also resolved never to desire temporal riches from the elite of the world as he distributed to them spiritual riches. (A.S. VI, p.345)
Believe me that mortification in the use of our eyes, our feelings and our
speech is worth much more than wearing spiked chains and a hair-shirt.
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Post by Hildegard on Jun 15, 2019 21:47:52 GMT
Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales
Teachings and Examples from the Life of the Saint by Salesiana Publishers
JUNE 15th (page 168)
The virtue of fortitude and moral strength is never acquired in time of peace, when we are not tested by the contrary temptation. Some people are very meek when they do not have a suffer any contradiction, but when they are tested they quickly change. This shows quite clearly that their meekness was not a true and solid virtue. There is a big difference between the absence of a vice and the presence of a virtue. Many people seem to be virtuous but do not actually possess a virtue because they have not had to fight to acquire it. It often happens that our passions are dormant or are stifled, and if, throughout those times, we do not build a good supply of fortitude to combat them, we will collapse when we are attacked. (Spiritual Treatises XVI, O. VI, p. 294)
Francis de Sales had refused many times to have his portrait painted. On June 15th, 1618, a pious woman had recourse to an expedient to make him relent by telling his confessor, Father Michael Favre, who later related the facts. Habitually somewhat ill-tempered , Father Favre carried out the assignment, severely reproving the holy bishop and saying that he was the cause of certain venial sins of grumbling and impatience which some people committed by his obstinacy in not allowing his portrait to be painted. The saint was advised to amend his ways. Francis submitted with admirable simplicity, saying kindly, “Well, let’s permit this drawing of an earthly man in the near future, provided it brings me many prayers and reflects the image of the Heavenly Father.” It is well to note that the painter who was commissioned to paint several portraits of the saint said that he would never fix his gaze on the servant of God to paint him without first going to confession and communion; otherwise his work went badly. (A.S. VI, p. 367)
Before you judge your brother, just imagine that you are he and he is you,
I assure you that you will judge him correctly and charitably.
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