Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales - January

[Hildegard of Bingen]

Every Day with Saint Francis De Sales

Teachings and Examples from the Life of the Saint by Salesiana Publishers

 

January 11th (page 11)

 
     As soon as you are conscious of being tempted, follow the example of children when they see a wolf or a bear out in the country.  They immediately run to the arms of their father or mother, or at least call to them for help and protection.  In the same way, turn to God and implore His mercy and help.  This is the remedy Our Lord Himself has taught us:  “Watch ye, and pray that you enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” [Mk 14:38]
 

(INT. IV. Ch. 7; O. III, p. 304)

 
 
     On January 11th, 1614, Francis de Sales, while praying, was strongly inspired to write his Treatise on the Love of God, as he himself wrote to the holy mother of Chantal:  “There is no longer any repugnance in our heart; there remain only the fear and laziness of the fallen man which must give way to the victorious will of the Lord, Who wills that, cold and icy as I am, I should write of His holy love.  Count this day as the one on which I begin to employ every moment I can snatch from my other duties, and continually invoke on them the love of the Divine Lover!”  While the holy prelate worked on this labor of love, the demons did their very best to confuse his imagination and interrupt him by howls and noises, heard one day, not without some alarm, by Count Louis de Sales.  But the saint calmed him by saying to him with a quiet smile, “Don’t be afraid, my dear brother.  God guards the fort, which shall neither be taken nor stolen.”
 

(A.S. I, p. 257)

 

 

If I knew that there was one single spark of affection in my soul that was not of God,

In God and for God, I would annihilate it immediately.

 

We must never desire evil things, and even good things we must desire only in moderation.

But that one only true Good, God Himself, we must desire supremely.

 

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Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales

Teachings and Examples from the Life of the Saint by Salesiana Publishers

 

January 12th (page 12)

 
     There is no clock, no matter how good it may be, that doesn’t need resetting and rewinding twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.  In addition, at least once a year it must be taken apart to remove the dirt clogging it, straighten out bent parts and repair those worn out.  In like manner, every morning and evening a person who really takes care of his heart must rewind it for God’s service by means of certain practices of piety.  At least once a year he must take it apart and examine every piece in detail; that is, every affection and passion, in order to repair whatever defects there may be.
 

(INT. Part 5, Ch. 1; O. III, p. 340)

 
 
     On January 12th, 1595, Francis de Sales, having to celebrate Mass two leagues away from Thonon, was forced to put iron spikes on his boots to prevent them from slipping on the ice.  But this was not enough to cool his burning love for the Sacrifice of the Altar, which he never failed to offer every day.  So as to be able to celebrate Mass or work for the salvation of souls, the saint never allowed himself to be daunted by any difficulty.  Throughout the winters be spent at the Chablais, he often had to cross rivers by crawling on his hands and knees across planks that served as bridges.  At other times, when the weather was bad, he had to go along on his knees, and when conditions were not so adverse, he went with chains tied to his boots, as if he were, in a manner of speaking, a slave of divine love.
 

(A.S. I, p. 285)

 
 

Perfection does not consist of not having friendships, but of having good and holy friendships.