Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales - April

[Hildegard of Bingen]

Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales


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

APRIL 1st  (page 93)

     Friendship based on the pleasures of the senses is coarse and does not deserve the name of friendship.  The same holds true for friendships based on vain and frivolous qualities, since they also have their roots in the senses.  By pleasures of the senses I mean those that principally originate from the external senses, such as pleasure in looking at beautiful things or listening to a sweet voice, pleasure of touch and the like.  Friendships based on such things deserve to be called follies rather than friendships!

                                                                                                                                                                                (INT. Part III, Ch. 17; O. III, p 196)


      On April 1st, 1618, Francis de Sales, on a visit to Grenoble, gave a eulogy on Saint Hugo, one of those saints to whom he had a particular devotion.  "I honor this saint," he said, "because he did so much to populate the frightening solitude of Chartreuse with a countless number of religious, whose virtue spread a marvelous perfume of holiness throughout the Church."  Francis never tired of turning over in his mind this rich expression of Saint Hugo, "The evil I do is truly evil and truly mine; the good that I do is not attributable to me or really mine."

(A.S. IV, p. 2)

We shall never have peace if it is not practiced amid repugnance, aversion and disgust.  True peace does not lie in not fighting, but in conquering.

Perfection does not consist in being perfect or in acting perfectly.  It is the striving for perfection that is important.

 

Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales

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


APRIL 2nd (page 94)

      Venial sin, no matter how slight it may be, displeases God.  Therefore, if it displeases God, any will and affection that one has for venial sin is nothing less than a disposition to offend the Divine Majesty.  Is it possible that an upright soul should not only displease God but even nourish within itself an affection and a will to displease Him?

(INT. Part I, Ch. 22; O. III, p. 63)

      Francis de Sales, wishing to publicly proclaim his devotion to Saint Francis of Paula, received the cord of the Minims in the monastery at Grenoble.  He knelt before the mantle with which the saint had passed over the sea with dry feet, which was exposed for this occasion. The people, who wanted to express their own devotion, threw themselves on top of him and used his shoulders as their support.  The saint made no effort to stop them from doing all this.  When he was leaving the church the religious made their apologies, saying that they admired his patience.  He replied, "Is it not necessary for each one to show his devotion in some way or other?  I can assure you that I paid very little attention to those who were all around me.  I was thinking of Saint Francis, who spiritually and personally gave me his cord and obliged me, with ties both external and internal, to consider all the Minims as my brothers."


                                                                                                                    (A.S. IV, p. 38)

There is nothing more contrary to charity - or to the love of God - than to have little concern for one's neighbor.

[Hildegard of Bingen]

Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales

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


APRIL 3rd (page 95)

      Saint Augustine says that if we want to die well, we must live well; as our life is, so shall our death be.  To sum up the matter in a few words,
we say that the rule for a happy death is to lead a good life, placing our trust in the merits of the passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, without
whom every day would be a terrible and terrifying event.

(Sermons 62; O.X. p.324)

     Around Easter of 1595, Francis de Sales was hearing the confessions of the soldiers of the fortress of Allinges.  He had previously instructed
these men, and one of them was brought almost to the point of despair by his sermon on the horror of sin.  The saint took a very special
interest in him, allowing him to sleep in his room and to eat at his table.  He also helped him to make his confession several times.  Moved
by this man's contrition, the saint imposed a penance of reciting only one Our Father and one Hail Mary.  The soldier was very much
surprised at this, and, turning to the saint, he said, "Oh, my lord, do you want to damn me, giving me such a light penance for so many sins?"
"No," said Francis.  "Put your trust in God's mercy, which is much greater than your sins.  As far as the penance is concerned, I'll make up for it."

(A.S. IV, p. 52)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Do not trust your spiritual enemies, even if they leave you in peace for a while.  They may be thrown out, but they have not been killed; they

can initiate a terrible was at any time.

Remember! There is no state in life without its problems and frustrations.

---

Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales


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


APRIL 4th (page 96)

     I would adviser you to consider from time to time the quantity of your interior and exterior goods, and at the same time the very great number of interior and exterior punishments that Divine Providence has prepared for us in His most holy justice and His great mercy.  As if opening the arms of our consent,let us most lovingly embrace all this by saying, "Yes, Lord, They will be done on earth, where we have no pleasure without pain, no roses without thorns, no day without a night to follow, no spring without a winter that preceded it.  Here consolations are rare and trials are countless. Still, O God,Thy will be done."

(T.L.G. IX, Ch. 1; O.V. pp. 111-112)

     Once, on April 4th, Francis de Sales was present at a public disputation on philosophy presided over by a scholar advanced in age.  In the heat of the dispute a speaker put forth an argument so skillfully and with so much vigor that the old president became confused.  Then the holy bishop modestly gave a contribution, and with wonderful logic explained the difficulty that had embarrassed the old man.  Seeing his argument demolished, the speaker was very upset and said with some indignation that he had never heard of the distinction made by the saint.  With admirable kindness, Francis de Sales replied, "You can say, sir, that you had not heard this in the past, but from now on you cannot say you have never heard it."  And seeing that this made the speaker still more annoyed, he thought it prudent not to reply but merely to say to the audience, with prudent modesty.  "There is no need to be surprised that this good man feels some resentment; the learned are also subject to human emotions, but their learning knows how to keep them in check."  Later the good president came to the bishop to thank him "for having saved the honor of a poor old man."  He admitted that he had almost forgotten the art of logic.  But the saint, in his usual, humble way, replied, "There is no need to thank anyone.  It is the obligation of the young to help the old, as it was the obligation of the old to sustain us during the time of our infancy.  This is the reasonable way of acting and the rule of Divine Providence."

(A.S. IV, p. 95)

[Hildegard of Bingen]

Here is the pdf file which includes all the meditations for the month of April.