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 18th (page 18)

 
     To persevere in the devout life it is a matter of deciding upon some excellent and generous maxims, with the right intention.  The first I would suggest to you is that of Saint Paul, “And we know that to them that love God, all things work together unto good, to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be saints..” [cf. Romans 8:28] If we agree that God can and does draw good out of evil, will He not do that especially for those who give themselves to Him without reserve?  Even our very sins (from which may God preserve us!) are destined by Providence for the good of those who serve God.  If David had not sinned, he would not have learned his deep sense of humility! . . .
 

(Letters 1420; O. XVIII, p. 209)

 

 
     On January 18th, 1619, Francis de Sales renewed a friendship he had formed in 1602 with Andre Duval, dean of the Sorbonne.  These two men went to confession to each other and gave each other advice for spiritual growth.  So highly did they esteem each other that, when speaking about the friendship each would say of the other, “I indeed baptize you in the water unto penance, but he that shall come after me, is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire.” [cf. Matthew 3:11]  When either of them received the abjuration of a Protestant that they had both instructed, each wanted to give the credit to the other.  This prompted Saint Vincent de Paul to say, “Here is how saints have a fight:  each one humbles himself to exalt his brother!”
 

(A.S. I, p. 436)

 

 
 

When the will does not give its assent, even to the most outrageous temptations, there is certainly no sin.  It is a refinement of Divine Love to allow those who love Him to suffer and do battle without ever realizing how much He loves them.