Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales - February

[Hildegard of Bingen]

Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales

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

 

February 8th(page 39)

Do not get all worked up about the future disasters of this world, which may never occur anyway; when if they do occur, God will give you the strength to bear them. Jesus commanded Saint Peter to walk on the water, but Peter, frightened by a gust of wind and the storm, almost drowned. Then he pleaded with the Lord, Who said to him, “What little faith you have . . . why did you falter? “ And immediately Jesus stretching forth his hand took hold of him, and said to him: O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt? [cf. Mt 14:31] If God asks you to walk on the turbulent waters of adversity, do not doubt, do not fear, because God is with you. Have courage and you will be safe.

(Letters 1420; O. XVII, p. 211)

On February 8th, 1606, while Francis de Sales was about to mount the pulpit to preach in the presence of the whole court of Chambery and imprudent person came to tell him that, because of his refusal to sign a warning he did not consider just, the magistrates had ordered the confiscation of his possessions. The saint smiled without giving the slightest indication that he was worried. “Well,” he said, “this is a sign that God wants me to totally spiritual, since He is taking away my temporal goods.” He preached with admirable calmness of spirit, without showing any resentment for the insult unjustly received, and his sermon was so blessed by God that two gentlemen from Flanders, who were just passing through after a trip to Italy, were converted. Aware of the communication that had been given to Francis, they returned that evening to the saint to be better instructed, saying that a man so detached from worldly goods must surely be a man of God and a teacher of truth, since passions had so little hold on him.

(A.S. II, p. 210)

Let us rejoice in the good that others do and even back up their efforts.

God may be better served by others than by ourselves.