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 14th (page 45)

      Devotion is simply that spiritual agility and vivacity by which charity works in us or by aid of which we work quietly and lovingly. Just as it is the function of charity to enable us to observe all God’s commandments in general and without exception, so it is the part of devotion to enable us to observe them more quickly and diligently. Hence a person who does not observe all God’s commandments cannot be held to be either good or devout. To be good one must have charity, and to be devout, in addition to charity one must have great ardor and readiness in performing charitable actions.

(INT. Part I, Ch. 1; O. III, p. 15)

      On February 14th, 1619, Francis de Sales visited the prisons of Paris to rescue from desperation and eternal perdition a priest of the diocese of Chartres, who feared his impending, death more than his crimes. This poor creature was converted, to the great edification of all. While Francis was busy with this work of charity and zeal, Bishop Camus went to tell him that he was wasting his time in that prison when he was expected at court. “Ah, my dearest brother,” he replied, “I pay homage at the court of this poor prodigal son, and I will be more than delighted if I can lead him back to his father.”

(A.S. II, p. 363)


Little people, who seem insignificant, have as much need to be heard and
Helped in their affairs as the great people in theirs.

If you realize that you have been unable to correct mistaken ideas in a
conversation and you cannot change them, you must not keep the attention
focused on the matter under discussion, but pass on to another subject.