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 19th(page 50)

      An interior conversion, a change for the better in one’s life, is an indication of the presence of the Holy Ghost. Saint John the Baptist was sanctified in the womb of his mother; likewise, those who receive the Holy Spirit are transformed. So when you want to know if you have received the Spirit, keep a clear watch on your works; they will answer the question accurately.

(Sermons 47; O. X, p.72)

       On February 19th, 1605, while Francis de Sales was preaching at la Roche, a town in his diocese, a young woman was brought to him from a neighboring province. This unfortunate person was being cruelly tormented by the devil. Her parents were so upset that they had kept her hidden in their house. They could think of no better doctor than the holy bishop, who stayed at la Roche for three more days to pray for her and exorcise her. When she was happily liberated, the saint ordered her to give him her corset, which he burned, having learned by supernatural means that the affliction was attached to that apparel. To keep secret the miracle God had worked through his hands, the saint forbade the parents and the daughter to talk about the sickness or the cure, saying that if would not be in the young woman’s best interests. He also urged the parents to watch over this girl carefully since she would soon be asked to enter into a marriage. This came true. The young girl always remained very grateful to the saintly bishop. Several years after his death she went to Annecy to visit his tomb, and there, after making an offering, told of the grace she had received. “For some time after my liveration, “ she said, “I did not have the courage to wear a corset, but in 1617 I inquired about this by sending a special messenger to the saint, who was then preaching the Lenten sermons at Grenoble. He preplied that I could now wear it without fear, since it was only to give me support and comfort, but that, instead of any other initials, I should write on it the holy names of Jesus and Mary, whom I should always have in my heart.”

(A.S. II, p. 480)