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 26th (page 57)

He who goes to Holy Communion according to the spirit of the Divine Spouse annihilates himself and says to the Lord, “Annihilate me, O Lord, and convert me into Yourself!” There is nothing in this world over which we have more control than food which we consume flor our conservation. Well, Jesus Christ attained this excess of love: He made Himself our food! But what dow e have to do to make full use of what He has done? Let Him possess us, let Him masticate us, let Him eat us and dispose us to do exactly what He wants.

(Letters 1529; O. XVIII, p. 400)

Let us admire the humility of Francis de Sales, who, while he was preaching the Lenten sermons of Rumilly in 1608, wrote to Madame Chantal, who was still in the world. He said that he preached there just as willingly as he would at Paris, and added, “I am overjoyed and greatly heartened to see these simple people coming in great numbers to listen to me with such devotion, humility and simplicity. That could almost be called a grace, because it keeps me free from the dangers of flattery and vanity.”

(A.S. II, p. 572)


What remorse of conscience we will suffer at the hour of death when we realize
All the means of grace God has made available to us! We could have become
Perfect, yet we missed out on so much! This will be our greatest source of worry
At that last moment!

 

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Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales

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


February 27th(page 58)

Birds have nests in trees and stags have thickets where they can find shelter when the need arises. Deer know where to take cover, either to hide or to enjoy some cool shade during the summer. So also our hearts should each day choose some place, either on Mount Calvary or within Our Lord’s wounds, or in some other place near Him, as a retreat where they can retire at various times to refresh and restore themselves during their exteriors occupations. There, as in a stronghold, they can defend themselves against temptation. Blessed will be the soul that can truly say to Our Lorad, “Our God is our refuge and strength: a helper in troubles, which have found us exceedingly.” [cf. Ps 45:2]

(INT. Part 2, Ch. 12; O. III, p. 92)

On February 27, 1618, while Francis de Sales was about to mount the pulpit to begin the second series of Lenten sermons for the parliament of Grenoble, a distinguished lawyer, a friend of his, warned him that certain people, jealous of his reputations, had spoken badly of him, saying that he was fool-hardy to preach two successive series of Lenten sermons in such a famous city as Grenoble. The Protestants, on the other hand, were delighted by his decision because they felt that by repeating his sermons he would make a fool of himself. With his usual gentleness, the holy man replied, “Both are right to some extent, and I can see that they are men because they reason like men. If I had decided to preach to show off, I would have something to fear. But by the grace of God I neither wish, seek nor desire anything but that Christ be glorified and all know that our God is an inexhaustible font!” Right from the very beginning, that Lent was blessed by God with the conversion of quite a number of people and with a marvelous increase of devotion among the faithful. Subsequently, the leading ladies of the city made the decision to set up at Grenoble the fourth convent of the institute founded by the saint.

(A.S. II, p. 710)

It is deceiving oneself to long for martyrdom and yet be unwilling
To suffer the slight crosses of daily life as a Christian should.