Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales - March

[Hildegard of Bingen]

Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales

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


March 16th (page 76)

     Our intellect is ordinarily full of ideas, opinions and considerations suggested by self-love. This is the root of many conflicts within the soul, putting before us all sorts of reasons dictated by human prudence to justify our pretensions. People who make use of this false prudence, instead of enlightening their intellect, obscure it. They reject advice given to them and let those reasons prevail in their minds which support their own opinions, even wrong ones. Make use of the virtue of prudence because it is good, but make good use of it. Employ it only rarely, with simplicity, and solely for the glory of God.

(Sermon 30; O. IX, pp. 297-298)

     On March 16th, 1614, while Francis de Sales was baptizing a baby in the chapel of the castle of Annecy, a shining light was seen reflecting from the water and surrounding the holy bishop. The usual bonnet that he held in his hands to put on the baby’s head was carried away by an unexpected gust of wind, and after traveling several times around the chapel returned to the prelate’s hand. Then, not being able to restrain the divine fire with which he was burning, he spoke to those present of the marvelous effects of baptism, telling them that what they had seen was a visible sign to confirm them in their faith. This fact is related by Father Armand, a Jesuit, who was a layman at the time.

(A.S. III, p. 385)

It is sufficient to accept the evils that come to us from

time to time without awaiting them in fear.