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Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Wisdom from St. Francis de Sales who would make a great Lenten companion

Yesterday was St. Francis de Sales' feast day. What a great saint! I'm often a day late and a dollar short, so I was reading about St. Francis this morning. He is one of my favorite saints and I often quote from his wise sayings. You no doubt have heard that you can catch more flies with a spoonful of honey than with a barrel of vinegar. St. Francis actually said more that 100 barrels of vinegar. No slouch he for emphasizing reality!

I often quote him because of his great help as a spiritual director, so let me offer a second of his many inspiring bits of wisdom in my own words.

First:

Those who commit scandal commit spiritual murder. Those who allow scandal to damage their faith, commit spiritual suicide.

How many today are letting the scandal of priests, bishops, and even the pope damage their faith? How many never came back after the scandal of closed churches and no Mass? Anyone who is among that sad band should immediately embrace the words of St. Francis. Go to confession and return to the embrace of our holy mother, the Church and her protector and pillar of the family, St. Joseph. Don't let scandalizers kill your faith! Don't commit spiritual suicide!

There is no other real refuge in this mad world than the Church!

Not only that, but God brings good out of every sinful and evil situation. Good and evil are not on the same level, equal in opposition. What a grievous error to think such a thing as if the devil and God face each other in combat as equals. 

As the saying goes, your arm's too short to box with God! It's like an ant trying to wage war on a giant and having the chutzpa to think he can win. God could crush we rebellious ants in a nanosecond. He doesn't because HE LOVES US and wants us to love Him in return! He pursues us like the hound of heaven. I have two volumes by St. Francis On the Love of God which I have not yet read, but I hope to at some point. Ah...so many books...so little time left. 

If you haven't read Introduction to the Devout Life (which I have read), that is a good place to start. Many spiritual directors assign it at the beginning of the soul's journey on a closer walk with God. It would make a good Lenten book. Another good choice would be his Lenten sermons. I read it during a previous Lent and plan to review it.

Larry and I are using Credo this Lent, Archbishop Schneider's compendium on the faith as a little couple's book club. We bought both the book and the study guide and are starting it now in these weeks preceding Ash Wednesday. But I plan to ask St. Francis' intercession as we delve deeper in the study of our faith. As a champion against the Protestant heresy, he can help teach us how to bring others to an appreciation of the fullness of faith available in the Catholic Church so well explained and articulated by Bishop Schneider.

May we all make this the most fruitful Lent possible.

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine.

Our Lady, seat of Wisdom, pray for us.

St. Joseph, guardian of the Church and pillar of families, pray for us.

St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.

Why not introduce this great saint to your kids this Lent. I watched the film below and it corresponds well to the history of St. Francis described in Butler's Lives of the Saints. And what a week of saints this is with St. John Bosco tomorrow. 






2 comments:

  1. My oldest son's birthday is on the 30th (today!), sandwiched between two of my favorite saints, St. Francis de Sales and St. John Bosco. I just finished reading St. Francis' Controversies. It is a collection of his writings which he used to bring back so many from protestantism when he was assigned to the Chablais region. It is a very clear explanation of the various truths of the Faith that were argued against by the protestants, and a helpful study guide to Catholics who are confronted by friends or loved ones who want to argue against the Faith.
    Thank you for your suggestions!

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  2. One more comment: It appears that Javier Milei (newly elected president of Argentina) will be visiting Pope Francis for the canonization of the first female Argentinian saint on Feb. 2. He is doing this as part of his trip to Israel. Mr. Milei was baptized a Catholic. His vice President is a traditional Catholic. But Mr. Milei has been pondering Judaism. I appreciate his politics for the most part. I would like to ask everyone who reads this to please pray for the grace for him to remain true to the faith of his baptism.

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