January 1

We must begin the year with Christ and His most holy mother. So today, with all the affection I can muster, I have recourse to the Son and the mother; O Jesus, fill our hearts with Your divine name, so that Your gentle kindness may influence all our senses and perfume all our actions. O glorious name which the mouth of the Divine Father pronounced from all eternity, be ever written in our souls. Since you are our Savior, we will be eternally saved. Virgin Mary, who among all human creatures pronounced this name of salvation for the first time, inspire us to use it profitably, so that all that is in us may rejoice in that salvation which your Child brought us. (Letters 739; O. XV, p. 143)

January 2

Happy are we if we can pronounce with affection the holy name of our Savior, because this will be the watchword that opens the way for us to Heaven; it is the name of our redemption. It makes the angels rejoice; it saves us and makes the devils tremble. So we must impress it deeply in our hearts and in our minds. Pronouncing it frequently, blessing it and honoring it in this life, we will be found worthy to sing it eternally with the blessed in Heaven. Long live Jesus Christ! (Sermons 52; O. X, p. 163)

January 3

Genuine, living devotion presupposes love of God; it is simply true love of God. Yet it is not always love as such. Inasmuch as divine love adorns the soul, it is called grace, which makes us pleasing to the Divine Majesty. Inasmuch as it strengthens us to do good, it is called charity. When it has reached a degree of perfection at which it makes us not only do good but also do this good carefully, frequently and promptly, it is called devotion. (INT. Part I, Ch. 1; O. III, pp. 14-15)

January 4

The bee has not other remedy for its sickness but expose itself to the rays of the sun, expecting heat and healing from its splendor. Let us all place ourselves before the Crucified and say to Him: O splendid Sun of our hearts, You will revive us with the rays of Your goodness. Here we are almost dead before You; we will not move from here until Your heat brings us back to life. (Letters 904; O. XVI, p. 50)

January 5

When Holy Scripture mentions a good, mild, innocent person totally dedicated to God, it says: "This was the son or daughter of the year." Well, if in the past we have not corresponded to the love of this sweet Savior with an inseparable union of our affections with the Divine Will, from now on we should determine to act in such a way that at the end of this new year we will also be called "children of the year." (Letters 1589; O. XIX, p. 97)

January 6

...Let us come close to the crib. If you love riches, you will find the gold that the kings brought; if you are looking for the smoke of honors, you will find that in the incense; and if you take delight in the delicacies of the senses, you will find the delicate perfume of myrrh that pervades the stable. Be rich in love for this adorable Savior, respectful in the familiarity with which you relate to Him, and delight in the joy of experiencing in your soul so may inspirations and affections because you belong exclusively to Him. (Letters 1033; O. XVI, p. 291)

January 7

On our journey through life we do not wish to meet any difficulties or contradictions. We want constant consolations, no periods of dryness, no unpleasant times; health without sickness, repose without work, and peace without disturbance! But can't you see our folly when we want to have something we cannot have? Unallayed good is found only in paradise, as in hell is found nothing but evil. The great Chrysostom says: "O man, you who get all upset when things do not always go your way, are you not ashamed when you ponder that what you want was not to be found even in the family of Our Lord? ... Consider, I beg you, the events, the contradictions, and all the things that happened. The angel of the Lord said in a dream to Saint Joseph, 'Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you otherwise. Herod is searching for the child to destroy him.' [Mt. 2:13] This, indeed, was a moment of great sorrow for the Virgin Mary and for good Saint Joseph." (Spiritual Discourses III; O. VI, pp. 32, 38)

January 8

Consider how uncertain is the day of your death. My soul, one day you will leave this body. When will it be? In winter or in summer? In the city or in the country? By day or at night? Suddenly or after due preparation? From sickness or by accident? Will you have time to make your confession or not? Will you be assisted by your confessor and spiritual director? Unfortunately, you know nothing whatever about all this. Only one thing is certain: we will die -- and sooner than we think. (INT. Part I, Ch. 13; O. XII, p. 399)

January 9

All that we do must be motivated by love and not force. We must love to obey rather than fear to disobey. I leave you the spirit of liberty; not the liberty that excludes obedience, because this would be a liberty of the flesh, but the true spirit of liberty which includes obedience. When you have to omit your practices of piety for a just and charitable reason, I want you to make use of this occasion as a kind of obedience; then love will compensate for the spiritual exercises you have missed. (Letters 234; O. XII, p. 359)

January 10

We recognize genuine goodness as we do genuine balm. If balm sinks and stays at the bottom when dropped into water, it is rated the best and most valuable. So also, in order to know whether a person is truly wise, learned, generous and noble, we must observe whether his abilities tend to humility, modesty and obedience, for in that case they will be truly good. If they float on the surface and seek to show themselves, they are less genuine insofar as they are showy. (INT. Part III, Ch. 4; O. III, p. 141)

January 11

As soon as you are conscious of being tempted, follow the example of children when they see a wolf or a bear out in the country. They immediately run to the arms of their father or mother, or at least call to them for help and protection. In the same way, turn to God and implore His mercy and help. This is the remedy Our Lord Himself has taught us: "Be on guard and pray that you may not be put to the test." [Mk 14:38] (INT. IV. Ch. 7; O. III, p. 304)

January 12

There is no clock, no matter how good it may be, that doesn't need resetting and rewinding twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. In addition, at least once a year it must be taken apart to remove the dirt clogging it, straighten out bent parts and repair those worn out. In like manner, every morning and evening a person who really takes care of his heart must rewind it for God's service by means of certain practices of piety. At least once a year he must take it apart and examine every piece in detail; that is, every affection and passion, in order to repair whatever defects there may be. (INT. Part 5, Ch. 1; O. III, p. 340)

January 13

"You need patience to do God's will and receive what he has promised," says the apostle. [Heb 10:36] True, for our Savior Himself has declared, "By your patience you will possess your souls." [cf. Lk 21:19] It is our great happiness to possess our own soul, and the more perfect our patience the more completely do we possess our soul.. Therefore, it is very necessary that we perfect ourselves in this virtue. (INT. Part III, Ch. 3; O. III, p. 133)

January 14

We must not voluntarily nourish a desire to continue and persevere in venial sin of any kind. It would be an extremely foolish thing to wish deliberately to retain in our heart anything so displeasing to God as a will to offend Him. (INT. Part I, Ch. 22; O. III, p. 63)

January 15

I am not terribly concerned about living out these brief and passing moments, so long as I can live eternally with my God in glory. We have already started out on our trip to eternity, and we have taken the first steps; provided our eternity is a happy one, why worry about the passing moments of trial in this life? These tribulations last three or four days and are to be followed by so much eternal glory and joy! How is it possible that we are not prepared to put up with them?... Everything that has no bearing on eternity is mere vanity. (A.S. p. 359)

January 16

It is a very fine thing to feel ashamed of oneself when one realizes one's own imperfections and misery, but the feeling must not drag on lest one lose heart. It is necessary to raise the heart to God with a holy confidence, founded not in our strength but in God. We indeed change, but God never does; He always remains equally good and merciful toward us, whether we are weak and imperfect or perfect and strong. I always say that our misery is the throne of God's mercy, and so we must realize that the greater our misery, the greater should be our confidence in Him. (Spiritual Discourses II; O. VI, p. 22)

January 17

Considered in themselves, tribulations certainly cannot be loved, but considered in their origin, namely in the Providence of the Divine Will which has brought them about, they are to be loved with an infinite love. Just consider Moses' staff: laid on the ground, it was a ferocious serpent; in the hands of Moses it was a wonder-working wand. In like manner, tribulations in themselves are terrible, but considered as a manifestation of the will of God they are indications of love and delight. Likewise, love either removes the harshness of the trial or renders it lovable. (T.L.G. Book 3, Ch. 2; O. V, pp. 112-113)

January 18

To persevere in the devout life it is a matter of deciding upon some excellent and generous maxims, with the right intention. The first I would suggest to you is that of Saint Paul, "All turns out well for those who love God." [cf. Rom 8:28] If we agree that God can and does draw good out of evil, will He not do that especially for those who give themselves to Him without reserve? Even our very sins (from which may God preserve us!) are destined by Providence for the good of those who serve God. If David had not sinned, he would not have learned his deep sense of humility! ... (Letters 1420; O. XVIII, p. 209)

January 19

Our Lord Jesus Christ died for love of us, so we should, if required, be prepared to die for Him. Even if we cannot die for love of Him, we can at least live for Him alone. If we do not live for Him alone, we are really the most treacherous and ungrateful of creatures. Then is it true that the Divine Redeemer died for us?...Yes, He died nailed to the cross to give us life. Those die who do not imitate him, since there is neither death nor resurrection apart from the One on the cross. (Sermons 65; O. X, p. 364)

January 20

State openly that you desire to be devout. I do not say that you should assert that you are devout but that you desire to be devout. Do not be ashamed to practice the ordinary, necessary actions that bring us to the love of God. Acknowledge frankly that you are trying to meditate, that you would rather die than commit a mortal sin, that you are resolved to frequent the sacraments and to follow your director's advice. This candid confession of our desire to serve God and to consecrate ourselves entirely to His love is most acceptable to His Divine Majesty. (INT. V, Ch. 18; O. III, p. 365)

January 21

Take note: the great Agent of mercy converts our miseries into graces, turning the poison of our sins into a healing antidote for our souls. Tell me, then, what grace will do to heal our afflictions, soften our crosses and persecutions that we have to suffer. Therefore, when some misfortune strikes, of whatever nature it may be, be assured that, if we love the Lord with all our hearts, all will be converted into good; and later, though you cannot understand where this good comes from, be sure that it will most certainly happen. (Letters 1420; O. XVIII, pp. 209-210)

January 22

Love has its source in the heart, and we cannot love our neighbor too much or go to excess, provided love continues to reside in the heart. However, our external demonstrations of love may err or get out of control, passing the limits and rules of reason. The glorious Saint Bernard says that the limit of loving God is loving God without limits; His love must spread its roots as widely as possible. And what is said about love of God must also apply to love of our neighbor, so long as the love of God is greater and holds first place in our hearts. (Spiritual Treatises IV; O. VI, pp. 56-57)

January 23

Receive Holy Communion with courage, peace and humility, in response to the Divine Spouse, Who, in order to unite Himself to us, humbled Himself and so wonderfully abased Himself as to become our very food--we who will soon become a meal for worm...He who receives Communion according to the spirit of the Divine Spouse humbles himself and says to the Lord, "Masticate me, digest me, annihilate me, but convert me totally into You!" (Letters 1529; O. XVIII, p. 400)

January 24

During the course of the day, recall as often as possible that you are in God's presence. Consider what God does and what you are doing. You will see His eyes turned toward you and constantly fixed on you with incomparable love. Then you will say to Him, "O God, why do I not look always at You, just as You always look at me? Why do You think so often of me, O Lord, and why do I think so seldom of You?" Where are we, O my soul? God is our true place, and where are we? (INT. Part II, Ch. 12; O. III, p. 92)

January 25

I desire very little, and what I do desire I desire very little; I have hardly any desires, but if I were to begin my life all over again I would want to have none at all ... Ask for nothing, refuse nothing; we must simply abandon ourselves into the hands of Providence, without nourishing any other desire but to do whatever God wills. St. Paul practiced this act of absolute abandonment at the very moment of his conversion. When he was deprived of his sight, he immediately said, "Lord, what do you want me to do?" [cf. Act 22:10] From that moment on he put himself completely at God's disposal. All our perfection consists precisely in the practical application of this principle. (Spiritual Treatises XXI, O. VI, pp. 383-384)

January 26

We must have a good opinion of those we see practicing virtues, even though imperfectly, since we know that the saints themselves have often practiced them in this manner. As for ourselves, we must be careful to practice virtues not only faithfully but prudently. To this purpose we must strictly follow the advice of men, not to rely on our own prudence but on the judgment of those whom God has given us for direction. (INT. Part III, Ch. 2; O. III, p. 131)

January 27

Self-love dies only when our body dies, so we must, while we live in this land of exile, continue to counterattack its assaults on our senses and its underhanded tactics. It is enough if we firmly withstand, giving no willful or deliberate consent ... When we feel within ourselves the first movements of self-love or of other passions, let us prostrate ourselves immediately before the heart of God and tell Him, in a spirit of confidence and humility, "Lord, have mercy on me because I am a very weak creature." Then let us tranquilly rest in peace and put ourselves at God's disposal. (Letters 1675; O. XIX, pp. 272-273)

January 28

This poor life is only a journey to the happy life to come. We must not be angry with one another on the way, but rather we must march on as a band of brothers and sisters united in meekness, peace and love. I state absolutely and make no exception: do not be angry at all if that is possible. Do no accept any pretext whatever for opening your heart's door to anger. Saint James tells us positively and without reservation," ... a man's anger does not fulfill God's justice." [Jas 1:20] (INT. Part III, Ch. 8; O. III, p. 162)

January 29

To ensure that the saints pray and intercede for us, we must invoke them and ask their help The best way to celebrate their feasts is to realize the power they have with God for obtaining the graces of which we stand in need. Our Lord is so pleased when we profit from the intercession of the saints that, wishing to bestow on us some favor, He often inspires us to seek their mediation and invites us to ask them to pray for us. With full confidence we should seek their help and turn to them, especially on their feast days, without doubting for a moment that they will listen to us and will obtain for us what we are asking. (Sermons 51, O. X, pp. 136-137)

January 30

Keep this maxim well in mind: God is our Father, because if He were not, Jesus would not have commanded us to say, "Our Father..." What have you to fear if you are children of such a Father without whose Providence not even one hair of our head would fall? Is it not extraordinary that, being children of such a Father, we have or could have any other preoccupation than that of loving Him and serving Him? (Letters 1420; O. XVIII, p. 210)

January 31

What a great mystery the human spirit is! Religious would like to sing the song of the bishops, and married people that of religious, "so as to serve God better," they say. You fool yourself, my dear friend. You should not say you want to do this to love and serve God better, but to serve your self-satisfaction better. It is your own self-satisfaction that you love, far more than God's satisfaction! The will of God, for example, can be found in sickness and as a general rule even better than in good health. If we prefer good health, please do no let us say we do so because we want to serve God better. (T.L.G. Book 3, Ch. 10; O. V, p. 140)

Used with permission.

Text taken from the book: "Every Day with SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES"

Edited by Francis J. Klauder, S.D.B.

Library of Congress Card Catalogue Number 85-72838

ISBN 0-89944-082-7

February 1

Many are satisfied with carrying the Lord on their tongue, recounting His marvels and praising Him with great ardor; others carry Him in their hearts with tender and loving affection, which becomes part and parcel of their lives, thinking of Him and speaking to Him. But these two ways of carrying the Lord do not amount to much if the third element of carrying Him in their arms by good works is missing. (Sermons 2; O. IX, p. 22)

February 2

What greater or more profound humility can be imagined than that practice by the Lord and His holy mother, one coming to the temple to be offered like all the sons of sinful men and the other to purify herself like all other women? It is certainly no heroic effort on our part to abase ourselves or humiliate ourselves, since abasement and humiliation is often our due. Yet no sooner do little humiliations come our way than we immediately feel resentment, and, turning our backs on such a beautiful virtue, we wish to be esteemed as somebody! (Sermons 28; O. IX, pp. 251-252)

February 3

Just as little children learn to speak by listening to their mothers and lisping words after them, so also by keeping close to our Savior and meditating on and observing His words, actions and affections we learn by His grace to speak, act and will like Him. I assure you that we cannot go to God the Father except through this gate...Set aside an hour every day before dinner, or early in the morning when your mind is less distracted and fresher after the night's rest. Do no extend it for more than an hour unless your spiritual director expressly tells you to do so. (INT. Part II, Ch. 1; O. III, p. 70)

February 4

Let us embrace the good Jesus, living in daily attachment to Him and ready to die serenely in His presence. Place Him in your heart, like Solomon on his ivory throne. Make frequent visits there as the queen of Sheba did. Listen to His sacred words that He continually utters for our inspiration. Take care that your heart is always made of pure and firm ivory. Be constant in your resolutions and pure in your affections. (Letters 2010; O. XXI, p. 658)

February 5

Complain as little as possible about the wrongs you suffer. Undoubtedly, a person who complains commits a sin by doing so, since self-love always feels that injuries are worse than they really are. Above all, do not complain to irascible or fault-finding persons. If you feel the need to correct an offense or restore your peace of mind by complaining to someone, do so to those who are even-tempered and really love God. Instead of calming your mind, the others will create worse difficulties, and rather than pulling out the thorn that is hurting you, they will drive it deeper into your foot. (INT. Part III, Ch. 3; O. III, p. 136)

February 6

Certainly nothing can so effectively humble us before God's mercy as the multitude of His benefits, and nothing can so deeply humble us before His justice as the great number of our sins. Let us consider often what He has done for us and what we have done against Him. As we reflect on our sins one by one, let us also consider His graces one by one. There is no need to fear that knowledge of His gifts will make us proud, if only we remember this truth, they are from Him and not from ourselves. A lively consideration of graces received makes us humble, because knowledge of them begets gratitude for them. (INT. Part III, Ch. 5; O. III, p. 146)

February 7

In every class of society and in every position, we find the reprobate and the elect. Who is he, then, who has no fear, who is sure he does correspond to the graces proper to his position in life? We see Judas condemned and Matthias elected. Judas received far more graces than Matthias, who was not even called and numbered among the apostles by the Lord, but only elected by the apostles after the Ascension. Nevertheless, Matthias faithfully persevered and died a saintly death, while the miserable Judas, after being an apostle became an apostate! This gives every one of us reason to fear, in whatever call or condition we find ourselves, because there are dangers everywhere. (Sermons 58; O. X, pp. 248-151)

February 8

Do not get all worked up about the future disasters of this world, which may never occur anyway; when and if they do occur, God will give you the strength to bear them. Jesus commanded Saint Peter to walk on the water, but Peter, frightened by a gust of wind and the storm, almost drowned. Then he pleaded with the Lord, Who said to him, "What little faith you have ... why did you falter?" And putting forth His hand He saved him. [cf. Mt. 14:31] If God asks you to walk on the turbulent waters of adversity, do not doubt, do not fear, because God is with you. Have courage and you will be safe. (Letters 1420; O. XVII, p. 211)

February 9

Death, afflictions and other disasters which make up a large part of life and which are punishments for sin become, through the gentle mercy of God, so many steps to climb up to Heaven, so many means to grow in grace, and so many merits to gain glory. Therefore, it is right to say that we should love poverty, hunger, thirst, sadness, sickness, persecution and death, because they are just punishments for our faults, punishments so tempered by divine mercy that their very bitterness becomes something to be loved. (T.L.G. Book 3, Ch. 1; O. V, pp. 110-111)

February 10

Humility which does not produce generosity is false, because true humility, after it has said, "I can do nothing, I am good for nothing," must immediately give way to a generosity of spirit which says, "There is nothing nor can there be anything I cannot do if I place all my faith in God." The humble soul, relying on this confidence, with great courage takes up anything that is commanded. (Spiritual Treatises V; O. VI, p. 76)

February 11

The sacred spouse in the Canticle of Canticles says that His bride has ravished His heart with one of her eyes and one of her tresses [cf. Sg 4:9] Of all the outer parts of the human body, none is nobler in structure or activity than the eye and none of less value than the hair. Hence the sacred Spouse implies that He is pleased to accept the great deeds of devout persons, but that their least and lowest deeds are also acceptable to Him, and that to serve Him as He wishes we must take great care to serve Him well both in great, lofty matters and in small, unimportant things. With love we can capture His heart by the one just as well as by the other. (INT. Part III, Ch. 35; O. III, p. 254)

February 12

We know that there are several ways of obeying. Some people, for example, esteem this virtue and willingly speak about it. Talk is not enough, however; we must come to practice it as occasions present themselves. Others want to obey, but in things that are not difficult or contrary to their inclinations. The Lord is not pleased with this kind of obedience, but wants us to obey in difficult things as well as in easy ones, and to be constant in our obedience. (Sermons 85; O. X, p. 387)

February 13

Pearls conceived and nourished by wind or thunder claps are mere crust, devoid of substance. So also when virtues and fine qualities are conceived and nurtured by pride and vanity, they are without substance or solidity, having merely the appearance of good. Honors, dignities and rank are like saffron, which thrives best and grows most plentifully when trodden under foot. (INT. Part III, Ch. 4; O. III, p. 141)

February 14

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)

February 15

Our miseries and weaknesses must not scare us, because the Lord has seen much greater ones. His mercy does not reject the miserable but gives them His grace and raises them from the depths of baseness and abjection to His throne of glory. I would like to have a good hammer to blunt the keen desire of your spirit to progress in its virtue. So often have I told you that, in the spiritual life, we must walk in a very simple way. If you do well, thank and praise God; if you do something wrong, make an act of humility! I know quite well that you do not want to do the wrong thing on purpose, so consider the wrong things you do as the means to keep you humble. (Letters 912; O. VI, p. 68)

February 16

Let us try sincerely, humbly and devoutly to acquire those little virtues our Savior has proposed as the goal of our care and labor. These are meekness, patience, mortification, humility, obedience, poverty, chastity, tenderness towards our neighbor, bearing with others' imperfections, diligence and holy fervor. Let us gladly leave the lofty virtues to lofty souls; we do not desire so high a rank in God's service, and we should be more than happy to serve Him in His kitchen or to be His lackeys, porters or chamberlains. While blessing God for the eminence of others, let us keep to our lower but simpler way. It is less distinguished but better suited to our littleness. If we conduct ourselves with humility and good faith, God will raise us up to heights that are surely great. (INT. Part III, Ch. 2; O. III, p. 132)

February 17

Take for yourself the maxim of the apostle, "May I never boast of anything but the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ!" [Gal 6:14] Put Jesus crucified in your heart, and all the crosses of this world will seem to be roses. Those who have felt the punctures of the crown of thorns of the Savior Who is our Head will in no way feel any other wounds. (Letters 1420; O. XVIII, p. 221)

February 18

Our Savior has instituted the most august sacrament of the Eucharist, which really contains His flesh and blood, so that whoever eats of it shall live forever. Therefore, whoever turns to it frequently and devoutly builds up his soul's health in such a way that it is almost impossible for him to be poisoned by evil infection of any kind. We cannot be nourished by this flesh of life and still suffer death within us. Just as the first man and woman dwelling in the earthly paradise might have avoided bodily death by the power of that living fruit which God had planted in it, so also can we avoid spiritual death by virtue of this sacrament of life. Tender fruits such as cherries, apricots and strawberries are subject to subject to decay, yet they are easily preserved for a whole year with sugar or honey. Is there any wonder then, that our heart, no matter how frail and weak, is preserved from the corruption of sin when sweetened by the incorruptible flesh and blood of the Son of God? (INT. Part II, Ch. 20; O. III, p. 116)

February 19

An interior conversion, a change for the better in one's life, is an indication of the presence of the Holy Spirit. 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)

February 20

"Happy the man who knows how to control zeal," says Saint Ambrose. Saint Bernard adds, "the devil will easily delude you if you neglect knowledge. Therefore, let your zeal be inflamed with charity, adorned with knowledge and established in constancy." True zeal is the child of charity, since it is its ardor. Therefore, like charity, it is patient and kind. It is without quarrelling, without hatred, without envy; it rejoices in the truth, The ardor of true zeal is like the hunter's: diligent, careful, active industrious, eager in pursuit, but without passion, anger, bad temper or vexation. Otherwise, hunting would not be such a popular sport. In like manner, the ardor of zeal must be stable, industrious, untiring and likeable. Completely different is false zeal: it is turbulent, troubled, insolent, arrogant, choleric, impetuous and unstable. (T.L.G. Book 10, Ch. 16, pp. 189-190)

February 21

The Holy Spirit gives us His advice through the words of the prince of the apostles, "Take great care to use your time well and make sure of your vocation through good works." [cf. 2 Pt 1:10] This warning must make us live in great fear and humility in whatever state we find ourselves, but at the same time we must raise our heart to the divine Goodness invoking His grace and His help and keeping our affection fixed on Him by means of frequent and fervent ejaculations. (Sermons 58; O.X, pp. 259-260)

February 22

Love is the life of our heart. Just as weights give movement to the movable parts of a clock, so love gives to the soul whatever movement it has. All our affections follow our love. According to it, we desire, rejoice, hope, despair, fear, take heart, hate, feel sadness or aversion, grow angry and exult. We see how men who have given their hearts as prey to a base, ignoble love of women desire only what goes with such love. Hence, when divine love reigns in our hearts like a king, it brings into subjection all other loves possessed by the will. It is the saving water of which Our Lord has said, "... whoever drinks the water I give him will never be thirsty..." [Jn 4:14] (T.L.G. Book 11, Ch. 20; O. V, p. 309)

February 23

When, O Lord, will patience with our neighbor take possession of our hearts? This is the final and most excellent lesson of the teaching of the saints; happy that spirit who fully understands this! We are always anxious that others put up with our miseries, and that they tolerate us; yet the miseries and faults of our neighbor always seem so great and unsupportable! (Letters 1243; O. XVII, p. 289)

February 24

All of us will die on a day we do not know at present, but how happy we will be if we die with our dear Savior in our hearts! Indeed, we must always keep Him there, making our spiritual exercises in His company and offering Him our desires, resolutions and protests. It is a thousand times better to die with the Lord than to live without Him. If we live happily and courageously in His company, there is no reason to be terrified by death. I do not say we should have no fear, but that we should not be too disturbed by it. If the death of the Savior is propitious for us, our own death will be a happy one. For this reason we should often think of His holy death, and love His cross and His passion. (Letters 439; O. XIII, p. 382)

February 25

It is a difficult thing to have an exact idea of one's goal, but it is likewise true that all of us must perfectly pinpoint the virtue we are aiming to acquire. However, if we cannot do this, we must not lose courage or get upset; we must get as close to the goal as possible, because even the saints did not succeed in doing any more than that. Only Our Lord and the virgin most holy fully succeeded. (Spiritual Conferences IV; O. VI, pp. 59-60)

February 26

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 for our conservation. Well, Jesus Christ attained this excess of love: He made Himself our food! But what do we 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)

February 27

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 hid 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 exterior occupations. There, as in a stronghold, they can defend themselves against temptation. Blessed will be the soul that can truly say to Our Lord, "You are my place of strength and my stronghold to give me safety, my roof against the rain, my shade against the heat." [cf. Ps 46:1] (INT. Part 2, Ch. 12; O. III, p. 92)

February 28

Deepen day by day the resolution to serve God devotedly, to attend to His will and be entirely His. Reserve nothing for yourself or for the world. Embrace with sincerity the holy designs to God, whatever they are. Never deceive yourself that you have realized purity of heart unless you are entirely, freely and joyfully subject to God's holy will in all things, even the most repugnant. Therefore, do not consider so much what you do but the One Who commands you to do them. He will further His own glory and our perfections, even in those things that seem to us lowly and imperfect. (Letters 282; O. XIII, pp. 38-39)

February 29

Let us always bless the feet of the Savior and say to Him, "My heart, O Lord, protests my fidelity and my eyes seek Your face." Let us keep our eyes on Jesus Christ to contemplate Him, our mouth employed to praise Him, our whole heart intent on nothing less than to please Him without limits. (Letters 1155; O. XVIII, p. 128)

Used with permission.

Text taken from the book: "Every Day with SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES"

Edited by Francis J. Klauder, S.D.B.

Library of Congress Card Catalogue Number 85-72838

ISBN 0-89944-082-7

March 1

The obligations that we have toward the Eternal Father for creation, we have likewise toward Jesus Christ, Who, by the redemption, has acquired every right of sovereignty over all redeemed creatures. Let us, therefore, exclaim and say to Jesus, "Yes, my God and my King, reign over my soul, my heart and my will; possess all my faculties and submit them entirely to the sceptre of obedience." (Meditations for Solitude, p. 50)

March 2

Recall to mind how long it is since you began to sin; note how greatly sins have multiplied in your heart since that first beginning and how every day you have increased them against God, yourself and your neighbor by deed, word, desire and thought. Consider your evil inclinations, and how often you have given way to them. By these two points you will discover that your sins are more numerous than the sands of the sea. Cast yourself at the feet of the Lord and say to Him, "Lord, with the help of your grace, I will never again abandon myself to sin." (INT. Part I, Ch. 12; O. III, p. 41)

March 3

We must accommodate our heart to the condition of life in which we are, because life goes quickly and we are mortal, and death follows no set rules. It chooses here and there, without any pattern of selection and without method, taking the good and the bad, the young and the old. Happy are those who live in continual, vigilant watch! (Letters 132; O. XVIII, p. 25)

March 4

Watch the bees on the thyme; they find a very bitter juice, but, by sucking it, convert it into honey. O worldly people! At times devout souls encounter great bitterness in their works of mortification, but by performing them they change them into something most sweet and delicious. Because the martyrs were devout men and women, fire, flame, wheel and sword seemed to be flowers and perfume to them. If devotion can sweeten the most cruel torments and even death itself, what must it do for virtuous actions? (INT. Part I, Ch. 2; O. III, p. 117)

March 5

Do not limit your patience to putting up with only some kinds of injuries or afflictions, but accept all those which God sends you or lets happen to you. There are some who want to put up with only honorable afflictions, such as being wounded at war, persecuted for the faith or the like. These people love tribulations only because of the honor that goes with them. (INT. Part III, Ch. 3; O. III, p. 134)

March 6

Do not get upset about the dryness and coldness you are suffering; be consoled in the depths of your heart, remembering the words of our Lord, "How blest are the poor in spirit...Blest are they who hunger and thirst for holiness..." [Mt. 5:3-6] How happy you should be to serve God in the desert, without manna and without water, consoled only by the fact that He is guiding you and you are suffering for Him. (Letters 1986; O. XXI, p. 25)

March 7

How dangerous sin is, be it ever so small and slight! See that you do not loiter by the wayside, but always keep on walking straight ahead. During this mortal life it is impossible to remain long in one state, and the person who does not go ahead tends to slip back. Keep on the watch against venial sin, since, neglecting the help of grace even once, we leave ourselves open to commit the same sin again; and with the multiplication of venial sins we dispose ourselves to commit mortal sins. (Sermons 58; O. X, p. 259)

March 8

There is no need to get upset if we find that we are not on equally friendly terms with everyone, provided we love our neighbor cordially, with real affection, as the Lord has commanded us, preferring the other person always and in everything above ourselves, according to the order of holy charity, and never refusing to do anything we can for him or her. We must be prepared to do everything for our neighbor except damn ourselves! (Spiritual Treatises IV; O. VI, pp. 60-61)

March 9

Do not pay any attention to the kind of work you do, but rather to the honor that it brings to God, even though it may seem quite trivial. Desire only to do the Divine Will, following Divine Providence, which is the disposition of Divine Wisdom. In a word, if your works are pleasing to God and recognized as such, that is all that matters. Work hard every day at increasing your purity of heart, which consists in appraising things and weighing them in the balance of God's will. (Letters 280; O. XIII, p. 53)

March 10

The greatest fault we commit in our prayers, in our occupations and in our setbacks is the lack of confidence in God. This is the reason why we fail to receive from the Divine Goodness the help we deserve and ask for. (Sermons 56; O. X, p. 225)

March 11

Often during the day, even while outwardly engaged in conversations and business with others, remember to retire to the solitude of your heart to be with God. This mental solitude cannot be in any way impeded, even if many people stand about you, since they surround, not your heart, but only your body. Your heart remains alone in the presence of God. (INT. Part II, Ch. 12; O. III, p. 92)

March 12

Live humbly, gently and lovingly with your divine Spouse. Do not be worried, but put behind you the memory of your small failings by confessing them. As we fail so often without realizing it, so we also rise again without realizing it. It is said that the just person falls seven times, not that he sees or feels the fall. Even if he falls seven times seven without realizing it, he also rises. Do not be too worried about this, but with frankness and humility say to your confessor what you remember, leaving everything else to the gentle mercy of God. He puts His hand under those who fall without malice, provided they do no harm and do not remain wounded. He raises and heals them so quietly that they do not even realize that they have fallen, because the divine hand has caught them. They fail to realize what has happened because God's help came so quickly that they did not even have time to notice it. (Letters 1382; O. XVIII, p. 136)

March 13

We have two lives; the first is according to the "old man" with the faults, weaknesses and infirmities inherited from our father Adam. Therefore we live in the sin of Adam, and ours is a mortal life, more like death than life. In the second life we live according to the "new man"; namely, according to the graces, favors and will of the Savior. As a consequence, we live in the redemption, for eternal salvation. This new life is a loving, full and sanctifying one. Everyone who wishes to live according to this new life must pass through the death of the old life, crucifying his flesh with all its evil appetites. (Letters Book 1, Ch. 7; O. V, pp. 31-32)

March 14

Do not love anything too much, I beg you, not even virtues, for by loving them too much we run the risk of losing them. Be what you are and do it well, to honor the Artificer who has made you...Be what God wants..., Provided that you belong to him totally. Do not try to be what you want to be, contrary to God's will. Even if we were the most excellent creatures in the world, of what use would this be if we are not living according to the will of God? (Letters 289; O. XIII, p. 53)

March 15

We should approach holy prayer purely and simply to do our duty and give witness to our fidelity. If it pleases His Divine Majesty to speak to us and aid us by His holy inspirations and interior consolations, it is certainly a great honor and the sweetest of delights. But if it does not please God to give us this grace, ignoring us as if He did no see us or as if we were not in His presence, we must not leave on that account but remain there devotedly and peacefully. The Lord will infallibly be pleased with our patience and note our diligence and perseverance, so that when we come before Him again He will favor us with His consolations and enable us to taste the delights of deep prayer. (INT. Part II, Ch. 9; O. III, p. 87)

March 16

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

March 17

A will resigned to God's will should have no other desire but to simply live out that Divine Will. As a person who is traveling on a ship does not move along by his own efforts but lets himself be carried along by the ship, so likewise a heart that is embarked on the divine good pleasure should have no other will but that of permitting itself to be led by God's will. In such a case, the heart no longer says, "... Not my will but yours be done," [Lk 22:42] for there is no will to renounce. It simply says, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." [Lk 23:46] (T.L.G. Book 9, Ch. 13; O. V, pp. 150-151)

March 18

Lent is the autumn of the spiritual life during which we gather fruit to keep us going for the rest of the year. Enrich yourselves with these treasures, which nobody can take away from you and which cannot be destroyed. I am accustomed to say that we will not spend Lent well unless we are determined to make the most of it. Let us, therefore, spend this Lent as if it were our last, and we will make it well. Listen to the sermons, because holy words are pearls; they are ships of infinite mercy - the true ocean of the East. (Letters 329; O. XIII, p. 144)

March 19

Thinking of the grandeur of Saint Joseph, consider the words, "Lord, look with favorable eyes on the good and upright of heart." [cf. Ps 36:11] I would like to say a few words about this saint whom we love so much because he has cultivated love in every heart. My God, how good and upright this great saint must have been if the Lord gave him the lofty privilege of being entrusted with His mother and His Son! With these two responsibilities, he could have been envied by the angels. Could anyone in all heaven possess any greater privilege than this? Who is there among the angels who could be compared with the queen of angels? And who can compare with the Son of God Himself? Yet Saint Joseph was closer to them than anyone else. (Letters 671; O. XV, p. 33)

March 20

To receive Holy Communion every week we must be free of mortal sin and have no affection for venial sin. We should also have a great desire to go to Communion. To go to Communion every day it is necessary, in addition, that we have overcome most of our evil inclinations and that we have consulted our spiritual director. (INT. Part II, Ch. 20; O. III, p. 118)

March 21

The means necessary to build a spiritual edifice and acquire the precious pearl of perfection is the entire renunciation of ourselves and our own will - nothing else. This involves breaking away from all our evil inclinations and aversions. In fact, it is absolutely certain that perfection can be attained in no other way. (Sermons II; O. IX, p. 82)

March 22

So you want to know the best time to serve the Lord? It is the present time, which is in your possession here and now. The past is no longer yours; the future has not come yet and is uncertain. The best time is really the present, which you should spend in serving God. If you want to recover lost time, do your best, with fervor and diligence, in the time that still remains to you. (Sermons 16; O. IX, p. 132)

March 23

There is no need to fear that knowledge of the gifts that God has given us will make us proud, so long as we remember that none of the good in us comes from ourselves. Do mules cease to be dull, disguising beasts because they are carrying the precious belongings and perfumes of a prince? What good do we possess that we have not received? And if we received it, why do we glory in it? On the contrary, a lively consideration of the graces we have received makes us humble, because knowledge of them causes us to be grateful. (INT. Part III, Ch. 5; O. III, p. 346)

March 24

Live totally united to God and in Him alone, because life separated from Him is nothing but death! You do well not to influence your daughter's will; it is solely the work of the Holy Spirit to send good inspirations according to His own pleasure. On my part, I still have some hope and good indications that He will make her totally and perfectly His own. I do not doubt that she will obtain sufficient help to discover the truth, seeing that she seems marked for divine favor. (Letters 1090; O. XVII, p. 10)

March 25

Think for a moment of the piety of the Madonna when the angel told her that the Spirit would overshadow her. What sentiments of humility, confidence and courage! At the very moment when she understood that God had given her His heart, that is, His Son, she gave herself to God. Her soul was flooded with charity, so she could say with the sacred spouse, "...My heart trembled within me, and I grew faint when he spoke." [Sg:5:4] As far as we are concerned, we receive a similar grace in Communion, because not an angel but Jesus Christ Himself assures us that in it the Holy Spirit descends on us. Heavenly power covers us with its shadow and the Son of God really comes to us. He can say that He is conceived and born in us. Truly then, the soul can respond with the Madonna, "I am the servant of the Lord; let is be done to me as you say." [Lk 1:38] (Spiritual Directory, Art. 12)

March 26

Oh, contemplate how Jesus Christ our Savior, at the moment of His Incarnation, took us all without exception on His shoulders, because from that moment He accepted the task of redeeming us by His death on the cross! The Redeemer's soul knew all of us by name, above all on the day of His passion, when He offered His tears, His prayers, His blood and His life for all, and addressed His Eternal Father on our behalf with this loving aspiration: "Father, I take upon myself all the sins of poor Theotimus. I am ready to undergo torment and death so that he may be freed." O supreme love of the heart of Jesus! What heart can ever bless You as devoutly as it ought? (T.L.G. Book 12, Ch. 12; O. V, p. 344)

March 27

If at times it seems that the Lord is not listening to us, we must be careful not to lose heart. It may be that He wants us to shout a little louder into the ears of His goodness, to prove as a result the greatness of His mercy ... When the Lord withdraws His consolations in prayer, He does not do this to discourage us or create a gulf between us, but to force us to come closer to His goodness, to practice perseverance and to give some proof of our patience. (Sermons 58; O. X, p. 229)

March 28

It is better to learn to live without anger than to try to employ it wisely and moderately. When, through imperfection of weakness, we find ourselves victims of this passion, it is better to drive it away quickly than to start entertaining it. Once we start dallying with it, we let it take control ... So we must immediately gather all our forces and cry out to God with gentleness, "Have pity on me." (INT. Part III, Ch. 8; O. III, p. 164)

March 29

Observe how kind Divine Providence is to us! God encourages us to have confidence in Him. A son will never perish while he is in the arms of his Almighty Father. If God does not always give us what we ask, He only does this to keep us near Him. He wants us to ask Him for help, storming heaven with a loving violence. He is kind and merciful. As soon as we submit ourselves to His will, He immediately grants our wishes. (Letters 1513; O. XVIII, p. 369)

March 30

Holy detachment is one of the virtues which Our Lord Jesus Christ spread abroad with a delightful scent. It was a lovely flower in His most holy passion. It is the most excellent of virtues because it shares in the firmness of charity, in the perfume of humiliy, in the merit of patience and in the fruit of perseverance. Great is this virtue, worthy of being practiced by all the children of God. (Sermons 29; O. IX, p. 283)

March 31

If we have a taste for divine things, worldly things will no longer excite our appetite. How can it be possible, after having considered the goodness, the stability and the eternity of God, to have a heart in love with the vanities of this world? We must put up with the vanity of the world, but we must love only the truth of God. (Letters 439; O. XIII, p. 382)

Used with permission.

Text taken from the book: "Every Day with SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES"

Edited by Francis J. Klauder, S.D.B.

Library of Congress Card Catalogue Number 85-72838

ISBN 0-89944-082-7

April 1

Friendship based on the pleasures of the senses I mean is coarse and does not deserve the name of friendship. The same holds true for friendships based on vain and frivolous qualities, since they also have their roots in the senses. By pleasures of the senses I mean those that principally originate from the external senses, such as pleasure in looking at beautiful things or listening to a sweet voice, pleasure of touch and the like. Friendships based on such things deserve to be called follies rather than friendships! (INT. Part III, Ch. 17; O. III, p. 196)

April 2

Venial sin, no matter how slight it may be, displeases God. Therefore, if it displeases God, any will and affection that one has for venial sin is nothing less than a disposition to offend the Divine Majesty. Is it possible that an upright soul should not only displease God but even nourish within itself an affection and a will to displease Him? (INT. Part I, Ch. 22; O. III, p. 63)

April 3

"Saint Augustine says that if we want to die well, we must live well; as our life is, so shall our death be. To sum up the matter in a few words, we say that the rule for a happy death is to lead a good life, placing our trust in the merits of the passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, without whom every day would be a terrible and terrifying event. (Sermons 62; O.X, p. 234)

April 4

I would advise you to consider from time to time the quantity of your interior and exterior goods, and at the same time the very great number of interior and exterior punishments that Divine Providence has prepared for us in His most holy justice and His great mercy. As if opening the arms of our consent, let us most lovingly embrace all this by saying, "Yes, Lord, Your will be done on earth, where we have no pleasure without pain, no roses without thorns, no day without a night to follow, no spring without a winter that preceded it. Here consolations are rare and trials are countless. Still, O God, Your will be done." (T.L.G. IX, Ch. 1; O. V, pp. 111-112)

April 5

The truly patient person, the true servant of God, bears up equally under ignominious tribulations and those that are honorable. To be despised, criticized or accused by evil men is something that a courageous man does not mind. But it takes a lot of virtue to accept being criticized, denounced and badly treated by good people - by our relatives and friends. (INT. Part III, Ch. 3; O. III, p. 137)

April 6

Let us not forget the maxims of the saints, who teach us to advance a little further each day on the road to perfection. This thought should encourage us not to be surprised or to feel miserable whenever we have something to correct. Each day we must begin again with renewed courage. (Letters 1049; O. XVI, p. 312)

April 7

One of the greatest proofs of love that Jesus displayed on the cross was putting up with the imperfections of His neighbor. There He showed us that He has a heart that loves us tenderly and watches over us kindly. He even showed His love for those who put Him to death. In those dire moments the Savior expressed thoughts of love even for his executioners, pardoning them in the very act of sinning! How petty-minded we are when we cannot bring ourselves to forget some injury received, even after a long time! Whoever sincerely pardons another calls down abundant blessings and perfectly imitates Christ. (Spiritual Treatises IV; O. VI, pp. 65-66)

April 8

To live according to the spirit means thinking, speaking and working virtuously, not according to the senses or the desires of the flesh. Certainly we are susceptible to emotions, but we must keep them under control and not live according to them. But what are the virtues of the spirit? Faith, which shows us truths beyond the comprehension of the senses; hope, which makes us aim at the good that is invisible; and charity, which makes us love God above everything else and our neighbor as ourselves - not with a purely natural or self-interested love, but with a love that is pure, unchangeable and solidly founded on God. (Letters 1197; O. VII, p. 205)

April 9

Make frequent spiritual aspirations to God by means of short but ardent movements of the heart. Marvel at His beauty, implore His help, cast yourself in spirit at the foot of the cross, adore His goodness, and beg Him that you may be saved eternally. Give Him your heart and offer your soul to Him thousands and thousands of times. Fix the eyes of your soul upon His gentle face and hold Him by the hand, just as a small child does with his father. (INT. Part II, Ch. 13; O. III, p. 94)

April 10

The Lord does not want us to do what He Himself has not done; namely, give of Himself partially. His goodness is so great that He gave Himself to us entirely. This is the way He wants us to give ourselves to Him. But how can we give ourselves entirely to God? By not holding back anything from Him, not even a single desire, that is what the Lord wants from us. (Sermons 16; O. IX, p. 135)

April 11

Admire in all things the all-embracing will of God. Through it He performs all His works of mercy and justice in Heaven, on earth and in the abyss. Therefore, with the deepest humility, approve, praise and love this holy, just and lovable will. Again, admire the particular will of God by which He loves especially His own, asking them to accept many tribulations and trials approvingly. Consider this same will in your person, in all that happens to you, be it good or bad, apart from sin; then praise it, approve it and love it. Finally, proclaim your determination to honor, adore and bless His holy will, and put yourself and everything that belongs to you at His disposal. (Letters 430; O. XIII, p. 361)

April 12

We must not be afraid of the assaults and stupidities of our common enemy, because he can do us no harm. With fear comes uneasiness, with uneasiness comes tiredness, and finally, weariness makes us give up our exercise of piety. Therefore, without becoming afraid, be happy to be like little chicks under the wings of the Divine. Let us fear no one but God, but let it be a loving fear. Let us keep our doors well barred and take care lest the walls of our good resolutions be battered down. Then let us live in peace, letting our enemy roar and prowl about [cf. 1 Pt 5:8] as wildly as he likes -- he cannot harm us. (Letters 405; O. XIII pp. 300-301)

April 13

There are some people who, desiring to become perfect by the acquiring of virtues, want to acquire them all at once, as if perfection consisted merely in desiring it. Certainly it would be wonderful if we could become humble immediately and as soon as we desired it. It would be nice if we could put on this virtue as easily as we put on a coat. Since this is impossible, we must be content to acquire perfection by following the usual ways, with tranquility of heart and determination. Whether the realization of our desires comes sooner or later, we must not get upset, but leave all to Divine Providence. God will console us in His own good time. (Sermons 28; O. IX, p. 263)

April 14

If you happen to commit some fault, correct yourself gently by humbling yourself before God. Admit your misery, but do not let yourself be dejected by your fall. Is there any wonder than infirmity is infirm, weakness weak and misery wretched? Nevertheless, detest with all your heart your offense of God. With great courage and confidence in His mercy, return to the path of virtue. (INT. Part III, Ch. 9; O. III, p. 168)

April 15

Suppose the Lord gave us a choice between good health and sickness. Let us suppose He said to us: "If you choose good health, I will not deprive you of a single measure of my grace. If instead you choose sickness, I will not give you any extra graces. Nevertheless, in choosing sickness you will be just a little close to my will in your regard." A soul perfectly abandoned to God would without fail choose sickness rather than good health, in order to be a little more pleasing to God. Abandonment to God's will is the virtue of virtues! (Spiritual Treatises, II; O. VI, p. 25)

April 16

To take up our cross and follow Jesus Christ means nothing other than receiving and accepting all the troubles, contradictions, afflictions and mortifications that come our way in this life. We should accept them with complete submission and resignation. We ought not select our own crosses, but we should accept and carry those that are offered to us. In this way we imitate the Savior, Who did not choose His own cross, but humbly took upon Himself the one prepared for Him. (Sermons 2; O. IX, p. 18)

April 17

The chief intention that you must have in going to Communion should be to advance in the love of God. Communion should strengthen and comfort you in this love. Receive with love the gift of love. There is no more loving or more tender gift of the Savior than this. Here He annihilates Himself, so to speak, and changes Himself into food, so that He may fill our souls, intimately uniting Himself to the heart and body of the faithful person. (Spiritual Treatises, II, Ch. 21; O. III, p. 121)

April 18

If the world despises us, let us rejoice, because there is reason for it; let us realize that we deserve it. If it esteems us, let us despise its judgments. Its esteem for us is blind, without foundation of knowledge or truth. Do not worry about what the world thinks. Despise its esteem. Let is say whatever it likes, whether good or bad. What is desirable is that we keep our eyes fixed on Christ, going about our work no matter what the world thinks. Truly the world is a great charlatan and always talks too much, both about what is good and what is bad. (Letters 331; O. XIII, pp. 150-151)

April 19

The traveler who has lost his way walks on in doubt. As he goes, he keeps looking now to the right and now to the left, and frequently stops to examine where he is. The man who is sure he is on the right path goes along cheerfully, confidently and quickly. It is the same with love. A person who looks for God's will amid consolations is always in doubt and afraid of taking a wrong turn. Instead of loving God's will, he loves only his own pleasure. But if we lovingly walk according to God's will, even in the midst of afflictions, it is with a confident feeling. Since affliction can in no way be lovable in itself, our love is directed only to the hand which sends it! (T.L.G. Book 9, Ch. 2; O. V, pp. 115-116)

April 20

Let us walk lightly and joyously amid the difficulties of this passing life. Let us willingly accept the mortifications, pains and afflictions that we find on the way. We are certain that these trials will end with this life, after which there will be only joy and eternal consolations. (Sermons 57; O. X, p. 247)

April 21

True humility does not make a show of itself and hardly ever speaks in a humble way, not only because it wants to hide the other virtues, but most of all because it wants to conceal itself. Therefore, if it were lawful to lie, dissemble or scandalize one's neighbor, humility would perform acts of arrogance and pride, so that it might conceal itself beneath them and live completely hidden and unknown. Here then is my advice: Do not utter words expressing humility unless you can say them from the bottom of your heart. Let us not lower our eyes without humbling ourselves in our hearts; let us not make a show of wanting to be the last if we do not want to be that in reality. (INT. Part III, Ch. 5; O. III, p. 147)

April 22

Everything passes, O Christians; after a few days of this present life, we shall enjoy that life which has no end. It does not matter one iota if these days are comfortable or uncomfortable, provided we are happy for all eternity. Let this holy eternity that awaits us be our consolation, together with the thought of being Christians, brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, reborn by means of His blood. Our glory consists simply and solely in this, that the Savior died for us. (Letters 1547; O. XIX, p. 10)

April 23

My God, if we were to grasp heavenly inspirations in all their fullness and power, we would make great progress in virtue in a very short time. No matter how abundant the source of the water is, the water does not enter the garden in proportion to the source but in proportion to the canal that carries it. In the same way, the Holy Spirit, as a source of living water, surrounds our heart on all sides to scatter His grace according to His pleasure, but He does not want to enter the heart without the free consent of our will or without our cooperation. (T.L.G. Book 2, Ch. 11; O. IV, p. 121)

April 24

Great opportunities to serve God rarely present themselves, but minor ones are very often put before us. Now, "Whoever is faithful in small things," says the Savior, "will be put in charge of greater things." [cf. Mt 25:23] Do everything in the name of God, and all you do will be done well. Whether you eat or drink, sleep or rest, you will profit greatly before God by doing all these things because God wishes you to do them. (INT. Part III, Ch. 35; O. III, p. 256)

April 25

You recognize thousands of imperfections and failings in yourself, contrary to your desire for purity and perfect love of God. In reply I say that it is not possible to avoid all of these. While we live on this earth, we have to put up with ourselves, until the day that God takes us to Heaven. Meanwhile, we can do no more than to keep a close watch on ourselves, and be patient. How can we correct in one day defects that we have contracted by our prolonged lack of diligence? Sometimes God has healed a person in an instant, without leaving a trace of his previous spiritual sickness. But in so many others He has left the scars of their conversion, for the greater benefit of their souls. (Letters 277; O. XIII, p. 19)

April 26

One of the virtues which Our Lord displayed for us on the cross was holy perseverance. Without this virtue we cannot merit the fruit of His passion and death. It is little use beginning well if we do not persevere until the end. In fact, it is certain that we will remain for all eternity in the state we find ourselves at the end of our days, when God will cut off the thread of our lives. (Sermons 29; O. IV, p. 283)

April 27

Think deeply and often that in this world we are walking between paradise and hell. The last step of our life will carry us to our eternal dwelling, but we do not know what this last step will be; we must be careful about all the other steps that precede it. Oh holy and unending eternity! Happy are those who give it considerable thought. We do not know how long we will be in this world. Hence it would be a childish act of foolishness not to use whatever time we have as a stepping stone to a blessed eternity! Let the whole of our life lead us to eternal benefits. (Letters 637; O. XIV, pp. 380-381)

April 28

As soon you realize that you have given way to anger, correct the fault straight away by an act of meekness toward the person who annoyed you. The only remedy against lying it to correct the lie as soon as we realize we have told it; so we must also repair our anger instantly by an act of meekness, because, as the saying goes, fresh wounds are the quickest to be healed. (INT. Part III, Ch. 8; O. III, p. 165)

April 29

So long as we tackle all our troubles ourselves, we shall be always worried and tired, and Our Lord will leave us to our own devices; but when we leave everything to Him, He will look after all our troubles Himself. The interest that God will have for us will be in proportion to the degree that we abandon ourselves to Him. I am not just speaking of temporal things, but also of spiritual ones. The Lord Himself taught this same truth to His beloved Saint Catherine of Siena: "Always think about me, my daughter, and I will think about you." Oh, how happy are those loving souls who know how to observe this rule, thinking only about the Lord, faithfully keeping themselves in His presence, listening to what He has to say to their hearts, obeying His divine inspiration and attractions, and not living or aspiring for anything but to please Him. (Sermons 71; O. X, p. 300)

April 30

Our Divine Savior wishes to extract the heart from our breast, as He did for Saint Catherine, whose feast we celebrate today, to give in return His most divine heart. Hence she could live for love of Him alone. What tremendous happiness would be mine one day, after Holy Communion, to find my poor heart taken out of my breast and in its place the adorable heart of my God! But since we must not desire such extraordinary things, I can at least desire that my poor heart may beat no longer, except in obedience to the heart of Jesus. This would be enough to imitate Saint Catherine, and I would be gentle, humble and charitable, seeing that the heart of our Savior has no laws more loving that those of gentleness, humility and charity. (Letters 684; O. XV, pp. 50-51)

Used with permission.

Text taken from the book: "Every Day with SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES"

Edited by Francis J. Klauder, S.D.B.

Library of Congress Card Catalogue Number 85-72838

ISBN 0-89944-082-7

May 1

What greater honor or grace, what more real and perfect happiness can we desire, than that of being loved by God? Yet our hearts allow themselves to be carried away by their caprices and go from creature to creature, just as if they were going from house to house, to see if they can find lodgings and discover real satisfaction. All in vain! God, Who has reserved the human heart for Himself, has forbidden all creatures to give our hearts genuine satisfaction and contentment, so that we are forced to return to Our Lord. And even if we return to Him more by force than by love, God does not refuse to restore us to His grace, to give us back the place we had previously enjoyed, and to caress us without inflicting any reproaches. (Sermons 46; O. X, pp. 45-46)

May 2

As the day breaks we see more clearly in a mirror the spots and stains of our faces. In the same way, as the inward light of the Holy Spirit enlightens our consciences, we see more clearly and distinctly the sins, inclinations and imperfections that keep us from reaching true devotion. The same light that enables us to see such defects and imperfections inflames us with a desire to cleanse and purify ourselves of them. (INT. Part I, Ch. 22; O. III, pp. 62-63)

May 3

Let us consider for a moment if lively faith in the cross of Mount Calvary is firmly rooted in our intellect. Faith was indeed implanted there in baptism, but has a sort of idol been fabricated there by our imagination? Let us see if in our memory, where hope has been planted, we have replaced it with an image of some beautiful goddess; if in our will, where God has planted charity, we have introduced vanity and the love of earthly things. In imitation of Saint Helena, we should uproot these cursed figures to reerect the cross, saying with the apostle, "May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." [Gal 6:14] (Sermons 18; O. IX, p. 179)

May 4

Whoever does not fear death is a fool. He runs a great risk of being lost forever, because the place to which we go after death is eternal. We will be saved or damned for eternity. The great servants of the Lord were very much aware of this and feared this terribly important event ... yet all the same they joyfully desired and sought it, confident of the outcome. (Sermons 62; O. X, p. 318)

May 5

After this conversion, the repentant Augustine humbly used to say, "O Lord ... you have loosed my bonds. To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving." [Ps 116:16-17] Take note, I beg you, how the heart of the saint was full of gratitude toward God. Certainly one of the most serious sins that people commit is forgetting the graces which they have received. This defect has its roots in the failure in the first place to acknowledge the debt contracted with Divine Goodness for all His graces and benefits. When this ingratitude resides in the intellect, it is truly bad and dangerous because it passes on to the will and becomes such a vice that it makes a person completely forgetful of the debt of gratitude he or she owes to God. This is the greatest of all evils and one of the major impediments to grace. (Sermons 33; O. IX, pp. 329, 334)

May 6

Meditate more and more upon the wounds of our Savior; you will find there an immense treasure-house from which you can draw. How vain and unworthy is that heart which fixes its abode anywhere else, or which selects any place but the cross in which to build its nest. No, nothing else is really worthy of our love. We owe everything to that kind Savior Who has given Himself for us without reserve. (Letters 330; O. XIII, p. 147)

May 7

Be patient, not only as regards severe afflictions that come your way, but also regarding accidental circumstances that cause annoyance. For example, we must be patient in sickness, but we must also accept its attending circumstances of place and time and its accompanying difficulties. The same must be said about other tribulations. (INT. Part III, Ch. 3; O. III, p. 135)

May 8

Let us love one another from the bottom of our hearts. To inspire us to have this holy love, we have a powerful motive. Our Lord poured out His blood on the cross, to the last drop. He wished, as it were, to make a sacred chalice which would hold, unite, bind and bring together all the members of His Church; namely, all Christians. He willed their union to be so strong that no division among them would ever be possible. (Spiritual Treatises IV; O. VI, p. 65)

May 9

We belong to God in all things and without reserve, without any exception whatsoever. Our only motivation should be the honor of being entire His. If we have in our hearts one single fiber that is not His and that does not belong to Him, Oh God! We should be prepared to rip it out. Let us be at peace, and let us say (looking only at the cross), "Yes, if we were to be aware that even a tiny portion of our hearts was without the seal of the Crucified, we would not want to keep it for a single instant." (Letters 358; O. XIII, pp. 200-201)

May 10

The words with which the Lord exhorts us to take up His cross and follow Him [cf. Lk 9:23] must be understood in this sense. We must cheerfully receive all the crosses that are given to us, even the slightest and the most insignificant. In this way we can understand the value of small crosses. (Sermons 2; O. IX, p. 19)

May 11

A person loses nothing by living generously, nobly, courteously and with a royal, just and reasonable heart. Philothea, resolve to examine your heart often to see if it is as disposed toward your neighbor as you would like his to be toward you, were you in his place. This is the touchstone of true reason. (INT. Part III, Ch. 36; O. III, p. 259)

May 12

A truly loving heart loves God's good pleasure, not only in consolations but also in afflictions, trials and crosses. In fact, in such cases it even loves more. Love does just this; it makes the lover ready to suffer for the beloved. (T.L.G. Book 3, Ch. 2; O. V, p. 113)

May 13

We must set our hearts firmly in God and never withdraw them, because God alone is our peace, our consolation and our glory! What can we expect if we do not unite ourselves to our dear Savior? We are indeed fortunate to be able to graft our hearts onto that of the Savior. He is united to the divinity, the sacred root of the tree of which we are the branches. "Yes, dear Jesus, do with my heart according to Your own pleasure! I do not want to have any further rights over it. I donate, consecrate and sacrifice it forever to You." (Letters 1492; O. XVIII, pp. 320-321)

May 14

How unfortunate are those who fall from the tops of high mountains! When they fall from these heights, the poor creatures roll and roll without stopping, right to the bottom of the precipice. The same thing happens to those who fall spiritually because they do not persevere in the service of God! It is a strange thing. After a good beginning and perhaps persevering for thirty or forty years in the service of God, just as they reach old age, when it is time to harvest the fruits of their labors, they tumble into the abyss of sin. How inscrutable are the divine judgments! No one must presume on his own ability to persevere or rely on his good works, as if he had nothing to fear. (Sermons 65; O. X, p. 375)

May 15

Mental prayer is no less useful to us or less pleasing to God when we suffer many distractions. As a matter of fact, it could be more useful than if we had many consolations, because it means harder work for us. It suffices that we faithfully try to drive away the distractions, not allowing our spirit to dwell on them willingly. The same can be said of the difficulties we meet from day to day in keeping our spirit recollected in God and in heavenly things. In all this we need patience. We must never grow tired, doing everything for the love of God. (Spiritual Treatises IX; O. VI, p. 14)

May 16

It is right and fitting that redeemed people should live no longer for themselves but solely for Him Who died for them! A noble soul constantly focuses its thoughts, affections and aspirations on eternity. Whatever is not eternal, whatever is not infinite is valueless to it. We should raise ourselves above all vain pleasures, our eyes fixed on eternal riches. (Letters 992; O. XVI, p. 213)

May 17

Our Lord dedicated His divine life to instructing us how to be saved and how to be acceptable to Him. Not only did He suffer for us even unto death on the cross, but He also sustained countless persecutions from those very people for who He suffered. He wants us to imitate Him in this: by carrying our cross, by suffering for one another, even by giving our life for those who want to take ours. He wants us to be always ready to put up with our neighbor, not only in pleasurable circumstances but even when the going is rough. Like Him, we must resist all that can weaken the ardor of our love for our neighbor. Persecution must not daunt us. (Sermons 59; O. X, pp. 275-276)

May 18

If worldly people ask you why you receive Communion, tell them that it is to learn to love God, be purified from your imperfections, delivered from misery, comforted in affliction and supported in weakness. Tell them that two classes of people should communicate frequently: the perfect, because being well-disposed they would be very much to blame if they did not approach the source and fountain of perfection; and the imperfect, so that they rightly strive for perfection; the strong, lest they become weak, and the weak, that they may become strong; the sick, that they may be restored to health, and the healthy, lest they fall sick. (INT. Part II, Ch. 21; O. III, p. 122)

May 19

Isaac, Jacob and Joseph were supernatural children in that their mothers, Sarah, Rebecca and Rachel, were sterile by nature but conceived them by God's good grace. It is for this reason that these three men were made to be masters over their own brothers. In like manner, sacred love is a miraculous child, since the human will cannot conceive it unless it is infused into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. As something supernatural, it must preside and rule over all our affections, yes, even over intellect and will. (T.L.G Book 1, Ch. 6; O. IV, pp. 38-39)

May 20

We must learn what God wants of us, and having learned it, we must try to carry it out, if not generously, at least cheerfully. That is not all. Even if we were destined to look after pigs all our lives, or do the most menial and lowly things in the world, we should love the will of God and the obligations it imposes upon us. No matter what state God places us in, the goal of perfection is the same. This is the goal toward which we all must aim, and whoever comes closest to that goal is the most victorious. (Letters 277; O. XIII, pp. 20-21)

May 21

When we have to suffer some little misfortunes, we often do the opposite of what the Divine Master has taught us. We complain and feel sorry for ourselves, telling everyone our troubles in the most minute details. We think that our trouble is insupportable, small though it may be, and that the sufferings of others are nothing in comparison with ours. So we become impatient and make a nuisance of ourselves. In a word, it is pitiable to see how poorly we imitate the patience of Jesus Christ. Forgetting His own suffering, He was in no way anxious that people knew about them; it was sufficient for Him that His Heavenly Father knew. (Sermons 29; O. IX, pp. 282-283)

May 22

Even though we commit many faults through human weakness, we should not become upset. While detesting the fact that we have offended God, we can still experience a certain joy in humility and a kind of delight in our miseries. In the midst of all the occupations of each day, see to it that you do not become too absorbed in material things. Keep a tight grasp of Christ's hand. Whenever you find yourself with more than you can handle, do not panic, but look to Christ. (Letters 449; O. XIV, pp. 7-8)

May 23

Many aim at perfection, but few reach that goal, because they do not proceed as they should, with perfect confidence in God and total abandonment to His Providence. They are too self-confident and rely too much on their good works. These people get all upset when difficulties arise. Instead, they should remain clam, using all the means that their vocation puts at their disposal. God, under whose direction we have embarked, will see to it that we never lack necessities. Be convinced of this: no matter how much we are in need, we will want for nothing because God is watching over us. He must be our all. (Sermons 61; O. X, p. 202)

May 24

Divine Savior, we come to Your sacred table to nourish ourselves not with bread but with Yourself, true Bread of eternal life. Help us daily to make a good and perfect meal of this divine food. Let us be continually refreshed by the perfume of Your kindness and goodness. May the Holy Spirit fill us with His love. Meanwhile, let us prepare a place for this holy good by emptying our hearts. (Letters 636; O. XIV, p. 375)

May 25

You ask me if God thinks of you, if He looks upon you with love? Yes, God thinks of you, even of the smallest strand of hair on your head; this is an article of faith, and you should have no doubts about it whatsoever. That God also looks upon you with love, you have no reason to doubt. Don't you know that He looks with love even upon the worst and the most horrible sinners in the world? This holds true even though they have no real desire to be converted. Tell me now, have you not the intention of belonging completely to God and of serving Him faithfully? And who is it that gives you this desire and this intention, if not God Himself with His loving care? You do no need to see if you are pleasing to your own heart, but if the heart of God is pleasing to you. Now, if you give the matter some thought, how can you help but love God? (Letters 1402; O. XVIII, p. 170)

May 26

God created us in His own image and likeness. [cf. Gn 1:27] So He wishes us to love in the way that He loves: to love Him for His own sake and to love our neighbor for the love of God. (T.L.G. Book 10; Ch. 11; O. V, p. 204)

May 27

God loves humility so much that He often permits us to be tempted, not to harm us, but just to allow us to grow in humility. Are not the repugnances and the difficulties we find on the road of life nothing but tests of our weakness? We are still children in the way of perfection. The remedy for temptation is not to look to ourselves but to God, allowing Him to have sole care of us. (Sermons 61; O. X, p. 305)

May 28

When your mind is tranquil and without anger, build up in your soul a good supply of meekness and mildness by speaking and acting in the mildest way you can. Remind yourself that the spouse in the Canticle of Canticles not only had honey on her lips and at the end of her tongue [cf Sg 4:11] but also under her tongue; that is, within her breast. There she had not only honey but milk as well. So we must deal kindly with our neighbor by our speech and with our entire being. Polite conversation is not enough; we must practice a gentle charity with members of our own family and with neighbors. Those who appear in public as angels but are devils in their own homes fall greatly in this regard. (INT. Part III, Ch. 8; O. III, p. 165)

May 29

The Lord loves with a tender love those who find their happiness in a total abandonment to His paternal care. They let Divine Providence guide them, without thought to whether this guidance seems useful or profitable to them. These souls who abandon themselves completely can be sure that nothing will ever happen, no misfortune will be permitted by the fatherly and most loving heart of God, without some good or useful effect following. That is on the condition that they have placed all their confidence in the Divine Goodness. (Spiritual Treatises II; O. VI, p. 26)

May 30

Be strong and constant in your resolution to hand over your heart totally and entirely to God, since there is nothing better that you could do; but do not ask for crosses and trials to test your fidelity. Instead of this, await and accept those that God sends you. Your fidelity will be tested in thousands of other ways: in humility, in pleasant manners, in charity, in cordial service, in being affectionate and loving toward your neighbor. May God give you the gifts of patience and fortitude, because you will have the opportunity to make use of them. (Letters 2006; O. XXI, pp. 53-54)

May 31

The most holy virgin "arose quickly, full of concern" [ cf. Lk 1:39] and went to visit Elizabeth to show us the promptness with which we must correspond with divine inspirations. Indeed, when the Holy Spirit touches a soul, He drives out all forms of laziness and tepidity - defects that often give us trouble in our spiritual life. He dearly loves diligence and promptness in all that concerns the execution of the Divine Will. (Sermons 19; O. IX, p. 165)

Used with permission.

Text taken from the book: "Every Day with SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES"

Edited by Francis J. Klauder, S.D.B.

Library of Congress Card Catalogue Number 85-72838

ISBN 0-89944-082-7

June 1

When you hear anyone spoken ill of, consider the accusation doubtful if you can do so justly. If you cannot, excuse the intention of the accused party. If that cannot be done, express sympathy for him or her. Or change the subject of conversation, recalling that those who do not fall into sin owe it all to God's grace. Correct the slanderer in a mild way by telling of some good deed of the offended party, if you know of any. (INT. Part III, Ch. 29; O. III, p. 243)

June 2

The process of the purification of our souls is never finished, and will end only with our death. We must not be upset by our imperfections; instead, we must recognize them and learn to combat them. And it is in fighting against our imperfections without being discouraged by them that our very perfection consists. (INT. Part I, Ch. 5; O. III, p. 27)

June 3

The glorious and seraphic lover, Saint Francis of Assisi, was for a long time moved by ardent desire to praise God. In the last years of his life, having been assured of his eternal salvation by a special revelation, he could not contain his joy. He wasted away from day to day as if his life and soul were on fire. Like incense, he burned with such an ardent desire to see his Master that he praised Him unceasingly. This desire increased each day until his soul left his body to fly to Heaven. Divine Providence willed that he should die while saying the words, "Lead me forth from prison, that I may give thanks to your name." [Ps 142:8] Oh my God, Theotimus, how sweet and how lovely was that death! A death that was a holy end; a death that was happy and loving. (T.L.G. Book 5, Ch. 10; O. IV, pp. 290-291)

June 4

Far from preventing us from praying, sickness should in no way weaken our union with God. It can even bring us closer to Him if we truly conform our will to His. All that matters, whether in health or in sickness, is that we maintain and increase our relationship with Him. We can find God in sacrifice as well as in prayer. If we truly desire whatever He wills, sickness is as pleasing as anything else. The very acceptance of sickness is the most worthy offering we can make to Him Who has suffered so much to redeem us. (Letters 553; O. XIV, p. 168)

June 5

When inspiration, like a sacred wind, impels us into the air of holy love, it takes hold of our will and moves it by a sentiment of heavenly delight. It expands and unfolds that natural inclination which the will has for good, so that this same inclination captures the soul. All this, as I have already said, is done in us but without us, for it is God's favor that prepares us in this way. (T.L.G. Book 2, Ch. 13; O. IV, p. 130)

June 6

How happy those souls who live only to do God's will! Ah, if we could only get a taste of this at meditation, our heart would experience great delight from the acceptance of the Divine Will. Such souls, even in the midst of crosses, are completely fused with the will of God. What a blessing it is to subject all our affections humbly and entirely to the most pure love of God! (Letters 1076; O. XVI, p. 364)

June 7

With foresight, the divine heart of Christ merited and ordered all the favors which we have received, disposing them for each of us in particular. How our hearts would be inflamed with love for so many favors! Consider that they were destined for us by the will of the Father, to be borne in the heart of the Savior, Who earned them for us by His sufferings, above all by His passion. (T.L.G. Book 6, Ch. 12; O. V, pp. 344-345)

June 8

It seems to some that perfection is an art which can be learned quickly. They think that it is easy once you have found its secret. They fool themselves completely. In fact, the only way to perfection is to work hard and struggle faithfully in the exercise of the love of God. One must unite oneself solely with Him. (Spiritual Treatises IX; O. VI, p. 152)

June 9

You have certainly heard that in General Councils there are great disputations and investigations, establishing the truth after discussion, reasoning and theological argument. At the conclusion of the debates, the pope, who is the chief bishop, together with the other bishops who are the fathers of the council, draws conclusions and resolutions on the subject at hand. Once the final statements have been made, each person accepts them in full agreement. This is done, not out of regard for the reasons advance in the preceding discussion and investigation, but in virtue of the authority of the Holy Spirit. For it is the Holy Spirit Who invisibly presides over councils, judging, determining and concluding matters under discussion through His servants whom He has chosen as pastors of the Christian community. (T.L.G. Book 2, Ch. 14; O. IV, p. 135)

June 10

What will we do one day when, in eternal glory, we see the most adorable heart of Jesus through the holy wound in His side, all aflame with the love He bears for us - a heart in which, written in characters of fire, all of us will be inscribed? Ah! We will then say to the Savior, "Is it... possible that You have loved me so much that You have even written my name in your heart?" (Sermons 57; O. X, pp. 243-244)

June 11

May the Holy Spirit enlighten our intellect with the consciousness of the gravity of our sins. By them, we have offended the infinite goodness of God. May He stir up our heart with this knowledge. Then repentance will grow little by little in us, and we will experience an affective and warm desire to return to God's grace. This will lead to an intense love, which, like a sacred fire, is set aflame by repentance. (T.L.G. Book 2, Ch. 20; O. IV, p. 157)

June 12

Charity spreads delight throughout the soul, which is rendered beautiful, pleasing and lovable by God's goodness. If the soul were a kingdom where the Holy Spirit is kind, charity would be its queen... and if the soul were a queen, a spouse of Heaven's great King, then charity would be the crown of royalty adorning her head; if the soul, together with the body, were a little world, then charity would be the sun giving it light, warmth and life. (T.L.G. Book 2, Ch. 22; O. IV, p. 165)

June 13

Complain as little as possible about the wrongs you suffer; the one who complains usually commits a sin. Self-love feels that injuries are worse than they really are. Above all, do not complain to irascible or fault-finding people. If you feel it necessary to complain to someone, do so to those who are even-tempered and who really love God. Otherwise you will find that those to whom you complain upset you still more, instead of calming you. (INT. Part III, Ch. 3; O. III, p. 136)

June 14

Always walk in the presence of God, because His shade is healthier than the rays of the sun. There is nothing wrong in trembling before the face of Him whose very presence makes the angels tremble as they contemplate the Supreme Majesty. This is on the condition, however, that love predominates in all your actions as the principle and goal of your motivation. (Letters 837; O. XV, p. 319)

June 15

The virtue of fortitude and moral strength is never acquired in time of peace, when we are not tested by the contrary temptation. Some people are very meek when they do not have to suffer any contradiction, but when they are tested they quickly change. This shows quite clearly that their meekness was not a true and solid virtue. There is a big difference between the absence of a vice and the presence of a virtue. Many people seem to be virtuous but do not actually possess a virtue because they have not had to fight to acquire it. It often happens that our passions are dormant or are stifled, and if throughout those times, we do not build a good supply of fortitude to combat them, we will collapse when we are attacked. (Spiritual Treatises XVI; O. VI, p. 294)

June 16

When man shall have finished, says Scripture, then he will begin. All that we have done so far is good, but what we are about to begin is better. And when we have finished that, we will begin something else which will be better still, and then the next thing will seem even more fruitful...right up until the time we leave this life to begin another that will never end; and we will not be able to commence anything better than that. (Letters 1049; ). XVI, p. 312)

June 17

Among all the precepts that God has given us, nothing can be emphasized more than the practice of the love of one's neighbor. This is not because it takes precedence over the love of God, but because our nature finds the love of neighbor difficult and so we are in need of particular encouragement. Therefore, we ought to love one another with all the affection of our hearts in order to please the Heavenly Father; but let us love one another in an orderly way, remembering that reason teaches us to love the soul more than the body. (Sermons 59; O. X, p. 279)

June 18

The heavenly food of the Eucharist is a spiritual food that diffuses and communicates itself to all parts of the soul and the body in such a way that we have Jesus Christ in our mind, our hearts, our breasts, our eyes, on our tongues, in our ears, hands, feet... and the sweet Savior redresses, purifies and enlivens all our being. He lives in our heart, understands in our mind, strengthens us in our breasts, helps us to see with our eyes, speaks with our tongue, and so for all the rest. In summary, He does everything in our whole being. And so it is no longer we who live, but Jesus Christ lives in us. [cf. Gal 2:20] (Letters 430; O. XIII, p. 358)

June 19

When the soul is completely restored to health by that balm of charity which the Holy Spirit places in its heart, then it can go forward and stand on its own feet, although this is still by virtue of its new health and the sacred medicine of holy love. For this reason, although it can walk by itself, it must still render all the credit to God, who has... given it such vigorous and sturdy health. In fact, whether the Holy Spirit strengthens us by movements that He impresses on our hearts or supports us by the charity He infuses into them; whether He saves us by lifting us up and carrying us forward or strengthens our hearts with His invigorating and entwining love, it is always in Him and by Him that we live, move and work. (T.L.G. Book 3, Ch. 3; O. IV, p. 176)

June 20

Very often we do not abandon ourselves entirely into the hands of God because it seems to us that God will not take very much notice of us, since we consider ourselves good for nothing. The world like-wise has little use for us. On the contrary, a courageous spirit relies on faith, grows in courage amid difficulties, and knows quite well that God loves, supports and helps those in need when they confide and hope in Him. (Letters 1197; O. XVII, pp. 205-206)

June 21

Mount Calvary is the mount of lovers. All love that does not take its origin from the Savior's passion is foolish and perilous. Unhappy is death without the Savior's love; unhappy is love without the Savior's death. Love and death are so mingled in the Savior's passion that we cannot have the one in our heart without the other. Upon Mount Calvary we cannot have life without love, or love without the Redeemer's death. (T.L.G. Book 12, Ch. 13; O. V, p. 346)

June 22

The great work of devotion consists in the exercise of spiritual recollection and ejaculatory prayers. It can supply the lack of all other prayers, but its loss can hardly be repaired by other means. Without this exercise we cannot properly lead the contemplative life, and we can but poorly lead the active life. Without it, rest is mere idleness and labor is drudgery. Hence, I exhort you to take up this practice with all your heart and never give it up. (INT. Part III, Ch. 13; O. III, p. 100)

June 23

Love of God does not consist either in consolations or displays of tender affection; otherwise, Our Lord would not have loved His Father when, sad even unto death, He cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" [Mk 15:34] Yet it was then that He exercised the greatest act of love that you could imagine! We want to have a spoonful of sugar in our spiritual food; namely, the experience of love and even more so of consolation. In the same way, we want to be free of all imperfections, but we have to put up with our human nature and not imagine that we have an angelic one. (Letters 1402; O. XVIII, pp. 171-172)

June 24

I have often wondered what was the greatest mortification practiced by the saints, and, after serious reflection, I discovered this: Saint John the Baptist went out into the desert when he was five years old, knowing that his Redeemer had been born and was living not far from him. God alone knows how the heart of Saint John loved his cousin, Jesus, and how much he would have enjoyed His company. All the same, he remained for twenty-five years in the desert without once coming out. Then, after he had left the desert, he settled down to preaching without going to see Jesus, but waited until the Lord came to him. Even after he had baptized Him, he carried on with his mission! He had his spirit entirely detached from everything so as to do God's will and to serve Him. (Letters 234; O. XIII, pp. 366-367)

June 25

We must not only leave alone what is not our business, but even be detached from our own will that we so often favor as if it were our own mother! God is not satisfied with our gifts if they are not accompanied by a generous disposition of our heart. Because of this, the Divine Majesty first of all demands our hearts...and then as a consequence all our gifts will be accepted. (Sermons 16 O. IX. pp. 136-137)

June 26

Humbly and sincerely reveal to your confessor and spiritual director all the feelings, affections and suggestions that proceed from your sadness. At these times seek the company of spiritual persons and spend as much time with them as you can. Resign yourself into God's hands and be ready to suffer this distressing sadness patiently as a just punishment for your vain joys. Do not doubt that after God has put you on trial He will deliver you from this evil. (INT. Part IV, Ch. 12; O. III, pp. 315-316)

June 27

Pure love of God is the precious pearl found by all who are in search of Heaven; in exchange for it they are ready to sell all they possess. In fact, we notice that the first Christians were not content with observing the commandments of God. They also put into practice the counsels, abandoning everything with a true spirit of detachment. Hence it can be truly said that they were "of one heart and one mind." [Acts 4:32] The words "mine" and "thine" no longer existed for them. (Sermons 20; O. IX, p. 173)

June 28

How can we recall that Jesus was crucified for love of us and still love anything but Him? How many times have we repeated, written, sung and sighed, "May Jesus reign!" Yet on other occasions we have cried out, "Crucify Him!" [Jn 19:15] My God, how strong we would be if we were closely bound with the holy ties of love purpled by your blood as our Savior! (Letters 2001; O. XXI, p. 44)

June 29

In some passage of Sacred Scripture we read that the Holy Spirit offered a prayer. Surely this cannot mean that He prayed because, as God, He is equal to the Father and the Son. We must simply understand that He inspired men and women to pray. (Sermons 8; O. IX, p. 52)

June 30

When human prudence... gets involved in our desires, it is difficult to silence because it is persistent and, to our disadvantage, insinuates itself into all that we do. How, then, can we purify our intention? Let us see whether our desire can be considered just and holy. If it is, we should follow it, not just to obey human prudence but to carry out the will of God. (Letters 1871; O. XX, p. 222)

Used with permission.

Text taken from the book: "Every Day with SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES"

Edited by Francis J. Klauder, S.D.B.

Library of Congress Card Catalogue Number 85-72838

ISBN 0-89944-082-7

July 1

Our will has an enemy that causes us a lot of trouble and often alienates us from the spiritual life. This enemy is the multiplicity of desires. How many desires have you in the will? "We have two," you will answer me. But two are too many because it is enough for us to have one. Our Lord teaches us: "... one things only is required; Mary has chosen the better portion..." [Lk 10:41] So one thing alone is necessary. And what is this one thing? It is God alone, my dear souls! We need to love Him alone and nothing else. Certainly, the person who is not satisfied with God, Who is, after all, everything, does not deserve anything else. (Sermons 30; O. IX, p. 300)

July 2

When you are sick, offer to Our Lord all your grief, pain and weakness, and beseech Him to join them to the torments He suffered for you. Obey your doctor, take your medicine, food and other remedies for the love of God, remembering the gall He drank out of love for you. Do not refuse sufferings to obey Him, yet desire to get well so as to be able to serve Him. If it should be God's will, prepare yourself for death, to praise Him and to be happy with Him forever. Remember that while bees are making honey they live and feed on bitter food. Likewise, we can never perform acts of greater sweetness and patience, or create the honey of excellent virtues, better than when we eat the bread of bitterness and live amid afflictions. Just as the best honey is gathered from the blossoms of thyme, a small, bitter, herb, so also virtue practiced in the bitterness of the most vile, low and abject humiliations is the most excellent of all. (INT. Part III, Ch. 3; O. III, pp. 137-138)

July 3

In this world we often undergo great hardships in order to find satisfaction and rest, but as a general rule our labor is in vain. However, those who have their intellect enlightened by supernatural light know full well that God alone can give them a true and perfect feeling of contentment. Hence they do not entrust their hearts or affections to creatures here below. In fact, if we give our hearts to other people, what will we get out of it? Our search will be useless. Since they are in the same human condition as ourselves, they cannot give us anything but an exchange of affection, loving us so that we will love them. God alone can love us fully, and, jealous of our love, does not want us to find any other object for our love and affections. (Sermons 46; O. X, pp. 43-44)

July 4

When Our Lord corrected Saint Martha, He said, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and upset about many things..." [Lk 10:41] Note that she would not have been troubled if she had been merely diligent, but she was overly concerned and uneasy; she was hurrying about and all stirred up. Rivers that flow gently through the plains carry along large boats and rich merchandise. Rains that fall gently on open fields make them fruitful in grass and grain, while violent storms devastate fields and pastures. A job done too eagerly and hurriedly is never done well. "He who is in a hurry should go slowly,: says the proverb. We perform actions quickly enough when we do them well. Drones make more noise and work more eagerly than worker bees, but they make only wax and not honey. So also, people who hurry about with tormented anxiety and solicitude never accomplish much, nor do they do anything well. (INT. Part III, Ch. 10; O. III, p. 170)

July 5

If we think about death with apprehension, this thought will prove to be more harmful than useful. By all means think about death, but peacefully and with tranquility of spirit. Trust in Divine Providence, without worrying about when and where you will die or in what manner, and whether you will be assisted or not at the time. Let us place our trust in the goodness of God and believe that whatever He allows will be for our greater good. (Sermons 62; O. X, p. 324)

July 6

I do not want you to be too worried about your prayer made without words, as you put it to me, because it is good if at the end it leaves you with noble affections in your heart. Therefore, follow the path along which the Holy Spirit is calling you, without neglecting to prepare yourself for meditation. It is necessary to give yourself a sufficient preparation which mirrors your attitude; when God lifts us up to lofty heights, to Him alone be the glory! (Letters 49; O. XIII, p. 334)

July 7

The reason why we never receive the grace of sanctification (one single Holy Communion would be enough to make us saints) is that we do not allow the Lord to reign in us as He, in His goodness, desires. The Divine Savior comes into our heart and finds it full of desires, affections and vain aspirations. This is not what He wants; He wants to find our heart empty so He can become its one and only Master. Therefore He says to the holy lover that she should put a seal on her heart [cf. Sg 8:6], so that no one can enter without permission. (Spiritual Treatises XVIII; O. VI, pp. 340-341)

July 8

The great Job cries out, "We accept good things from God; and should we not accept evil?" [Jb 2:10] Oh God, these are the words of a mighty spirit of love! Job professes that he loved the goods he had received, not so much because they were good, but because they came from the hand of God. Since this is so, he concludes that he must bear up lovingly under adversities because they come from the hand of the same Lord, Who is equally kind when he apportions affliction as when He gives consolations. (T.L.G. Book 9, Ch. 9; O. V, p. 115)

July 9

The present life is given to us only to earn eternal life. If we forget this, we tend to concentrate all our affections on the things of this world, where we are but birds of passage. So it happens that when we have to leave this world we become frightened and upset. Believe me, if we want to live as happy pilgrims, we must always have in our hearts the hope of finally reaching that country where we will settle down forever. But at the same time we must believe, and believe with all our hearts (this is a most sacred truth!), that God keeps a loving eye on us as we walk toward Him, and never lets anything happen to us that is not for our greater good. (Letters 1502; O. XVIII, p. 343)

July 10

With the single exception of sin, anxiety is the greatest evil that can happen to a soul. Just as sedition and internal disorders bring total ruin to a nation and leave it unable to resist the enemy, so also if our heart is inwardly troubled and disturbed, it loses both the strength necessary to hold on to the virtues it has acquired and the means to resist the temptations of the enemy. We then use up our energies fishing in troubled waters, as they say. (INT. Part IV, Ch. 11; O. III, p. 311)

July 11

If your eye is simple, so will your whole being be, says Jesus. [cf. Mt. 6:22] Strive to walk simply, without wasting time in many discussions and disputes. As far as you are concerned, there is no one in this world but yourself and God, so you should not get too worried about others, unless God gives you this task to perform. And if God commands you to do this, I beg you not to be influenced by personalities or human respect. Fix your eyes only on God and yourself, and I can assure you that you will never see God divorced from goodness nor yourself without your defects. All the same, see the goodness of God as always favorable to you, and consider your misery always as the object of the Divine Goodness. (Letters 174; O. XII, p. 168)

July 12

The Lord tenderly loves those who have the happiness of abandoning themselves totally to the fatherly care of Divine Providence. They do no stop to consider if it is advantageous or not to their own interests. Let us be convinced that the fatherly heart of God will never allow anything that is not for our greater good. (Sermons 29; O. IX, p. 284)

July 13

The best kinds of abjection, those most profitable for our soul and most acceptable to God, are those which come accidentally. This is because we have not selected them for ourselves but have received them as sent to us by God. To say it once and for all, our own choice and selection spoil or lessen almost all our virtues. (INT. Part III, Ch. 6; O. III, p. 156)

July 14

The sacred gift of prayer is held in the Savior's right hand; if you empty yourself, that is, if you are very humble, the Lord will communicate it to your heart. Be patient and walk with small steps, until you have legs for running or wings for flying. For the present, be satisfied to be simply a young bee in the hive, and soon you will become a bee producing honey. Humble yourself before God and neighbor, because God speaks to those who have their ears turned to Him. (Letters 1700; O. XIX, p. 332)

July 15

Sometimes the Lord desires that our souls be nourished by a firm and unfailing resolution to persevere in serving Him in the spiritual life amid hardships, dryness, repugnances and delusions, deprived of every consolation. Our souls indeed experience no spiritual enjoyment, but believe that they are not worthy of anything except to remain close to their Savior by a courageous spiritual effort, without any support except the Divine Will. This is Your will; how ardently I desire it! (Spiritual Treatises II; O. VI, p. 27)

July 16

Why should I worry whether God prefers that I say the rosary or the office of Our Lady? There are not such great differences between the two as to require a long inquiry. The same applies to questions such as: Should I go to the hospital to visit the sick rather than attend Vespers? Should I go to hear a sermon rather than visit an indulgenced church? Ordinarily, there is no greater importance in one than the other, nor need for lengthy deliberation. We must proceed in good faith and without making subtle distinctions in such affairs. Do freely what seems good at the moment, and do not worry your mind or waste your time! (T.L.G. Book 8, Ch. 14; O. V, p 106)

July 17

The mortal flesh with which the Divine Redeemer invested us is nothing but dust and ashes, but through the union of the divinity in Him it has become so excellent, pure and holy that the skies and the sun are but mud in comparison with it. In a similar fashion, the Host in Holy Communion has the appearance of bread so that we can take and eat it. My God! What joy to think that our heart, while waiting to be united with God in Heaven, can be united with him in such a marvelous manner in the heavenly mystery! (Letters 743; O. XV, p. 150)

July 18

Love is the life of our heart. Just as weights give movement to the movable parts of a clock, so love gives to the soul whatever movement it has. All our affections follow our love; when divine love reigns in our hearts, it tames sensual love, reduces it to obedience, and puts under its sway all sensual passions. In sum, the love of God is the saving water of which Our Lord has said, "...whoever drinks the water I give him will never be thirsty." [Jn. 4:14] (T.L.G. Book II, Ch. 20; O. V, p. 309)

July 19

After you have finished your examination of conscience and conferred with a suitable spiritual director concerning your defects and the remedies for them, turn to the following considerations. Use one of them each day by way of meditation, and spend some time during your mental prayer on it. Always keep to the same method for the preparation and the affections as you used in the meditations for the first part. That is, immediately place yourself in God's presence and implore His grace to establish you in His holy love and service. (INT. Part V, Ch. 9; O. III, p. 333)

July 20

It would have been a good thing if you had knocked down and trampled the infernal dragon under your feet like Saint Margaret, and had clutched the cross strongly to your breast, with your eyes fixed on Heaven! Do no force yourself to destroy pride, but rather make sure that you practice humility, exercising it in humble actions; and have no doubts, because so long as you hold the cross in your arms, you will trample the enemy under your feet. (Letters 405; O. XIII, pp. 300-301)

July 21

When we see our neighbor, created in the image and likeness of God, we should say to one another, "See and consider this creature as the likeness of the Creator." And considering him as such, should we not weep over him in love? Should we not give him a thousand thousand blessings? And this should be done purely out of love of God, from whom he is, whose he is, by whom he is, in whom he is, for whom he is, whom he resembles in a singular manner. (T.L.G. Book 10, Ch. 11; O. V, p. 206)

July 22

Today I want to wish you one of the blessings accorded to Saint Mary Magdalene; not her ecstasies or extraordinary gifts, but imitating her by sitting at the feet of Jesus all the days of our life. Above all, I hope you have the courage to overcome the difficulties that impede you from God. Therefore, continually seek the Lord and do not give up until you have found Him. Seek Him out during this mortal life, not risen and glorious, but crucified and dead. Prepare your shoulders to carry the cross of the Crucified with love, and if the burden is heavy, console yourself, because courage and love will give you the strength. (Sermons 48; O. X, p. 96)

July 23

Be optimistic and make sure you keep in mind the beautiful eternity that awaits you. Usually the children of this world confess only on their deathbed that this present life is unworthy of consideration if not viewed with the future life in mind, but the children of God daily touch this truth with their own hands. The traveler who is returning home dreams of the rest he will have when he finally gets there. So you also should continually long for the eternal peace toward which you are traveling. To acquire it, you should be prepared to work hard here below. (Letters 1305; O. XVII, p. 396)

July 24

We must take two equally strong resolutions into our heart: one is to resign ourselves to seeing noxious weeds growing in the garden of our soul; and the other is to keep trying to get rid of them. While we are in this life our self-love will die, and it is just this that produces these nasty plants. Rest assured that it is not a great disorder to commit some venial fault, provided we immediately return to God, humbling ourselves gently. You must not think you can live without sin, because only the blessed virgin had this privilege. These small faults, even though they make you stumble for a moment, should not cause you to deviate from the path of perfection; a simple glance of your soul toward God is enough to make up for them. (Spiritual Treatises IX; O. VI, p. 154)

July 25

Perseverance is the most desirable gift we can hope for in this life; we can receive it only from the hand of God, for He alone can strengthen the weak and raise up those who fall. For this reason, we must unceasingly ask for perseverance through those means that God has provided for obtaining it: prayer, fasting, almsgiving, frequenting the sacraments, association with good companions, hearing and reading Holy Scripture. This previous gift does not come from our own power, yet it should be the object of desire by our will. It is likewise true that the grace of God is necessary to will to persevere, but heavenly grace is never lacking to those who really want to do good. (T.L.G. Book 3, Ch. 4; O. IV, p. 182)

July 26

Try to nourish within yourself the spirit of gentleness, of holy joy and humility, which is the most apt path toward union with God. Do not get upset about this or that but walk in the way of union with great confidence in the mercy of God, Who will lead you by the hand right to your heavenly home. In the meantime, keep well clear of arguments and avoidable disputes. (Letters 98, O. XXVI, p. 168)

July 27

It is a terrible temptation to be saddened and all upset because you have to remain in this world, when you must do so out of necessity. Divine Providence is wiser than we are. To us it may seem the better thing to change ships. Yes, by all means, provided we change our conduct! How much we are victims of these dangerous and evil desires! On these occasions, even when what we desire is good in itself, it becomes an evil because God does not want us to possess that good at this present time, but something else, to give us a chance to exercise our virtue. The Lord wishes to speak to us amid thorns and briars, as He did to Moses, and we instead want Him to talk to us amid pleasant, fresh breezes, as He did to Elijah! (Letter 51; O. XIV, pp. 120-121)

July 28

A father's gentle, loving rebuke has far greater power in correcting a child than rage and passion and brings about an improvement. So too, those who have committed some fault are best corrected by a gentle and mild explanation of what they have done wrong. We show more compassion for the wrongdoers by trying to convince them of the need of amendment than by a show of anger against them. Repentance obtained in this way will sink far deeper and penetrate more effectually than an angry, stormy condemnation. (INT. Part III, Ch. 9; O. III, p. 167)

July 29

Be careful and attentive to all the matters God has committed to your care, but if possible do not be solicitous or worried; that is, do not burden yourself over them with uneasiness or anxiety. This worry only disturbs reason and good judgment and prevents you from doing well the very things you are worried about...A job done anxiously and hurriedly is never done well; we must do things with coolness and calm. (INT. Part III, Ch. 10; O. III, pp. 169-170)

July 30

With gentleness and peace, make your small efforts to better serve the Divine Goodness, but do not be frightened by the difficulties that crop up. What good, what precious thing has ever been obtained without effort and hard work? On our part, it is only necessary to remain faithful to our resolution to reach the perfection of holy love by doing all we can to make it perfect. If we do not do that we are not aiming very high. (Letter 1324; O. XVIII, p. 35)

July 31

The great saints took such keen delight in little acts of simplicity and humility in order to hide themselves and defend themselves from vain glory. Such acts were found more pleasing in God's sight than the great and famous deeds of many others, performed with little love of God. It is said that the sacred spouse attracts her Beloved with a single one of her hairs; this is because seemingly very trifling deeds are highly pleasing to the Diving Majesty, and so capture divine love. (T.L.G. Book 11, Ch. 5; O. V, p. 252)

Used with permission.

Text taken from the book: "Every Day with SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES"

Edited by Francis J. Klauder, S.D.B.

Library of Congress Card Catalogue Number 85-72838

ISBN 0-89944-082-7

September 1

At the beginning of each month, ask for divine inspiration and put yourself in the presence of God. Imagine yourself to be a poor servant sent by God into this world as into His own house. Indeed, it is He who put us here, and so we should approach Him with humility. He had no need of you, but He put you here to exercise His liberality and His goodness toward you, and to give you His paradise. To enable you to obtain what He has planned for you. He has given you an intellect to know Him, a memory to keep Him in mind, and will and a heart to love Him and your neighbor, an imagination to have a picture of Him and His gifts, and all your feelings to serve Him and glorify Him. (Letters O. XXVI, pp. 170-171)

September 2

It often happens that the fire of holy love is still burning in the soul, but it is covered under the ashes of a multitude of venial sins that dull its splendor. These sins, although they do not rob the fire of charity of its force and potential for action, numb it, so to speak, and deprive it of its activity, and so charity remains sterile. In brief, these kinds of sins hold us back in our life of holy love. (T.L.G. Book 4, Ch. 2; O. IV, pp. 218-219)

September 3

Truly, death is terrible, but the life that follows it, together with the mercy that God will show us, is very, very desirable. So do not have any doubts; no mater how wretched we are, we will never be able to match the mercy of God, Who shows Himself as a Father to all who desire to love Him. We must put all our hope in Him. (Letters 512; O. XIV, p. 115)

September 4

My God, could there be any greater blindness than ours? Full of miseries and vileness, we want to appear and to be esteemed as someone really important! It is our self-love which so blinds us! God grants us a wonderful grace when He enlightens us to know our abjection, because the knowledge of our miseries and defects is a sign of conversion of heart. Anyone who wants to know himself does not want to be esteemed. If he is considered imperfect and treated as such, he is not upset. He has been cured of his blindness. (Sermons 38; O. IX, pp. 408-409)

September 5

How fortunate is that soul who is willing to have a great deal of tribulation before departing from this life! How can one possibly learn how to love deeply and sincerely if not among the spines, the crosses and the feeling of abandonment over a long period? Our dear Savior thus proved his limitless love in the agony of His passion. Learn well how to love Christ on the bed of sorrow; on this bed He formed your heart before creating it, foreseeing it in His divine plan. Yes the Savior has numbered all your sorrows and all your sufferings. He has paid for them with His blood, with all the patience and love that is necessary. Be satisfied, therefore, to accept generously all that God has in store for you. (Letters 1043; O. XVI, pp. 300-301)

September 6

Just as it is an impious effrontery to attribute to our own will the holy works which the Spirit inspires us to perform, so it is brazen-faced impiety to want to attribute our lack of cooperation to a failure of grace or of heavenly aid. The Holy Spirit proclaims everywhere that we bring about our own perdition. He desires nothing more intensely than that we allow that fire to be enkindled in our heart which the Savior brought down to this world. The sacred text also tells us clearly that God does not want anyone to be lost, but wills that all should be saved. [cf. 1 Tm 2:4] Our Savior came into this world that all may become His adopted brothers and sisters. (T.L.G. Book 4, Ch. 5; O. IV, p. 228)

September 7

Let us walk along through the deep valleys of the humble virtues and we will find ourselves on both roses and thorns; these include the charity that stands out amid both internal and external afflictions, the lilies of purity, the violets of mortification. Particularly appealing to me are the three small virtues of gentleness of heart, poverty of spirit and simplicity of life. Poverty of spirit and simplicity of life are exercised by visiting the sick, serving the poor and consoling the afflicted. (Letters 308; O. XIII, p. 92)

September 8

My God! When will we receive the grace to have the holy virgin come and be born in our hearts? For my part I see that I am unworthy of this favor, and certainly you think the same about yourselves. But was not the Divine Son born in a stable? Courage, therefore! Let us prepare a place for Mary. She loves humble places of stark simplicity, yet spacious in charity. She is very happy to stay close to a stable and at the foot of the cross; she was not worried about having to go into exile in Egypt, far from every comfort, so long as she had her Child with her. (Letters 308; O. XIII, p. 91)

September 9

Our Savior has left to His Church the Sacrament of Penance or Confession, so that by means of it we may be washed clean of our iniquities every time we are guilty. Never allow your heart, then, to remain a slave of sin for very long, since there is such a simple and easy remedy close at hand. (INT. Part II, Ch. 19; O. III, p. 111)

September 10

The goodness of God is so great that often He gives a taste of the sweetness of His divinity to those souls who serve Him, offering numerous graces and favors that we must never forget. On our part we should remember the bitterness, the abuse and the sorrows that the glorious saint, Nicholas of Tolentino, whom the Church commemorates today. After wholly renouncing the world and having crucified himself with Christ, at the hour of his death he asked that the wood of the holy cross be brought to him. Seeing it, he exclaimed, "O holy cross, so ardently desired ... I salute you, precious cross, upon which one may sail the sea of the world to arrive at the port of eternity." And in truth, to make sure of our eternal salvation, there in no better way than by means of the cross. (Sermons 34; O. IX, p. 353)

September 11

When you are harassed by temptations, do not fight them, but after an act of the corresponding virtue, turn your heart to Christ crucified and lovingly kiss in spirit His sacred feet. This is the best way to gain a victory over your enemy in both small and great temptations. As the love of God contains in itself the perfection of all other virtues, so it is the very best remedy against every vice and against the evil spirit. When he sees all his temptations brushed aside by the love of God, he stops molesting us. (INT. Part IV, Ch. 9; O. III, pp. 307-308)

September 12

Let us often have recourse to the holy cross, embracing it in our hearts. Let us rest in the shade of this holy tree! It is impossible that anything can hurt us if we keep to our resolution to belong totally to God. Do not get all upset, therefore, when difficulties come your way. Laugh in your enemy's face; you are in the arms of the Almighty. Therefore, let God be your strength and your love. (Letters 638; O. IX, p. 382)

September 13

Be on familiar terms with the angels; often contemplate them invisibly present in your life, and above all love and venerate that angel who watches over the diocese to which you belong. Pray to the angels of the people with whom you live, and especially to your own guardian angel. Call on him often and praise him every day, imploring his help and support in all that you do, spiritual or temporal. The angels present your petitions before God. [cf. Tb 12:12] (INT. Part II, Ch. 16; O. III, p. 105)

September 14

All that you do for love is love. Fatigue and even death itself accepted for motives of love is nothing else but love! Today is the feast of the Holy Cross. How beautiful and worthy of our love! It was hard work setting up the wood and erecting it on Calvary, but how happy are those who love the cross and carry it generously. It will appear in all its glory in the heavens when Christ Our Lord will come to judge the living and the dead. Heaven is the altar for all who are crucified; therefore, let us love the crosses that we meet as we go through life. (Letters 713; O. XV, pp. 101-102)

September 15

It is not tranquility that bring our hearts close to God, but the fidelity of our love for Him; it is not the felt experience of His sweetness, but the consent of our wills to follow His holy will. In fact, it is more desirable that this holy will be fulfilled in us than that we follow our will in God. (Letters 698; O. XV, p. 53)

September 16

Uneasiness arises from an inordinate desire to be freed of some evil or from the suffering we are undergoing; or it results from the desire for some benefit we want too eagerly. In either case, anxiety only aggravates the situation. So when you are seized by some desire to be freed from an evil or to acquire something you think is good, in the very first place put yourself in a calm and tranquil mood; tone down your judgment and your will, and then with gentleness quietly await the outcome of your desires. (INT. Part I, Ch. 11; O. III, pp. 311-312)

September 17

It is not possible to gain control over your soul all at once and have it immediately in your power. Be satisfied, therefore, with gaining control of it little by little, and so learn how to conquer your dominant passion. If you have to put up with others, begin by putting up with yourself. Be patient at finding that you are not perfect. Do you want to enjoy interior peace without having to suffer the day-to-day contradictions and setbacks? Every morning prepare your soul to face the day without getting upset, and throughout the day be careful to return to this resolution. (Letters 444; O. XIV, p. 2)

September 18

When something happens and we cannot understand the reason for it, we are inclined to think that there is no reason behind the events of this world. However, it is a matter of faith that since God is the Creator and Master of everything, He guides everything carefully by His Providence; He directs and embraces all creation. Especially as regards ourselves, God often allows our lives to be turned upside down by many setbacks. He desires us to walk by faith and not by sight, so that we might seek peace in Him alone! Truly we have to admit that heavenly Providence would be of very low quality if our poor intellect could fully understand it! In the same way, events would be far less marvelous in their grandeur if they corresponded to our human reasoning. (T.L.G. Book 4, Ch. 8; O. IV, p. 243)

September 19

You will find no vocation, no state in life, where there are no bitter experiences, no annoyances, no hard times. Everyone, except those who are fully resigned to the will of God, would like to change places with someone else. This general uneasiness of souls proceeds from the distaste they find when things do not go their way, and a certain influence of the evil spirit who presents the state of others as better than their own. But that is not true; whoever does not resign himself completely to the will of God will turn here and turn there, but he will never find peace. (Letters 233; O. XII, pp. 348-349)

September 20

We should never tire of making good resolutions, even when we know that we will not keep them. Even if we should feel absolutely certain that it will be impossible to put them into practice, we should not immediately give up. We should hold on until we have sufficient courage to say to the Lord: It is true, Lord, I haven't the strength to do it or suffer this, but I rejoice in this fact, that Your strength will work in me. With this support I will go ahead to face the battle, and I will win. (Spiritual Treatises IX; O. VI, p. 155)

September 21

It is well to reflect from time to time on the commandments of God, not only in general but also on the particular commandments proper to each person's vocation. If we find them distasteful, what makes them so? Only our will, which wants to have its own way in everything. It often happens that we desire to do something that we are not commanded to do, but if the same thing is commanded, we do not want to do it. From this it can be seen that we want to serve God in our own way and not in His. (Letters 233; O. XII, p. 345)

September 22

If you experience a great spiritual thrill in carrying out your practices of piety, do not change them. If you happen to omit anything that I have asked you to do, do not have scruples about it. Let this be the general rule of your obedience written in capital letters: DO EVERYTHING FOR LOVE, AND NOTHING THROUGH FORCE. LOVE OBEDIENCE MORE THAN YOU FEAR DISOBEDIENCE. I want you to have the spirit of liberty! (Letters 344; O. XII, pp. 358-359)

September 23

So long as we are on this earth, we must realize that we cannot avoid imperfections, because we are all human. We must convince ourselves of this reality; we should not get all upset in seeing ourselves as imperfect beings. The Lord has asked us to say every day those words of the Our Father, "Forgive us our trespasses..." This is a directive that has no exceptions, because we all have need of it. (Spiritual Treatises XVI; O. VI, pp. 296-297)

September 24

It is necessary not only to combat hate and distaste of one's neighbor, but to abstain from a common but quite harmful defect, namely, to complain and to keep repeating these complaints. This is an evident sign of a stubborn heart that has not even a spark of charity in it. Strong and generous hearts sometimes are saddened when there is a very serious cause, but even then they do not fall into exaggerated anguish. Have courage. The few years that remain to us here below, please God, will be for us the best and most useful for eternity. (Letters 817; O. XV, pp. 288-289)

September 25

The parents of Saint Catherine of Siena tried by every means they could to put obstacles in her way as regards prayer and meditation. Our Lord then inspired her to construct within her own heart a little interior "oratory" where she could mentally retire, even in the midst of exterior activity, and enjoy the solitude of her heart. Therefore, from that time on, she advised her spiritual sons and daughters to construct a small room in their own hearts and to dwell within it. (INT. Part II, Ch. 12; O. III, p. 93)

September 26

Either God or nothing, because all that is not of God is worse than nothing! Remain united with God and love Him with all your heart, always remembering that we cannot love Him too much nor can we ever love Him enough. How wonderful it is to know that we can love without falling into excess; there is no danger of that when it is God Whom we are loving. (Letters 660; O. XV, p. 17)

September 27

Perseverance in virtue is more difficult in internal matters than in external. We feel hesitation in submitting when it concerns our intellect, this being the last part of ourselves that we give up. Still, it is necessary to submit our way of thinking to a higher authority. Small as they may be, virtuous acts that are assigned to us are especially valuable. (Spiritual Treatises X; O. XXVI, pp. 170-171)

September 28

I believe in the Holy Spirit; all that God has done He has done through the Holy Spirit. In the same way, He still performs supernatural acts that only faith can perceive. Do you ask me how bread can become the body of Jesus Christ? I answer: The Holy Spirit casts His shadow (as He did upon the Virgin Mary) and performs works that are well beyond what our words and our intelligence can express. Besides, the Holy Spirit inspired Scripture; He is the Teacher of the whole Church! (Intercessions; O. XXIII, p. 23)

September 29

Do not change your confessor too readily. When you have chosen one, be faithful in keeping him informed of the state of your conscience on the day selected for your confession, telling him frankly and openly the sins you have committed. From time to time, say every month or two, let him know of any inclinations you may have, even if they are not sinful. For example, do you give way to moments of sadness or ill-humor? Do you frequently take time off from your duties? Do you have a tendency to want your own way? Ask yourself similar questions. (INT. Part II, Ch. 19; O. III, p. 115)

September 30

It sometimes happens that, after we have won many victories over our old enemies, we think we have them completely conquered; instead, they suddenly attack us from another angle, just when we least expect it. Solomon, the wisest man in the world, who had done many outstanding things in his youth, thought he would persevere in virtue for a long time. He seemed to be safe from any danger, yet was surprised by an enemy he feared least. From this fact we learn two things: in the first place, distrust of ourselves, together with holy fear and constant prayer for heavenly assistance; secondly, we should realize that our enemies may be scattered, but not killed. (Letters 910; O. XVI, p. 63)

Used with permission.

Text taken from the book: "Every Day with SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES"

Edited by Francis J. Klauder, S.D.B.

Library of Congress Card Catalogue Number 85-72838

ISBN 0-89944-082-7

October 1

What a sad thing it is to see that most people never even bother to think about the reason for their existence, but live as if they believe themselves created only to build houses, plant trees, cultivate the garden, pile up wealth or do frivolous things. Consider your own past life. Say, "Lord, what was I thinking of when I was not thinking of You? Whom did I love when I was not loving You? I should have fed upon the truth, but I glutted myself with vanity and served the world instead of serving the truth." (INT. Part I, Ch. 10; O. III, p. 37)

October 2

Francis de Sales had a great devotion to his guardian angel, and not only his own but those of his friends and enemies. When he had a discussion with Protestants, he silently exorcized the demon that possessed them and invoked their guardian angels. When he was absent from his diocese, he entrusted it in a special way to the care of its guardian angel, and never forgot to greet the angels in various kingdoms, provinces and parishes which he visited. In the confessional he often invoked the penitent's guardian angel. Even in his writings it can be seen how he recommended to his clients devotion to their angel. (A.S. X, p.2)

October 3

It seems to me a shameful thing for a person to come to die without ever having thought of death. This will be doubly shameful for those to whom God has granted a long life. Soldiers who train before they go into battle always do better than those who go rushing around looking for their arms just before the battle begins. It is a good thing to leave this world little by little, withdrawing our love for creatures bit by bit. Trees which are bent over by the wind cannot be transplanted elsewhere because they have left their roots in the ground; so we creatures who are to be transplanted to the land of the living must little by little detach our affections from this world. (Letters 230; O. XII, pp. 329-330)

October 4

Let us kiss our Savior, Who grants us so many delights. Now to kiss the Savior is to obey Him, keep His commandments, do His will and follow His desires; in brief, to embrace Him with tender obedience and fidelity. Therefore, whenever we receive any spiritual consolation, on that very day we must be more diligent in doing good and humbling ourselves. (INT. Part IV, Ch. 13; O. III, p. 324)

October 5

Do you want to know with what kind of love you should love your neighbor? With the same love with which God loves us. We must draw this love from the heart of the Eternal Father, so that it will be pure, firm, solid, constant and unchanging. Our love should not depend on a person's qualities or good fortune, nor should it be subject to the changes and dislikes that often occur in our relationships with others. In this way, even if something should happen that displeases us, our love will not grow less. (Sermons 22; O. IX, pp. 200-201)

October 6

If you commit some fault, do not get all worked up or make a big fuss about it; having acknowledged the fact that you have done something wrong, gently humble yourself before God and try to put your soul at rest, saying to yourself, "Ah, well! I have tripped but now I must walk slowly, watching my steps." Every time you fall, do the same and when you fall frequently, even though in minor matters, try to make as many acts of love as you can, because Our Lord says, "If you can trust a man in little things, you can also trust him in greater..." [Lk 16:10] (Letters 444; O. XIV, p. 2)

October 7

The truly patient person neither complains of his hard lot nor desires to be pitied by others. He speaks of his sufferings in a natural, pure and sincere way, without grumbling or exaggerating them. When you are sick, offer up all your grief, pain and weakness in a service to Our Lord, and beseech Him to join them to the torments He suffered for you. Desire to get well so that you may serve Him, but do not refuse to suffer so that you may obey Him and prepare for death, if that is His will, in order to praise Him and be happy with Him forever. (INT. Part III, Ch. 3; O. III, p. 137)

October 8

A heart that practices the virtue of holy resignation is like a ball of wax in God's hands, ready to receive all the impressions of His divine good pleasure. A heart without preferences is equally ready for anything and everything, since it has no object for its will except the will of God. It does not place its love in the things God wills but in the will of God. When God's will is found in many things, it chooses, no matter what the cost, those in which God's will seems most manifest. (T.L.G. Book 9, Ch. 4; O. V, p. 121)

October 9

My God, how deceiving this present life is! How desirable is eternity, and how happy are those who long for it! Therefore, hold on tightly to the merciful hand of God, because He wants to take us all with Him. Let us be loving and humble of heart toward all, but particularly those closest to us; let us walk together in peace, supporting one another, without giving way in time of trials, and never losing heart. God will never abandon us unless we abandon Him first; therefore, let us hold His hand ever so tightly ... just as Saint Denis held His hand. (Letters 1109; O. XVII, p. 44)

October 10

If you want proof that you love God as He should be loved, consider whether in comparison with Him you love anything with a greater love. When we love many things at the same time, the love we have for each is weak and very imperfect. So long as we live in this valley of tears, our capacity to love is very limited; therefore, we must not dissipate our love by spreading it over many objects, but keep it reserved for loving the supreme goodness of God. (Sermons 22; O. IX, p. 200)

October 11

If at times we are tempted to be vain in seeing the grace of God conferred on us, it will be an infallible remedy to consider our own ingratitude, imperfection and misery. If we reflect on how we behaved when God was not with us, we will easily understand that what we do when He is with us is not the result of our own efforts. We will certainly be happy with what we have done, but we will give the glory to God. (INT. Part III, Ch. 5; O. III, p. 146)

October 12

If we have good ideas or good desires but lack strength to put them into practice, we must present them to God with a firm hope that He will help us. Certainly, if we place all our confidence in Divine Goodness, the Lord will not fail to grant whatever is necessary to persevere in His service. (Sermons 61; O. IX, p. 310)

October 13

Every morning, before doing anything else, you must beg God to give you gentleness of spirit, so necessary for souls pledged to His service, and resolve for your part to exercise it particularly toward those persons to whom you owe the most. If you do this you will be very happy, because God will live in the center of your heart, which will remain totally at peace. If, however, it happens that you fail in this matter, do not lose heart, but immediately step back into line, just as if you had never fallen. (Letters 1908; O. XXI, pp. 19 - 20)

October 14

"You must be ready to suffer many great afflictions for the love of Our Lord, even martyrdom itself! Resolve to give Him, if He wants it, all that you hold most dear…those nearest to you, your eyes and even your life, because your heart must be prepared for all such sacrifices. However, as long as Divine Providence does not send you such great piercing afflictions, bear patiently the slight injuries, the little inconveniences, sickness, the unwarranted demands of relatives - in short, all such little trials which, when they are accepted and embraced with love, are highly pleasing to the good God and are a means of storing up vast spiritual riches if only you use them well. (INT. Part III, Ch. 35;O. III, p. 254)

October 15

Sugar sweetens green fruit and corrects whatever is bitter and unwholesome in ripe fruit. Now, devotion is true spiritual sugar, for it removes bitterness from mortification and anything harmful from our consolations. It takes away discontent from the poor, care from the rich, grief from the oppressed, pride from the exalted, melancholy from the solitary, and dissipation from those who live in society. With equal benefit it serves as fire in winter and dew in summer, it fills us with a marvelous sweetness. (INT. Part I, Ch. 2; O. III, pp. 17-18)

October 16

Live totally for God and for the love He has poured out on you. Put up with all your defects. Being a good servant of God does not consist in living in the midst of consolations and delights, without any dislike or repugnance for the good. If that were the case, neither Saint Catherine of Siena nor others would have served the Lord worthily! To be a good servant of God means to have a great love for your neighbor; to have an inviolable resolution to follow the Divine Will; to have a deep humility and simplicity in trusting God and in being able to rise from your falls. It means having patience with yourself in your daily failings and peacefully tolerating your neighbor with all his or her imperfections. (Letters 409; O. XIII, pp. 313-314)

October 17

Jesus Christ Himself said, "Love one another. Such as my love has been for you, so must your love be for each other." [Jn 13:34] You must give a lot of thought to this statement, because it means that we must love others more than we love ourselves. The Lord always put others before Himself and still continues to do that, making Himself our food every time we receive Him in the Blessed Sacrament. In like manner He wants us to love others and even to prefer our neighbor to ourselves. (Spiritual Treatises IV; O. VI, p. 57)

October 18

The present life is strewn with sorrowful moments, but during such moments we can increase our acts of precious union with the will of God. Such times afford the opportunity of mortifying our self-love, loving our abjection and indeed our own crucifixion. How else can we prove our love if not by accepting these bitter and sorrowful happenings? How often have I referred to the stripping of ourselves, to be reclothed with Jesus Christ crucified? Then and only then will God dwell in our hearts. (Letters 1497; O. XVIII, p. 332)

October 19

We must not allow our minds to flutter curiously around God's judgments; if we do so, we will be like months and burn our wings and perish in the sacred flame. These judgments of God are incomprehensible. We cannot know or plumb His motives. The inscrutable ways in which God brings us to perfection cannot be discerned or recognized by His creatures. Who can penetrate the meaning, the understanding or the purpose of God? "Who has been his counselor" so as to know His plans and their motives? Who has ever gone to Him and rendered any service to Him? [cf. Rom 11:33-35] On the contrary, is it not He Who goes before us with the blessings of His grace, so as to crown us with the happiness of His glory? All things are from God Who is their Creator; all things are by Him Who is their ruler; all things are in Him Who is their protector. (T.L.G. Book 4, Ch. 8; O. IV, p. 244)

October 20

I must say to you sincerely that it is necessary for everyone to stand firm in his or her state of life. All of us should remain willingly in the ship in which we find ourselves, and so cross from this life into the next. True, often we have not been put there by the hand of God, but by man. Now, however, God wants us to remain there, and out of love for Him we should stay there willingly. Where our election is to a minor state, our submission to the Divine Will should be greater. Say often with all your heart, "Yes, my God, I want to be where I am because it has pleased You that this is so." (Letters 1294; O. XVII, pp. 369-370)

October 21

Several times during the day, but especially in the morning and evening, ask yourself for a moment if you have your soul in your hands or if some passion or fit of anxiety has robbed you of it. Consider whether you have command of your heart or whether it has slipped into some disorderly passion of love, hatred, envy, covetousness, fear, uneasiness or joy. If you have gone astray, quietly bring your soul back to the presence of God, subjecting all your affections and desires to the obedience and direction of His Divine Will. Just as men who are afraid of losing a precious pearl hold it firmly in their hands, so we must keep a close watch on the precious pearl of our soul. (INT. Part IV, Ch. 11; O. III, p. 312)

October 22

Oh, how happy are those who keep their hearts open to holy inspirations! They never lack anything conducive to a devout life. According to their condition, they thus advance in holiness. Now, if we do not resist grace, God will also supply us wit opportune inspirations to live, to work and to progress in the spiritual life. (T.L.G. Book 8, Ch. 10; O. V, pp. 91-92)

October 23

Know that the virtue of patience is the one that more than any other insures our perfection. We should practice it with our neighbor, but we should practice it still more with ourselves. Those who aspire to pure love of God have not as much need to practice patience with others as with themselves. To acquire perfection, one must not look for temptations but simply tolerate them with patience; humility is reinforced with this tolerance. We must face the truth: we are poor people who cannot do much good, but God, Who is infinitely good, is quite happy with the little good that we do. (Letters 190; O. XII, p. 203)

October 24

He who looks upon his neighbor outside of the breast of the Savior runs the risk of not loving him purely, constantly or fairly; but if he considers him nestling in the breast of his Savior, how could he help but love him? Who would not put up with him? Who would not tolerate his imperfections? Who would consider him crude or troublesome? But our neighbor is precisely there, in the sacred breast of the Savior, so worthy of being loved that the Divine Lover died for love for him. (Letters 1202; O. XVII, pp. 213-214)

October 25

Turning to my most gracious and merciful God, I desire to serve Him and to love Him now and forever. But if, through temptation by the enemy or human frailty, I should chance to transgress in any point, or fail to adhere to this my resolution and dedication, I protest from this moment and am determined, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, to rise as soon as I perceive my fall and return again to God's mercy without any hesitation or delay whatsoever. (INT. Part I, Ch. 20; O. III, p. 60)

October 26

On certain occasions it is necessary to speak to people whom you heartily dislike. Then you must do so with greatest respect and esteem. This point is of such great importance for the perfection of our souls that I would willingly write these words with my blood. Should we not show our love for God? Jesus suffered so much for us amid repugnance and adversions! Should we not do the same in similar circumstances? It is necessary that the thorns of difficulties pierce our brain and the lance of contradictions pass through our hearts. We must also drink the gall and gulp down the vinegar, and chew upon absinth and the hemlock because He wants us to do so. (Letters 1294; O. XVII, p. 370)

October 27

What does it mean to love God with all one's heart? It means to love Him with the totality of our love, loving other things little in comparison. To love God with all one's mind and with all one's thoughts is to keep our intellect occupied in thinking of Him with a pure and simple devotion. To love God with all one's strength is to love Him with a firm love, one that is constant and generous, that never allows itself to be overcome by tribulations but is forever persevering. To love God with one's whole being is to give ourself and to abandon ourself entirely with our whole existence, so as to remain totally subject in obedience to His love. (Sermons 22; O. IX, p. 199)

October 28

God is greater than our heart, and our heart is greater than the world. So when our heart in meditation prepares itself to do all it can in the service of God, it works marvels and raises our actions to a degree of uncommon perfection. It is determined to serve the Lord and honor Him, to help our neighbor, to mortify our internal and external feelings and carry out other good resolutions. Now all this perfection, even though it is not in proportion to the greatness of God, is greater than the world and all human forces and exterior actions. (Letters 190; O. XII, pp. 203-204)

October 29

We have the liberty to do good or evil, but to choose evil is not to use but to abuse liberty. Let us renounce such misguided liberty and subject our free will forever to the rule of heavenly love. If our souls should ever will to use their liberty against our resolutions to serve God eternally and without reserve, let us generously sacrifice this free will and make it die to itself so that it may live in God! (T.L.G. Book 1, Ch. 17; O. V, p. 80)

October 30

Eagles have strong hearts and great power of flight; yet their eyesight is even greater than their ability to fly, and they extend their vision much more quickly and much farther than their wings. So, too, with our souls: since they are animated by a natural inclination toward God, they have far more ability to see how worthy of love God is than strength of will to love Him. (T.L.G. Book 1, Ch. 17; O. V, p. 80)

October 31

You must forge straight ahead, treading the path that is nearest in order to live the first day well, without worrying about the final one. Bear in mind what I am about to tell you: too often we spend a lot of our efforts trying to be good angels (of Heaven) and forget all about becoming good men and women (in this world). Our imperfections will accompany us to the grave. We cannot walk without touching the ground; and if it true that we must not go to sleep or sit down and do nothing, it is also true that we must not try to fly without wings. (Letters 90; O. XII, pp. 204-205)

Used with permission.

Text taken from the book: "Every Day with SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES"

Edited by Francis J. Klauder, S.D.B.

Library of Congress Card Catalogue Number 85-72838

ISBN 0-89944-082-7

November 1

Conduct and hold your spirit fast to the glorious paths of the heavenly Jerusalem, where from every side you hear the praises of God resounding. Look at the variety of saints and find out how they arrived at Heaven. You will learn that the apostles go there especially through love, the martyrs through their constancy, the doctors through meditation, the confessors through mortification, the virgins through purity of heart, but all of them through humility. (Letters 1715; O. XIX, pp. 360-361)

November 2

Souls who are in Purgatory are there because of their sins, sins that they now supremely detest. But as for abjection and pain at being detained in that place and at being temporarily deprived of enjoying the blessed love that is paradise, they suffer it lovingly and devoutly according to the canticle of divine justice, "Righteous and true are Your ways..." [Rv 15:3] Therefore, let us patiently wait for our spiritual growth, and instead of disturbing ourselves because we have made so little progress in the past, let us diligently strive to do better in the future. (T.L.G. Book 9, Ch. 7; O. V, p. 131)

November 3

Follow the example of Saint Bernard and repeat those well-known words of his: "What is your mission in this life? What does God want from you?" Then abandon yourself totally to His Divine Will. Let Him carry out His plan in you. Let Him dispose of you as He wishes without any reserve whatever! Have a sincere devotion to the holy virgin and to your guardian angel. Finally, remind yourself that, as a superior, you need more humility to command than to obey! Be careful not to be too meticulous in all that you have to do. Only have the right intention to act for the love of God and for His honor and glory! Keep strictly to this resolution; never desire to do anything that is not for God or which could be viewed with displeasure by Him. (Letters 40; O. XXVI, p. 344)

November 4

When Saint Charles was dying he had the picture of the dead Christ brought to him, so that he could die happily in the thought of his Savior's death. And this is really the remedy for all those who fear death: to think often of Him Who is our life, and never to think of one without the other. (Letters 512; O. XIV, pp. 119-120)

November 5

We are like stags on which powerful princes have placed collars bearing their coat of arms. Even after they have been let out and set free in the forest, whoever comes upon them must recognize them as having once belonged to this prince...God has put a desire for Himself in our souls, and this is a sign that we belong to Him. He has reserved the right to bring us back again to Himself and to save us according as His sweet and holy Providence shall dictate. (T.L.G. Book 1, Ch. 18; O. IV, pp. 84-85)

November 6

Desire to be what you are and to be good at what you are; all your thoughts should be directed to perfecting yourself in this. Be ready to carry all the crosses you will be asked to bear in the process. Believe me, it is a great secret, but one that is least understood in the spiritual life, because everyone loves to do his own thing and few want to live according to the plan and wishes of Our Lord. (Letters 400; O. XIII, p. 291)

November 7

Look often with your inward eyes on Jesus crucified; think of the torments the martyrs endured and those so many people now endure that are incomparably more grievous than yours, and say: "Alas! Are not my hardships consolations and my thorns roses in comparison with those who without help, assistance or relief, live a continual death under the burden of afflictions infinitely greater than mine?" (INT. Part III, Ch. 3; O. III, p. 130)

November 8

It still remains to us to specify the conditions necessary to pray well. I know that the old masters of the Spirit specified several when they were dealing with this subject--some fifteen, some eight, etc. But since those numbers seem to be excessive, I will be content to mention only three. The first is that we must be little and humble, the second, that we must have a goodly supply of hope; and the third is to keep our minds fixed on Jesus Christ crucified. (Sermons 8; O. IX, p. 53)

November 9

God's will lies in exercising restraint amid consolations and in practicing patience in tribulations. Hearts that are resigned prefer the second because it contains more of God's will. To sum up, God's good pleasure is the supreme object of the soul. Wherever it sees it, it runs after it. It always searches for the place where there is more of it, without any other consideration. This soul is led on by God's will as by a beloved chain, and wherever His will goes, the soul follows. Yes, it would prefer hell to paradise if it knew that it would find a little more of God's good pleasure in hell than in Heaven. (T.L.G. Book 9, Ch. 4; O. V, pp. 121-122)

November 10

If we want to be saved, we must cling to the cross of our Savior, meditate upon it frequently and carry in us its mortification, there being no other path to Heaven. Our Lord was the first to tread it; so have as many ecstasies and raptures as you like... but if with these you do not remain attached to the cross and they do not help you to practice mortification, I tell you quite clearly that all this is vanity. Indeed, there is no other path nor any other gate through which you can enter Heaven except that of humility and mortification. (Sermons 38; O. IX, p. 412)

November 11

Do not be surprised at having distractions or at being cold and weary at prayer, as these are the effects of the sensitive and emotional part of our being and of the heart, over which we have little control. For this we should not give up going to Holy Communion, because no one can better recollect our spirit than its King; nothing can better warm it than the Sun; nothing can better sweeten it than such balm. (Letters 1382; O. XVIII, pp. 135-136)

November 12

It is the evil spirit, deprived forever of sacred love, who would like to stop us from enjoying the fruits of that which the Holy Spirit wants us to practice. In holy relations between us, we find a means of more perfectly carrying out the heavenly will. (Letters 1519; O. XVIII, pp. 378-379)

November 13

One of the most important lessons for the spiritual life is that we must try to maintain unaltered evenness of spirit. We need to remain constantly fixed in our desire to seek God alone, no matter if everything within us and around us is confused. Our heart must unceasingly lean on the love of God, its Creator, whether our soul is overwhelmed with sorrow or with joy, with peace or anxiety, with temptation or with repose. (INT. Part 4, Ch. 13; O. III, pp. 316-317)

November 14

Let us set out to practice certain virtues that are adapted to our weakness and that have more to do with descending than climbing. They are patience, tolerance, the service of others, humility, gentleness of soul, affinity, putting up with one's imperfections and similar small virtues. I do no say, of course, that at times it is not a good things to elevate ourselves by means of prayers, but this must be done slowly, slowly. (Letters 190; O. XII, p. 205)

November 15

We have no way of knowing whether the good which animates us at present will last for all our life. There is reason to doubt this, as nothing is so weak and subject to change as our will. However, we should not get unduly upset about all this but often present our will to the Lord, placing everything in His hands. Certainly He will keep renewing it as many times as is necessary for the course of our mortal life. (Sermons 61; O. X, p. 310)

November 16

Happy are those whom God can direct as He wishes and who are submissive to His will, whether it be in time of tribulation or of consolation. However, the true servants of God have more love for the path of adversity as being more conformable to that of our Head. In fact, Christ did not want to work out our salvation and His glory except by means of the cross and opprobrium...and it is along this path that He has always led His greatest and dearest servants. (Letters 1999;O. XXI, p. 41)

November 17

The small crosses of obedience, affability and docility in following the will of someone else, especially that of superiors, have great value, as the wonderful example of the saint we honor today shows. Because she looked so pale, Saint Gertrude was treated more delicately than the others by the superior of the convent, who do not allow her to practice the austerities of religious life. What do you think the holy woman did then to become a saint? Nothing else but submit her will to the abbess. Although her piety urged her to do more and suffer more, she never expressed this. She acquired such a spirit of peace and tranquility that the Lord revealed to Saint Matilda, her companion, "If anyone wants to find Me on this earth, let him first see Me in the Blessed Sacrament and then in the heart of Gertrude." In fact, in the heart of this great saint there did not exist even a shadow of her own will; therefore, God willingly took delight in possessing it. Obedience is the salt that gives taste and flavor to all our actions and renders them meritorious for eternal life. (Spiritual Treatises XV; O. VI, pp. 273-274)

November 18

Keep correcting some fault in yourself, but do not do this through coercion but through love, just as those who delight in going camping bring with them trees from their own garden. Without doubt the Lord will supply what is missing to keep you close to Him, so long as for your part you love Him alone and seek to follow Him alone. (Letters 837; O. XV, pp. 319-320)

November 19

Let us make a firm decision to serve God with all our heart and with all our life, but let us not worry about tomorrow. Let us concentrate on doing good today. When tomorrow comes, it will also be called today, and so we will have to think of it as such. In all this, however, it is necessary to have great confidence and resignation in the Providence of God. We must provide ourselves with manna for today and nothing more. We must have no doubts; God will make it rain tomorrow, the day after tomorrow and so on, for all the days of our life. (Letters 190; O. XII, pp. 205-206)

November 20

In the course of this our earthly pilgrimage, the Lord leads us in His ways; either He gives us His hand to have us walk with Him or He carries us in the arms of His Divine Providence. He holds us by the hand when He enables us to walk by the exercise of virtue; if He did not, we would not be able to walk at all on this blessed way. There is plenty of evidence that those who let go of His fatherly hand cannot take one step without falling and hitting their nose on the ground! Without doubt the good God wants to lead us, wants to help us on our way, but also wants us to do our part by taking small steps in cooperation with His grace. (Sermons 16; O. IX, pp. 133-134)

November 21

The greatest happiness of the glorious virgin derives, as a privilege, from her being perfectly obedient to God, not only in the observance of the divine commandments and the manifest will of God, but also in the execution of divine aspirations. Imitate her in this; it will be easy to do so if you have the intention of pleasing God and being acceptable to Him. (Sermons 26; O. IX, p. 138)

November 22

It is often we ourselves who are the cause of our own sterile, arid state. God holds back consolations from us when we have a foolish complacency in them. He departs from us as a punishment for our laziness when we are negligent in seizing the opportune time to make use of the richness and delights of divine love. The heavenly Spouse knocks at the door of our heart and urges us to take up our spiritual exercises once more, but we do not wish to have anything to do with Him because it costs us too much to give up our vain occupations and separate ourselves from false pleasures. Then He passes us by and leaves us to our own devices. When we desperately go searching for Him, we have no one to blame except ourselves. (INT. Part IV, Ch. 14; O. III, p. 326)

November 23

Above everything else, you must procure tranquility of spirit, not only because it is the mother of contentment but because it is the daughter of the love of God. Occasions to practice this virtue crop up daily; wherever we are, we will never be free of contradictions, and when they do not come from others we initiate them ourselves. Oh, how holy and pleasing in the eyes of the Lord we will be if only we know how to make good use of the occasions of mortifying ourselves, using all that our vocation presents us with! (Letters 469; O. XIV, p. 53)

November 24

It is not enough to say, "I want to save my soul." It is not enough to say, "I want to embrace the means suitable to arrive at eternal salvation." With absolute resolve we must will and embrace the graces God presents to us. God gives us the means of salvation; we must receive them just as we must desire salvation as God desires it for us and because His will desires it. (T.L.G. Book 8, Ch. 4; O. V, p. 70)

November 25

This life is short but is very valuable, for by means of it we are able to acquire eternal life. Happy are those who know how to use it for this purpose and how to apply these passing moments to gain a happy eternity. Nothing is so pleasing to the heart of God than to see us persevering in the exercise of small virtues. It is just these very virtues that can make us perfect if we persevere in them to the end, rather than the big virtues that we can exercise only from time to time. (Letters 1997; O. XII, pp. 37-38)

November 26

God in His goodness is not satisfied with giving us many graces and favor. He further repays the services we render Him with such excessive generosity that the person who corresponds to a grace disposes himself to receive another; he who corresponds to the second disposes himself to receive the third, and so on. God never fails to do His part. If the soul is faithful in accepting His graces, He gives it more and more. Thus it is an ongoing process. Advancing in this way by faithfully responding to grace, the soul becomes worthy of receiving outstanding graces and of accomplishing great things. (Sermons 40; O. IX, p. 439)

November 27

Prayer is the means by which we ascend to God; the sacraments are the channels by which God descends to us. But what dispositions are required to receive them with profit? The first is purity of intention, which is absolutely necessary not only to receive the sacraments but in all that we do. A pure intention is union with God without any mixture of self-interest...The second disposition is attention to the grandeur of the act we are about to undertake...The third is humility, an indispensable virtue if we are to receive with abundance the graces that flow from the channel of the sacraments. (Spiritual Treatises XVIII; O. VI, pp. 337-339)

November 28

You ask me why it is that we receive the Holy Spirit and with Him all His gifts when we receive the sacraments with the right dispositions, and yet we fall so often into sin? We go to confession, in which we receive the Holy Spirit with the remission of our sins, and yet it so often happens that we fall back into the same sins after our confession. This is because we lack courage; we are too weak. (Sermons 70; O. X, pp. 425-426)

November 29

When we are troubled with bodily ailments or are suffering from poor health, there is no need to ask any more of our soul than acts of submission and acceptance of sickness and a holy union of our will with the divine pleasure--all acts that are formed in the innermost regions of the soul. As far as external actions are concerned, we must do the best we can, satisfied even if performing them reluctantly, languidly and with difficulty. Thus the lead of sickness changes into the finest gold by the practice of joyfulness of heart. (Letters 1704; O. XIX, pp. 340-341)

November 30

The cross is the royal gate by which we enter the temple of sanctity. He who looks for it elsewhere will not find even a trace. Do not look upon crosses except in the light of the great cross of Christ, and you will find them so small and so welcome that you will begin to love suffering because you will find in it more consolation than in any pleasure...Have a great love for the cross, which, if you look upon it with the eyes of love, will seem to be made of gold. (Letters 1983; O. XXI, p. 22)

Used with permission.

Text taken from the book: "Every Day with SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES"

Edited by Francis J. Klauder, S.D.B.

Library of Congress Card Catalogue Number 85-72838

ISBN 0-89944-082-7

August 1

On this day, the feast of Saint Peter in Chains, it pleased our guardian angel to strike at our side and wake us up, giving us a loving attention to the presence of God and freeing us from all the bonds of self-love, so as to consecrate us decisively to divine love. How fortunate was Saint Peter when the Lord repeatedly asked him "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" [Jn 21:16] It was not that Jesus doubted that he did, but to have the great pleasure of hearing him say, repeat and protest that he loved Him. So we must either love or die, because he who does not love remains a dead person. (Letters 798; O. XV, p. 252)

August 2

What love can we have proportionate to the infinite goodness of our Creator, Who from all eternity has determined to create, preserve, govern, redeem, save and glorify all people in general and each person in particular? What was I when I was not? What was I, I who even now when I am something am still only a mere pitiful creature of earth? Yet from the depths of His eternity God thought thoughts of blessings on my behalf? He meditated and planned, yes, determined the hour of my birth, of my baptism, of all the inspirations He would give me, and, in sum, all the benefits He would provide and offer to me. Ah, is there any kindness like this? (T.L.G. Book 12, Ch. 12; O. V, pp. 343-344)

August 3

Eternal God, how is it possible for a soul that has the love of God ever to lose it? Where that love is, it resists sin. How, then, can it happen that sin makes entry into such a soul, since "...stern as death is love, relentless as the nether world is devotion..."? [Sg 8:6] How can a reasonable soul that has once tasted such great sweetness as that of heavenly love ever willingly swallow the bitter waters of sin? The heavens themselves are astonished and the angels of peace are bewildered at such abysmal misery in a human heart that has abandoned a good so worthy of love in order to attach itself to things so lamentable. (T.L.G. Book 4, Ch. 1.; O. IV, p. 216)

August 4

The person who has a real desire to serve the Lord and avoid sin should in no way get upset about the thought of death and divine judgment. Although we should fear both, that fear should not be something terrible or terrifying so as to cause depression or lower our spiritual vigor and strength of spirit. It ought to be a fear so totally fused with confidence in the goodness of God as to become something beautiful and peace-giving. (Letters 1974; O. XXI, p. 12)

August 5

O free will of my heart, how good a thing it will be for you to be bound and laid upon the cross of your divine Savior! How desirable a thing will it be for you to die to yourself so as to burn forever as a holocaust to the Lord! Our free will is never so free as when it is a slave to God's will, just as it is never so servile as when it serves our own will. It never has so much life as when it dies to itself, and never so much death as when it lives to itself. (T.L.G. Book 12, Ch. 10; O. V, pp. 340-341)

August 6

How beautiful is the face of Jesus transfigured on Mount Tabor [cf. Mt. 17:2] and how beautiful it is to keep Him company on that mount of glory! There we must center our desires and our affections, not in this land of miseries, where we can find only vain beauty of beautiful vanity! By the grace of our Savior, however, we are climbing Tabor, because we have made stable and firm resolutions to love deeply and to serve the Divine Goodness. But we must encourage ourselves with holy hope and climb without getting tired, until we have that heavenly vision of God. So let us detach ourselves, little by little, from base and earthly affections, and look forward to the heavenly happiness that awaits us. (Letters 614; O. XIV, pp. 338-339)

August 7

Self-love, esteem of ourselves and false liberty of spirit are roots that are not easily eradicated from our hearts. We cannot stop them from producing sinful fruits. As long as we are in this life, we cannot even totally prevent the first shoots and branches; namely, the first indications and the first acts. We can only moderate them and lessen their number and influence by the practice of contrary virtues, especially the virtue of the love of God. (Letters 1173; O. XVII, p. 60)

August 8

"Your name spoken is a spreading perfume..." [Sg. 1:3] As the bridegroom has poured out his love in the soul and heart of the bride, so in turn the bride pours out her love into the heart of her bridegroom. A honeycomb, struck by the burning rays of the sun, melts and loses it original form to flow toward the part that was touched by the sun. So the soul of this lover melts and flows in the direction from which the sun of its delight comes, losing its natural form to follow Him Who is speaking to it. (T.L.G. Book 4, Ch. 12; O. IV, p. 345)

August 9

We must be patient and little by little root out our bad inclinations, overcome our aversions and control our emotions. This life is truly a continual warfare, and there is no one who can say, "I am never tempted." Peace is reserved for Heaven, where the palm of victory awaits us; on earth there is a continual struggle between hope and fear. However, our hope must be strong, relying on the omnipotence of God, Who is always ready to help us. So never tire of fighting for your growth and perfection. (Letters 1173; O. XVII, pp. 160-161)

August 10

Often raise your eyes to Heaven, and you will see that this present life is nothing but a passage toward eternal life. If our way of living and our senses, numbed at seeing and esteeming the world and this earthly life, make us feel quite foreign to spiritual things, let us amend this error in the light of faith. Only faith makes us consider those people happy who, in a brief time, have brought their voyage to an end. (Letters 852; O. XV, pp. 346-347)

August 11

If we want to enjoy interior peace, it is necessary to have one will and one desire: to love Jesus crucified, employing all our faculties and energies for this purpose. Different indeed is the peace resulting from this love - a peace that the world does not give. The worldly boast of their peace, but certainly it is a false peace that eventually will be destroyed. (Sermons 30; O. IX, p. 301)

August 12

The Christian must love his or her own body as a living image of the incarnate Savior, as a shoot from the same trunk, and, as a consequence, bound to Him by blood relationship. In a special manner we must love our body after having received the divine body of the Redeemer in the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist. In Communion we renew our alliance with Christ's body, having been dedicated and consecrated to the Divine Goodness by means of baptism, confirmation and the other sacraments. (T.L.G. Book 3, Ch. 8; O. IV, p. 193)

August 13

It is a common saying that as one lives, so shall he die. What kind of death do you think the blessed virgin had, if not a death filled with love? In her life we do not read of raptures or ecstasies, because her whole life was a continual rapture of burning love. Now, when the moment comes to leave this miserable earth, love separates the soul from the body. As nothing was found in her that prevented her from the possession of glory, since her whole being was pervaded by purity and beauty, she immediately flew to Heaven after her death. (Sermons 21; O. IX. pp. 182-183)

August 14

After the soul of the blessed virgin had left its most pure body, her body was laid in the tomb and restored to the earth. The same thing happened to the body of her Son. It was reasonable and just that the mother should not enjoy more privileges than the Son, but as Our Lord rose after three days, so she was restored to life, but in a different manner. The Savior rose by His own power, the Virgin Mary rose by the power of her Son, Who commanded her soul to be reunited with her body. It was right that her most holy body should not be subject to corruption. From that body Our Lord Jesus Christ has taken His bodily existence, remaining in her most chaste womb for the space of nine months. (Sermons 21; O. IX, p. 184)

August 15

In the presence of our queen assumed into Heaven, we profoundly vow our heart that she may flood it with the "dew of Hermon," distilled from the holy fullness of grace. How sublime is the perfection of this love in comparison to all of us! Oh, how I have desired that amid the immensity of our miseries she will find and bring the olive branch of holy love. In purity, in gentleness and in prayer, may she carry it as a sign of peace to our dear Jesus! Long live Jesus, long live Mary! (Letters 1230; O. XVII, p. 271)

August 16

Soon we shall be in eternity, and then we shall see how very petty are the things of this earth and how inconsequential it is whether we are involved in them or not. Now we get all worked up as if they were terribly important! When we were small children, how carefully we collected pieces of wood, stone and such to build huts, and if someone knocked them down we cried; then we were all put out, but now we understand how unimportant these things were. We will feel the same way one day in Heaven, when we see that all our preoccupations in this world were nothing but childish concerns. Be faithful to your duties, but be convinced that there is nothing more worthy or more important than eternal salvation and the perfection of your soul. (Letters 455; O. XIX, p. 22)

August 17

While we must resist great temptation with unconquerable courage, and while the victory we gain over them is in the highest degree helpful to us, it may be that we will profit more by resisting small temptations. Although great temptations exceed in quality, small ones immeasurably exceed in number, so that victory over them may be comparable to that gained over greater temptations. Therefore we must carefully prepare ourselves for such combat. (INT. Part IV, Ch. 8, O. III, p. 307)

August 18

Raise your eyes to Heaven and you will see that no one arrives there without hard work and continual afflictions. When things go wrong, say to yourself, "This is the road to Heaven. I see the harbor and I am sure that the tempests will not stop me from reaching it." (Letters 1281; O. XVII, p. 347)

August 19

God undoubtedly prepared paradise only for such as He foresaw would be His. Therefore let us be His both by faith and by works, and He will be ours by glory. It is in our power to be His, for although to belong to God is a gift from God, yet it is a gift that God denies to no one. God offers it to all and gives it to those who sincerely consent to receive it. Note well, I beg of you, how ardently God desires us to be His, since to this end He has made Himself entirely ours. He gives us both His death and His life: His life, so that we may be freed from eternal death; His death, so that we can enjoy eternal life. Let us live in peace, then, and serve God so as to be His in this mortal life and still more so in life eternal. (T.L.G. Book 3, Ch. 5; O. IV, pp. 186-187)

August 20

Are not the crosses of God sweet and full of consolation? I say yes. If Providence should so desire, we should be willing even to die, in imitation of the Savior. Indeed, if need be, let us die on the cross! Then the storms and tempests which assail our hearts and often destroy our calm will not influence us. Let us mortify ourselves in the inmost part of our being, so that our spirit of faith remains steadfast. No matter what happens to us, we will live in peace; even if we lost everything, what does it matter when there is still God? (Letters 402; O. XIII, pp. 294-295)

August 21

Desire either to die or to love God; either death or love, because life without love of God is much worse than death. My God, how happy we will be if with all our hearts we love the Divine Goodness, which has prepared for us so many favors and blessings! We are totally His amid the tumult that the variety of earthly things presents to us. How better can we show our fidelity, if not in the midst of trials and crosses? Solitude has its assaults and the world its annoyances; on all occasions we must have an invincible soul, since help from Heaven is at hand for all who trust in God and with quiet humility implore His loving assistance. Look up to Heaven and say to the Lord: "My God, for you I sail, for You I row; You are my guide and my pilot! Then console me, so that I will safely reach the port and find the sweet pleasures that will make me forget all the hardships undergone to get there." (Letters 614; O. XIV, p. 339)

August 22

Do you want to know if you profit by the receptions of the sacraments? You will know how you are advancing in the virtue that is proper to a sacrament, for example, if from your confession you obtain the love of your abjection and humility; you will then be able to gauge your progress. Again, if by means of Holy Communion you become more gentle and understanding - since this sacrament is all honey - then you will obtain the fruit of it. But if, on the contrary, you do not become more humble and more gentle, you deserve to be deprived of bread because you do not want to work. (Spiritual Treatises XVIII; O. VI, pp. 343-344)

August 23

Look often with your inward eye on Christ Jesus, crucified, naked, blasphemed, slandered, forsaken, overwhelmed by every kind of weariness, sorrow and labor. Remember that your sufferings are not comparable to His, either in quality or in quantity, and that you can never suffer for His sake anything equal to what He has suffered for you. (INT. Part III, Ch. 3, O. III, p. 138)

August 24

It is strange to note that our nature wants nothing to do with anything that hurts. However, the repugnance that it feels concerning suffering is not, in my opinion, an indication of a lack of generosity. If we could persuade ourselves that if we were to be skinned alive like Saint Bartholomew, God would love us just a little bit more, I think that we would let ourselves by skinned, not without repugnance but despite our very repugnance. I think that sometimes, as a test, we should try to win a victory over ourselves with a bit of violence for the love of God, because if we never resist our dislikes, we might well become weaklings. (Letters 1277; O. XVII, p. 341)

August 25

Remember to keep in mind that all the past is nothing and that every day we should say with David, "Now I begin to love my God." To work, to exhaust oneself for God, is love. Therefore, apply everything to this love - eating, drinking, repose. Be very devoted to Saint Louis and admire his great constancy in loving. (Letters 334; O. XII, pp. 367-368)

August 26

Let us consider for a moment our Redeemer on the cross, where He died for us by a death more loving than love itself! Ah, why do we not cast ourselves in spirit upon Him, to die upon the cross with Him Who for love of us has truly willed to die? "I took hold of him and would not let him go..." [Sg 3:4] (T.L.G. Book 7, Ch. 8; O. V, p. 35)

August 27

God sends afflictions, but nothing comes from the divine hand that is not useful to those souls who fear Him. Be happy if they come and receive them with a heart filled with filial love, because God sends them with a heart that is paternally concerned with your perfection. He wishes to purify and refine His holy love in you. Think often about the duration of eternity and do not get upset about the mishaps of this transitory and mortal life. (Letters 1982; O. XXI, p. 21)

August 28

The glorious Saint Augustine, in speaking of effective love, said a sentence that we should engrave on the doors of our rooms, or better still in our hearts: "My God, if we were to love You alone - You in all things and all things in You - how wonderful that would be!" Oh glorious saint, do you wish that we should love nothing but God? Should we not also love our neighbor, friend and enemy? Yes, but in God and for God ... indeed this is true Christian love! Now this is something that should be preached publicly! (Sermons 33; O. IX, p. 337)

August 29

In the opinion of the great Saint Thomas Aquinas, it is not expedient to consult much and deliberate long about an inclination to enter a good and well-regulated religious order. It is sufficient to have a serious discussion with a few people who are truly prudent and capable in such matters. They will be able to help us come to a simple, sure answer to our question. But as soon as we have deliberated and decided, we must be firm and unchanging; we must never let ourselves be shaken by any hint whatsoever of a greater good. (T.L.G. Book 8, Ch. 11; O. V, p. 95)

August 30

We must consider our neighbor in relationship to God, Who wants us to love him ... and we are to be interested in him even when this is distasteful for us. The resistance of the inferior part of our soul will be overcome by the frequent performance of good acts. To this end, however, we must center our prayers and meditations of the love of our neighbor, having first implored the love of God. We must ask for the grace to love especially those we do not like very much. (Letters 217; O. XIII, pp. 268-270)

August 31

It is better to yield to the views of others than to try to force them to follow our desires and opinions. The human mind is a mirror that reflects all the colors that are presented to it; do not imitate the chameleon, that takes on all colors except white. Oh yes, condescension not accompanied by candidness is very dangerous and cannot be shunned sufficiently. (Camus, The Spirit of Saint Francis de Sales, I, p. 296)

Used with permission.

Text taken from the book: "Every Day with SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES"

Edited by Francis J. Klauder, S.D.B.

Library of Congress Card Catalogue Number 85-72838

ISBN 0-89944-082-7

December 1

Thus does God speak, "For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God..." [Ex 20:5] Yes, God is jealous, but what kind of jealousy is His? He desire that we be His with our whole heart, our whole soul, our whole mind and our whole strength. For this reason He calls Himself our Spouse and our souls His spouses and deems every kind of estrangement from Him to be fornication and adultery. This great God, Who is uniquely good, is correct in desiring our whole heart. Ours is only a little heart, and it cannot sufficiently return the love due to the Divine Goodness...However, God does not love us out of self-interest but for our good. Our love is useless to Him, but it brings us great profit! If it pleases Him, it is because it is profitable to us. (T.L.G. Book 10, Ch. 13; O. V. p. 209)

December 2

The presence of venial sins does not actually deprive charity of its strength, but only keeps it bound as if it were a slave...giving us a love for creatures that deprives us of a closer communication with God. In a word, this attachment to venial sin makes us lose interior help and assistance which are the vital life-blood of the soul. Lack of this produces a certain paralysis that eventually leads to mortal sin. (T.L.G. Book 4, Ch. 2; O. IV, pp. 220-221)

December 3

We must hold ourselves ready, not to leave this world before the fixed hour, but to await with the greatest possible calm the hour of our departure. For this reason I think you will find it very helpful if you put aside an hour every day in the presence of God and your guardian angel to make a good reflection on death. If you knew that this were coming soon, how you would put your affairs in order! I know quite well that such thoughts are not new for you, but your must ponder them more deeply in a new way and in the presence of God. Do so with a peaceful effort to move your will more than enlighten your intellect. (Letters 230; O. XII, p. 33)

December 4

The heart of God is so abundant in love and its goodness is so infinite that all can possess it, without anyone's share diminishing. Infinite Goodness cannot be exhausted, even if it fills all the souls in the world. God does not pour a smaller quantity of His love into a soul because He pours out His love into an infinity of others; the power of His love is not diminished by the multitude of rays that He spreads abroad, but remain ever overflowing with its immensity. (T.L.G. Book 4; Ch. 14; O. V, p. 215)

December 5

When a diamond is nearby, it hinders the attraction by which iron is drawn to a magnet. It does this without taking away iron's magnetic properties, since the magnet acts as soon as the obstacle is removed. Similarly, the presence of venial sins does not actually deprive charity of its strength and power to act, yet in a certain way it weakens it and deprives it of its activity. Hence charity remains inactive, sterile and unproductive...With venial sin we concede more than is proper to a creature; we busy ourselves more than we should with things of earth, yet for all that we do not forsake the things of Heaven. (T.L.G. Book 4, Ch. 2; O. IV, p. 219)

December 6

Bees make delicious honey, and it is their most valuable product. For all that, the wax that they also make has its own value and renders their work laudable. A loving heart ought to strive most fervently to produce works of high value so that it may powerfully increase its own charity; still, if it sometimes produces some works of lesser value, it will not lose its reward. God will be pleased with them; that is, because of them He will always love that heart a little more. God never loves a soul without increasing that soul's love for Him, since our love for Him is the proper and particular effect of His love for us. (T.L.G. Book 3, Ch. 2; O. IV, p. 172)

December 7

I would like to talk to you about Saint Ambrose, archbishop of Milan, whose feast we are about to celebrate...We should have a particular veneration for him because he was the spiritual father of Saint Augustine. He was a lovable man, full of charity and zeal for the glory of God, and a vigilant pastor; in a word, a man enriched with every virtue, very careful in carrying out all his priestly duties...Although gentle and forgiving by nature, all the same he did not fail to show firmness in correcting and punishing those who were guilty (e.g., the emperor Theodosius), without letting himself be deterred by other considerations. A man of God is recognized by his works. (Sermons 38; O. IX, p. 145)

December 8

The most holy virgin enjoyed the greatest privilege of all pure creatures and was to be, from the first moment of her Immaculate Conception, always completely obedient to the will of God. Never for a moment did she waver or fail to keep her resolution to serve the Divine Majesty perfectly. But we--poor creatures that we are--are so wavering in our resolutions! Who among us can say that he or she is always steadfast? Now we want one thing, and in a short time something else, and so we change our affections from one moment to the next. (Sermons 26; O. IX, p. 232)

December 9

It can be said that religious perfection is the real pearl of the Gospel; to acquire it one must be prepared to abandon everything in a vastly different manner from that which is required for common Christian perfection. While this latter can be attained simply by observing the commandments of God, for religious perfection it is necessary to keep not only the precepts but also the evangelical counsels, by following secret inspirations and interior promptings. This is done be entering the religious state and renouncing all the vanities of the world and one's own possessions. Everything must be left, without exception, no matter how small that may be. (Sermons 44; O. X, p. 23)

December 10

"You will show me the path to life," says the psalmist [Ps 16:11], not only because our temporal life depends on the Divine Will, but also because our spiritual life consists in its fulfillment...The rebellious spirit, instead, wants its heart to be full of itself and its will to be above that of God. Eternal God, do not permit this disorder to take root in my soul!"...not my will but yours be done." [Lk 22:41] You alone can give me the grace to have no will but Your own. (T.L.G. Book, Ch. 7; O. V, p. 79)

December 11

There is no need to doubt that we possess faith in God, simply because we find it difficult to keep clear of sin, or find ourselves diffident or even fearing that we will not be able to resist occasions of temptation. No! Diffidence in our strength of will is not due to lack of resolve but is a true acknowledgement of our misery. The fear of being able to resist temptations is better than considering ourselves strong and secure, because all that we do not expect from our own strength we hope to receive by means of God's grace...We must simply be on our guard and be humble so as not to fall victim to temptation. (Letters 1974; O. XXI, pp. 12-19)

December 12

The consideration of sins committed is accompanied by a certain horror and consternation which terrifies the soul, so there is need to replace it with confidence in God...It is necessary to fear, but it is likewise necessary to have hope: fear, so as not to become proud; and hope, so as not to become discouraged or despair. Fear and hope should never be separated, because if fear alone is present, then we give way to desperation; and if there is hope without fear, then we have presumption...Yes, we must always unite a confident hope to the fear that arises out of an awareness of our sins. (Sermons 40; O. IX, pp. 443-444)

December 13

If we have a little bit of the love of God in us, to Him alone should we give honor and glory; He has placed it in us, for without Him we can do nothing. There remains for us the obligation of gratitude. This is the way God works toward us in His goodness; He gives us His benefits and expects only our thanks in return. Since without His grace we are nothing, assuredly we should live in thanksgiving, doing nothing except for His glory. (T.L.G. Book 4, Ch. 6; O. IV, p. 235)

December 14

Tranquility of spirit is one of the most pleasing virtues in the spiritual life; every Christian must try his or her hardest to acquire it. How sweet and pleasant is the consideration of the life of our Savior! In it we see marvelously resplendent this perfect tranquility amid the multiplicity of events that succeeded one another. (Sermons 40; O. IX, p. 445)

December 15

One of the signs of the genuineness of inspirations, especially extraordinary ones, is peace and tranquility of heart in those who receive them, since the Holy Spirit is indeed powerful, but with a strength that is gentle, mild and peaceful...On the contrary, the evil spirit is turbulent, bitter and restless. Those who follow his hellish suggestions in the belief that they are heavenly inspirations can usually be recognized because they are unsettled, headstrong and haughty. Under the pretext of zeal, they silence everyone and find fault with everything...In the name of zeal for God's honor they indulge in the passion of self-love. (T.L.G. Book 8, Ch. 12; O. V, pp. 100-101)

December 16

Behold the most lovable Jesus, Who is about to be born in our commemoration of the forthcoming feast. He is born to visit us on behalf of the Eternal Father. In return, the shepherds and the kings come to visit Him in His crib. Visit Him as well during this novena; caress Him, make Him welcome in your heart, adore Him frequently; imitate His humility, His poverty, His obedience and His gentleness... (Letters 1582; O. XIX, p. 86)

December 17

We always want this thing or that thing, and even when we have Jesus Himself in our breast we are not satisfied. Yet He is all that we could possibly desire...At the birth of the Savior the shepherds heard the songs of the heavenly spirits, but Sacred Scripture does not say that they were heard by the Madonna and Saint Joseph, who were closer to the little Babe. Instead, they saw the Divine Child trembling with the cold, His eyes bathed in tears! And what do we prefer--to stay in that dark stable which echoes with the cries of the Babe, or to be outside listening with the shepherds to the angelic choirs? Certainly we should choose the former, because it is better, even in the darkness to stay close to Jesus. (Letters 359; O. XIII, pp. 202-203)

December 18

May the small yet great Babe of Bethlehem always be the delight of our heart. How beautiful is the poor little Babe! I bed you to take your repose close to Him, because He will not fail to love your heart just as it is, with all its lack of tenderness and of feeling. Do you not see how He receives the breath of the oxen and the ass, which have feeling at all? And how will He not appreciate the operations of your poor heart, which, even though it lacks tenderness, yet throws itself resolutely and firmly at His feet, pledging itself to be always a faithful servant of His divine heart and that of Mary? (Letters 940; O. XVI, pp. 120-121)

December 19

You will never acquire perfect gentleness and charity if you do not exercise them amid repugnance, aversions and dislikes. True peace does not consist in not fighting, but in winning. Those who are defeated and no longer fight do not possess true peace. Let us humiliate ourselves deeply, seeing that we have so little control over ourselves and love ease and repose so much! The Babe Who is about to be born does not come on earth to have an easy life or to enjoy spiritual and temporal comforts, but to fight, to mortify Himself and to die. (Letters 2001; O. XII, pp. 44-45)

December 20

Ships at sea have a mariner's needle which always points to the north star; although the ship may be headed south, the needle never fails to point north. It sometimes seems that the soul at prayer is going straight south, since it is greatly bothered by distractions; nevertheless, the highest point of the spirit always looks toward God, Who is its north. People who are the most advanced in the spiritual life often have such great temptations, even against faith, that it seems to them that their whole soul consents to these temptations. Yet they still resist at the deepest level of their being. Even though all their other faculties and powers may be filled with distractions, their spirit is praying. (Sermons; O. X, p. 68)

December 21

Sweet-smelling ointments are not left exposed to the air, because they would begin to lose their fragrance...and so their value. Just souls, afraid to lose the worth and value of their good works, preserve them, not in a common box, but in an alabaster vase such as is used for precious ointments. This alabaster vase is holy humility, within which (as in a golden vessel), we must enclose our virtues and all that would make us esteemed by others, to seek only to please God. Consider St. Joseph. He not only received a very great measure of all the virtues, a reflection of those practiced by the most holy virgin, his wife, but also had a divine treasure, the Infant Jesus, His Lord and Master, Who had been entrusted to him....He was His foster father and the spouse of His mother; yet he kept himself hidden, kept a low profile, so as to appear as an ordinary man. (Spiritual Treatises XIX; O. VI, pp. 363-364)

December 22

How many holy thoughts germinate in our hearts when we consider the birth of the Infant Jesus! We are filled with a holy contempt for material things, for pomp and the amusements of the world. I do not know of any other mystery which so wonderfully unites tenderness with sincerity, love with rigor, gentleness with harshness. Never has a mother been seen who was so poor, yet so happy. She who conceived the Son of God certainly would not be concerned about the consolations of the world. (Letters 1864; O. XXX, p. 212)

December 23

May the great yet small Infant of Bethlehem be the delight and love of our heart!...If I contemplate Him upon the knees of His holy mother or in her arms, with His little mouth like the bud of a rose...I see my God more splendid on this throne than Solomon on his throne rich with gems...May the great Saint Joseph help us to partake in his joy; may the most holy virgin give us His love; may the Child deign to fill and infuse the grace of His merits into our hearts! (Letters 940; O. XVI, pp. 120-121)

December 24

My God, the birth of the Lord gives rise to a thousand thoughts and affections in our hearts! Never could there have been a poorer or a happier birth, nor at the same time a more radiant and happy mother! Saint Paula preferred to live as a pilgrim in Bethlehem than as a society lady in Rome, being convinced that day and night in this hospice where she was staying she could hear the cries of the little Savior in the crib. As Saint Francis of Assisi used to say of little Infant of Bethlehem, He inspired him to despise greatness and earthly ambitions, summoning him back to the sublime love of abjection. (Letters 1864; O. XX, p. 212)

December 25

Stand alongside the sacred grotto, where our Savior teaches us so many virtues by His silence. And what does He say to us? While He immolates Himself for the love of us, His little heart must set ours on fire. See how lovingly He carries your names within that divine heart that beats out of affectionate desire for your growth in virtue and does not send a single sigh toward His Father in which you do no share, nor a single aspiration that is not aimed at your happiness. The magnet attracts iron and straw and hay; as for us, who are iron by our strength and straw by our weakness, we should unite ourselves to this Infant Who is a true thief of hearts. (Letters 1498; O. XVIII, pp. 334-335)

December 26

One who truly desires love seeks it; one who truly seeks it finds it; one who truly finds it has found the fountain of life from which to draw salvation from the Lord! Night and day let us cry out, "Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of Your love." O heavenly love, when will you fill up our souls? (T.L.G. Book 12, Ch. 2; O. V, p. 322)

December 27

The beginning of good deeds is good, their progress is better, and their completion is the best of all. However, the beginning is good insofar as it is a beginning, and the progress is good in its character as progress, whereas to wish to complete the work at its beginning or during its progress is to reverse the order...It is very praiseworthy to make a start at learning, but a person who would start without the intention of ever finishing would go against all reason. Fear and the other motives for repentance of which we have spoken are good for the beginning of Christian wisdom...but one who would deliberately wish not to arrive at love or at perfect sorrow would not be acting according to the order established by God... (T.L.G. Book 2, Ch. 19; O. IV, pp. 152-153)

December 28

The years pass by; they blow away unnoticed one after the other, and when they finish they bring to a close our mortal life...Oh, how much more desirable is eternity! Its duration is without end, its days have no nights, and its consolations suffer no changes...What happiness does our soul enjoy if the mercy of God allows us to savor such sweetness! As we wait to see Jesus glorified, now we contemplate Him in His poor cradle. (Letters 939; O. XVI, pp. 119-120)

December 29

I never think of eternity without a great deal of tenderness, because I reflect: How can the soul ever extend its thoughts to such infinity unless it has some possibility of attaining it? Certainly the power that aspires to an object must have some reasonable relation with it. When I am aware that my desire turns toward eternity, I am very pleased, knowing quite well that I can never strongly desire anything that is impossible. From my very desire, therefore, I am assured that I can reach a blessed eternity...and what else remains for me but the hope of possessing it? This is assured me by the knowledge I have of the infinite goodness of God; He would not have created a soul capable of thinking of and longing for eternity if He were not willing to give it the means of arriving there. (Letters 647; O. XIV, pp. 395-396)

December 30

So this year has disappeared into the abyss where all the others have gone. How desirable is eternity when we consider these miserable and fleeting changes! Let the time pass by as we, little by little, run with it to be transformed into the glory of the children of God. (Letters 563; O. XIV, p. 234)

December 31

Here we are at the end of the old year; tomorrow will be the beginning of the new. We must bless the Lord for the many graces we have received. May it please God that by means of these fleeting years we may happily arrive at the permanent year of a blessed eternity! Let us make good use of these small passing moments, living them out in that kindness and humility which Jesus, right from the time He was a child, taught us. (Letters 883; O. XV, p. 315)

Used with permission.

Text taken from the book: "Every Day with SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES"

Edited by Francis J. Klauder, S.D.B.

Library of Congress Card Catalogue Number 85-72838

ISBN 0-89944-082-7