Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales - February

[Hildegard of Bingen]

Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales

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


February 24th (page 55)

      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 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)

      On February 24th, 1605, Francis de Sales informed all the parish priests close to la Roche that when he was preaching the Lenten sermons he would discuss cases of conscience with them on every Monday and Thursday at a convenient hour. On those days there were so many priests in the city to be instructed by their holy bishop that it seemed that a synod was being held twice a week. He opened the conference by proposing the matter to be treated, after which everyone was free to present his difficulties, doubts and opinions. To make the conference still more useful, at the end of the Monday meeting he announced the subject for Thursday, and on Thursday that for the following Monday. To sum up, this holy man worked so hard to cultivate his vineyard that he could repeat with the Savior. “What could I have done for you that I have not done?”

(A.S. II, p. 618)

 

He who does not see his neighbor in relation to God runs the risk of not loving
him or her with purity and constancy.

 

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Every Day with Saint Francis de Sales

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


February 25th (page 56)

      It is 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)

      On February 25th, 1605, Francis de Sales preached at la Roche. He used his free time to visit the sick in the town every Tuesday and Friday, to bring them some consolation and instruct them how best to utilize their sickness. It was on one of those charitable visits that the holy prelate met a deaf and dumb man named Martin. This poor creature had a good disposition, an angelic appearance and a certain veneration for the holy bishop; in spite of his disabilities, he did not miss any of the sermons. No one paid much attention to him, but the holy prelate noticed him. One day, taking him by the hand, he led him up to the front and pointed out his charity and zeal to the congregation. With infinite patience and with recourse to God, he instructed him by means of signs and taught him how to pray with his heart. Francis himself wanted to be the confessor for this poor deaf mute, and from then on he had him stay at his home. Before his own death, he asked that his brother and successor, Bishop John Francis de Sales, would continue to care for Martin.

(A.S. II, p. 646)


Never believe the praises of people. At the very best, what they say is flattery,
even if they do not recognize it as such.