3rd Sunday Ordinary Time

       Further selection from St Francis de Sales classic, An Introduction to the Devout Life. I would share some excerpts of his sage advice. Perhaps, it will be of help to you.

Part IV – Chapter XV: An Illustration. [Final Thoughts]

     1. That God is wont to give some foretaste of His heavenly joys to beginners in His Service, the better to wean them from earthly pleasures, and to encourage them in seeking His Divine Love, even as a mother attracts her babe to suck by means of honey.

     2 . That nevertheless it is the same Good God Who sometimes in His Wisdom deprives us of the milk and honey of His consolations, in order that we may learn to eat the dry substantial bread of a vigorous devotion, trained by means of temptations and trials.

     3. That sometimes very grievous temptations arise out of dryness and barrenness, and that at such times these temptations must be steadfastly resisted, inasmuch as they are not of God; but the dryness must be patiently endured, because He sends that to prove us.

     4. That we must never grow discouraged amid our inward trials, nor say… “I shall never be glad;” but through the darkness we must look for light; and in like manner, in the brightest spiritual sunshine, we must not presume to say, “I shall never be sad.” Rather we must remember the saying of the Wise Man, “In the day of prosperity remember the evil.” It behooves us to hope amid trials, and to fear in prosperity, and in both circumstances always to be humble.

     5. That it is a sovereign remedy to open our grief to some spiritual friend able to assist us. And, in conclusion, I would observe that here, as everywhere, our Gracious God and our great Enemy are in conflict, for by means of these trials God would bring us to great purity of heart, to an entire renunciation of self-interest in all concerning His Service, and a perfect casting aside of self-seeking; but the Evil One seeks to use our troubles to our discouragement, so as to turn us back to sensual pleasures, and to make us a weariness to ourselves and others, in order to injure true devotion. But if you will give heed to the above instructions you will advance greatly towards perfection amid such interior trials, concerning which I have yet one word to say. Sometimes revulsions and dryness and incapacity proceed from bodily indisposition, as when excessive watching, fasting, or overwork produce weariness, lassitude, heaviness, and the like; which, while wholly caused by the body, interfere greatly with the soul, so intimately are they linked together. When this is the case, you must always remember to make marked acts of virtue with your higher will, for, although your whole soul may seem to be sunk in drowsy weariness, such mental efforts are acceptable to God. At such a time you may say with the Bride of the Canticles, “I sleep, but my heart wakes.” And, as I have already said, if there is less enjoyment in such efforts, there is more virtue and merit. But the best remedy under the last-named circumstances is to reinvigorate the body by some lawful recreation and solace.

     St. Francis enjoined his religion to use such moderation in their labors as never to impair the fervor of their minds. And speaking of that great Saint, he was himself once attacked by such deep depression of mind that he could not conceal it; if he sought to associate with his religious he was unable to talk; if he kept apart he only grew worse; abstinence and maceration of the flesh overwhelmed him, and he found no comfort in prayer. For two years he continued in this state, as though altogether forsaken of God, but after humbly enduring the heavy storm, his Savior restored him to a happy calm quite suddenly. From this we should learn that God’s greatest servants are liable to such trials, so that less worthy people should not be surprised if they experience the same.

https://www.catholicspiritualdirection.org/devoutlife.pdf

Nothing Less than saints for the Holy Family of God.

Holy Family, Living in Spiritual Closeness, Pray for us.

~ Fr Jeremy M. Gries