a letter from a friend

It had been a while, but Father De Sales sent me a letter today... and like always, it was exactly what I needed to hear...

Do not look forward to the trials and crosses of this life with dread and fear. Rather, look to them with full confidence that, as they arise, God to Whom you belong, will deliver you from them.He has guided and guarded you thus far in life. Do you but hold fast to His dear Hand, and He will lead you safely through all trials.

Whenever you cannot stand He will carry you lovingly in His arms.

Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow. The same Eternal Father Who cares for you today will take good care of you tomorrw and every day of your life. Either He will shield you from suffering or He will give you the unfailing stregth to bear it.

Be at peace then and puta side all useles thoughts, all vain dreads and all anxious imaginations...

St. Francis De Sales

Father De Sales always knows the right thing to say...

gentleness to self

Thank you to a very generous reader who offered to pay for the course I want to take. He asked to be anonymous. I decline his offer thankfully, I can cover the expense ok and I am not in as much need as many other worthy causes around this world. Thank you so much though!

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One thing I love about Father DeSales, when someone would get "entangled" in their own fears, scruples and confusions he would tell them to be faithful but to not force it. He always tought anxiety and fear some of the most hurtfull things spiritually.

"Avoid anxiety and worries, for nothing so impedes our progress toward perfection. Place your heart in our Lord's wounds gently, and not by force; have the utmost confidence that in His mercy and kindness He will not forsake you' yet; for all that, do not relax your hold on His holy cross." Letter to Jane de Chantal on May,1604

sigh...

prayers would be appreciated as I place myself gently in His wounds...

leave all to Him

the other day I posted in "Daily with De Sales" the quote for April 29 instead of April 26. It was a Providential "mistake."

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)

I had been trying ''too hard.'' You know, prayer, mortification, ''dying to self'' all that good stuff but growing tired and discouraged at nos seeing "progress" ... and then this comes up: "but when we leave everything to Him, He will look after all our troubles Himself. " He is the one sanctifying me. Not me. Its not about me. Its about Him. It not about being ''sanctified'' its about living with Him.

We should become Saints without even realizing.
Just sitting at His feet.

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and now...randomness:

don't ask, my brain works in weird ways. Turtles and Jackrabbits... yeah.

Saint Francis' letters

Fr. Nicholas has just linked this blog at his blog. I'm quite honored I have to say :)

Anyway, when I first started reading St. Francis of Sales Introduction I had the same reaction as many. I read the first couple of chapters and dropped it because of the language! But thank God, St. Francis of Sales was not willing to let me go that easily so I came upon a book of his letters.

I feel the letters truly reflect his spirit and personality. In his letters he is intimate and direct, in a true fatherly tone. He lets go of the style of a work for publication and writes freely and intimately.

I haven't been able to find anywhere online where you can read his letters so from time to time I'm going to type up little sections of the letters (so I don't get sued for Copyright!), if you want to read the complete letters you can do so by buying the books Thy Will Be Done or Letters of Spiritual Direction. By the way, apologies to those who find fault with my English, I ain't a native speaker, I apologize at my horrible grammar and promise to work on it! Anyway, enjoy the letters:


To a young woman who is discouraged by spiritual failures.

... My good daughter, as you have half got out of those terrible paths that you have had to travel, I think you should now take a little rest, and consider the vanity of the human spirit, how prone it is to entangle and embarrass itself within itself... So know, take a little breath, rest a little, and by considering the dangers escaped, avert those that might come afterward...Know that the virtue of patience is the one that most assures us of perfection; and if we must have patience with others, so we must with ourselves...Pray hard for me, I beg you. It is incredible how pressed down and oppressed I am by this great and difficult charge. This charity you owe me by the laws of our alliance, and I pay you back by the continual memory that I keep of you at the altar in my feeble prayers. Blessed be our Lord. I beg Him to be your heart, your soul, your life; and I am
Your servant
Francis.