From St. Francis de Sales’ Introduction to the Devout Life
Translated by John K. Ryan, published by Image, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group,
Random House LLC, New York 1966
“I shall show (…) that just as the mother of pearl fish lives in the sea without taking in a single drop of salt water, just as near the Chelodonian islands springs of fresh water may be found in the depths of the sea, and just as the firefly passes through flames without burning its wings, so also a strong, resolute soul can live in the world without being infected by any of its moods, find sweet springs of piety amid its salty waves, and fly through the flames of earthly lusts without
burning the wings of its holy desire for a devout life” (22).“[The world] pictures devout persons as having discontented, gloomy, sullen faces and claims that devotion brings on depression and unbearable moods. But just as Joshua and Caleb held both that the Promised Land was good and beautiful and that its possession would be sweet and agreeable so too the Holy Spirit by the mouths of all the saints and our Lord by his own mouth
assure us that a devout life is a life that is sweet, happy, and lovable” (30).“Now devotion is true spiritual sugar for it removes bitterness from mortification and anything harmful from our consolations. (…) It knows how to use prosperity and how to endure want. It makes honor and contempt alike useful to us. It accepts pleasure and pain with a heart that is
nearly always the same, and it fills us with a marvelous sweetness” (30-31).“Believe me, my dear Philothea, devotion is the delight of delights and queen of the virtues since it is the perfection of charity” (31).
“So also every vocation becomes more agreeable when united with devotion. Care of one’s family is rendered more peaceable, love of husband and wife more sincere, service of one’s prince more faithful, and every type of employment more pleasant and agreeable” (32).
“As the devout [Blessed John of] Avila says, ‘Although you seek God’s will, you will never find it with such certainty as on the path of that humble obedience so highly praised and practiced by all devout writers'” (33).
“The work of purging the soul neither can nor should end except with our life itself. We must not be disturbed at our imperfections, since for us perfection consists in fighting against them. (…)
To practice humility it is absolutely necessary for us at times to suffer wounds in this spiritual warfare, but we are never vanquished unless we lose our life or our courage” (37).
“Finally, just as little children learn to speak by listening to their mothers and lisping words with them, so also by keeping close to our Savior in meditation and observing his words, actions, and affections we learn by his grace to speak, act, and will like him” (71).
“It is not without purpose that our Savior calls himself ‘the bread that came down from heaven.’
Just as bread is eaten with all kinds of food, so also the Savior should be meditated on, considered, and sought for in all our prayers and actions” (71).
“Begin all your prayers, whether mental or vocal, in the presence of God. (…) Do not hurry along and say many things but try to speak from your heart, A single Our Father said with feeling has greater value than many said quickly and hurriedly” (72).“Therefore, when you prepare to pray you must say with your whole heart and in your heart, ‘O my heart, my heart, God is truly here!'” (74).
“So also, Philothea, our hearts should each day pick and 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” (86).“Always remember, then, Philothea, to retire at various times into the solitude of your own heart even while outwardly engaged in discussions or transactions with others. This mental solitude cannot be violated by the many people who surround you since they are not standing around your
heart but only around your body. Your heart remains alone in the presence of God” (86).“Indeed, our tasks are seldom so important as to keep us from withdrawing our hearts from them
from time to time in order to retire into this divine solitude” (86).“Therefore withdraw your spirit from time to time into your heart and there, apart from the world of men, you can converse heart to heart with God on the state of your soul” (87).
“Make spiritual aspirations to God by short, ardent movements of your heart, Philothea. Marvel at his beauty, implore his help, cast yourself in spirit at the foot of his cross, adore his goodness (…) present your soul to him a thousand times during the day (…)” (88).
“Turning to my most gracious and merciful God, I desire, purpose, determine, and irrevocably resolve to serve and love him now and forever. To this end I give and consecrate to him my mind with all its faculties, my soul with all its powers, my heart with all its affections, and my body with all its senses” (63).
“Since prayer places our intellect in the brilliance of God’s light and exposes our will to the warmth of his heavenly love, nothing else so effectively purifies our intellect of ignorance and our will of depraved affections” (70).
