de Sales: the sweetness of devotion

Monday, January 24, 2011
    Feast of François de Sales, Bishop of Geneva, Teacher, 1622
Meditation:
Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
    —Psalm 73:25-26 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Devotion is the real spiritual sweetness which takes away all bitterness from mortifications, and prevents consolations from disagreeing with the soul; it cures the poor of sadness, and the rich of presumption; it keeps the oppressed from feeling desolate, and the prosperous from insolence; it averts sadness from the lonely, and dissipation from social life; it is as warmth in winter and refreshing dew in summer; it knows how to abound and how to suffer want, how to profit alike by honour and by contempt; it accepts gladness and sadness with an even mind, and fills men’s hearts with a wondrous sweetness.
    ... François de Sales (1567-1622), Introduction to the Devout Life [1609], London: Rivingtons, 1876, I.ii, p. 6 (see the book)
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, remove all distractions, that I may love You fully. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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