Salesian Literature
A Spirituality for Everyone
St. Francis de Sales presents a spirituality that can be practised by everyone in all walks of life
© 2017 Fr. Joseph Kunjaparambil (KP) msfs. E-mail: kpjmsfs@gmail.com Proudly created with Wix.com
INTRODUCTION TO THE DEVOUT LIFE
Chapter 10: Five Reflections for Renewal
First Reflection: The excellence of our soul
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Think of the nobility and excellence of your soul. It has an understanding that knows not only this visible world but also the Angels and Heaven. It knows that there is a God most high, most good and inexpressible and that there is an eternity. It realizes also what is right and proper to live well in this visible world, in order to be joined to the Angels in Heaven and to enjoy God eternally. Your soul has in addition a most noble will, capable of loving God and incapable of hating him in himself.
Consider how generous your heart is. Nothing that is corrupt can attract bees; they rest only on flowers. In the same way, your heart cannot be at rest except in God alone. No creature can satisfy it. Recall freely the most dear and the most absorbing pastimes which has once possessed your heart. Judge in truth whether they were not full of troublesome anxiety, harassing thoughts and boring cares, in the midst of which your poor heart was unhappy.
Our heart running after creatures, does so with eagerness. It thinks that creatures can satisfy its desires. But as soon as it meets with creatures, it understands that it must begin again, and that nothing can satisfy it. God does not will that our heart finds a resting place anywhere like the dove which Noah sent from the ark (Gen. 8:9), so that it may return to its God from whom it went forth. How beautiful is our heart by nature. Why do we hold it back against its inclination and make it serve created things?
My beautiful soul, you ought to say, you can know and desire God, why should you be occupied with something else? You can claim eternity, why are you engrossed in fleeting moments of time? It was one of the regrets of the prodigal son that when he could have lived delightfully, eating at his father’s table, he was eating loathsomely at that of beasts (Lk. 15:16-17). When you are able to enjoy God, what wretchedness to be satisfied with less than God! Lift high your heart by means of this reflection. Realize that you are eternal and worthy of eternity. Be filled with courage to reach this end.
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