Salesian Literature

11.   Throw Yourself into God’s Arms

 

Dear Francis de Sales,

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I do wish I weren’t so useless; I seem fated to upset people.  God is so close when I go to Holy Communion, and I often wish I had more opportunities of mortification to prove my love for him.

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But when I get home things still seem to go wrong in the house, though it isn’t altogether my fault, and I get awfully annoyed with everybody.

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It seems so difficult to keep close to God for long.  Perhaps I’ve been too pleased at being able to overcome some of my temptations.  I really do want to be good, but it doesn’t seem to work out in practice.

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Yours sincerely,

Mrs. A. Christine

 

Dear Mrs. Christine,

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There is no doubt at all that we are to be continually making and renewing our efforts at union with God, until we are finally secure in his embrace.

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But I would rather you didn’t long for temptations in your moments of fervour, or for opportunities of mortification.  These are never lacking, through God’s grace, and so there’s no need to bother yourself wishing for them.

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You’d be better employed in preparing yourself to receive them, not when you’d like them but when God wishes to allow them.

There is no harm in feeling a little satisfaction when with God’s grace we are successful in meeting our temptations, as long as we hold our enthusiasm in check with the virtue of humility.

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As to those matters which concern your household rather than yourself, you should try to put them right, provided you are perfectly willing to accept whatever outcome God may ordain for the best.

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At all costs avoid complaining, as you do, that you are useless and ill-fated.  Not only are such complaints unbecoming in one of God’s servants, but they are the result of being too depressed and a sign not just of impatience but of anger.

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You ought to make a special point, you see, of practising meekness and submission to God’s will, not only in out-of-the-way things but chiefly in the little vexations of every day.  Prepare yourself for them in the morning, when you say your grace at lunch time, before and after supper, and at night.  Make this your chief practice for a while.

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All these exercises, however, are to be performed calmly and cheerfully; and if you fall, humble yourself and start again.

It is a good thing to aim at the highest perfection of the Christian life; but do this in a general sort of way and don’t speculate too much about details.  Do your best from day to day to improve and make some progress in the various events that each day brings, leaving the fulfilment of your ambition to God’s providence.

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Throw yourself into his arms, like a little child who takes the food its father gives it day by day, trusting him to go on supplying the nourishment its growth and appetite require.

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Since you derive so much benefit form Holy Communion receive it frequently with great devotion and a pure conscience.  Always be cheerful amid your temptations.  Don’t seek any other penance at present.  Take yourself in hand and try to put up lovingly with your neighbour, and keep your spirits high.

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It would be better to die rather than offend God knowingly and deliberately.  But if we happen to fall it would be better to lose everything rather than lose our courage, our hope and our resolve to keep on trying.  God will turn everything to his glory.

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You are God’s; rejoice that you are in his sake keeping.  I am, with all my heart

 

Your faithful servant and friend,

Francis de Sales

(Source:  Annecy, February 1609.  Annecy Edition, XIV, 121-123)

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