Introduction to the Devout Life, Part 2

This is part of a series on St. Francis de Sales’ Introduction to the Devout Life.  You can read Part 1 here.  

Part II: “Prayer and the Sacraments”

1. The Necessity of Prayer

2. A Short Method of Meditation, and first, the Presence of God, the First Point of Preparation

3. Invocation, the Second Point of Preparation

4. The Third Point of Preparation, Representing the Mystery to be Meditated to Your   

     Imagination

5. Considerations, the Second Part of Meditation

6. The Third Part of Meditation, Affections and Resolutions

7. The Conclusion and Spiritual Bouquet

8. Some Useful Hints as to Meditation

9. Concerning Dryness in Meditation

10. Morning Prayer

11. Evening Prayer and Examination of Conscience

12. Spiritual Retirement

13. Aspirations, Ejaculatory Prayer, and Holy Thoughts

14. Holy Communion, and How to Join in It

15. The Other Public Offices of the Church

16. How the Saints are United to Us

17. How to Hear and Read God's Word

18. How to Receive Inspirations

19. Confession

20. Frequent Communion

21. How to Communicate

Part II takes the reader through the finer points of meditation, establishing a prayer life, integrating with church life, connecting with saints, the use of frequent confession, mass, and partaking of the Eucharist. 

###

Some notable quotes from Part II.

From Chapter 1:

But especially I commend earnest mental prayer to you, more particularly such as bears upon the Life and Passion of our Lord. If you contemplate Him frequently in meditation, your whole soul will be filled with Him, you will grow in His Likeness, and your actions will be moulded on His. He is the Light of the world; therefore in Him, by Him, and for Him we shall be enlightened and illuminated; He is the Tree of Life, beneath the shadow of which we must find rest;--He is the Living Fountain of Jacob's well, wherein we may wash away every stain.

From Chapter 6:

Meditation excites good desires in the will, or sensitive part of the soul,--such as love of God and of our neighbour, a craving for the glory of Paradise, zeal for the salvation of others, imitation of our Lord's Example, compassion, thanksgiving, fear of God's wrath and of judgment, hatred of sin, trust in God's Goodness and Mercy, shame for our past life; and in all such affections you should pour out your soul as much as possible. If you want help in this, turn to some simple book of devotions, the Imitation of Christ, the Spiritual Combat, or whatever you find most helpful to your individual wants.

From Chapter 12:

There are few social duties of sufficient importance to prevent an occasional retirement of the heart into this sacred solitude. When Saint Catherine of Sienna was deprived by her parents of any place or time for prayer and meditation, Our Lord inspired her with the thought of making a little interior oratory in her mind, into which she could retire in heart, and so enjoy a holy solitude amid her outward duties. And henceforward, when the world assaulted her, she was able to be indifferent, because, so she said, she could retire within her secret oratory, and find comfort with her Heavenly Bridegroom. So she counselled her spiritual daughters to make a retirement within their heart, in which to dwell.

From Chapter 13:

We retire with God, because we aspire to Him, and we aspire in order to retire with Him; so that aspiration after God and spiritual retreat excite one another, while both spring from the one Source of all holy thoughts. Do you then, my child, aspire continually to God, by brief, ardent upliftings of heart; praise His Excellence, invoke His Aid, cast yourself in spirit at the Foot of His Cross, adore His Goodness, offer your whole soul a thousand times a day to Him, fix your inward gaze upon Him, stretch out your hands to be led by Him, as a little child to its father, clasp Him to your breast as a fragrant nosegay, upraise Him in your soul as a standard. In short, kindle by every possible act your love for God, your tender, passionate desire for the Heavenly Bridegroom of souls.

From Chapter 18:

Let me make use of an illustration of my meaning. In contracting a marriage, the bride must be a party to three separate acts: first, the bridegroom is proposed to her; secondly, she entertains the proposal; and thirdly, she gives her consent. Just so when God intends to perform some act of love in us, by us, and with us; He first suggests it by His inspiration; secondly, we receive that inspiration; and thirdly, we consent to it: for, like as we fall into sin by three steps, temptation, delectation, and consent, so there are three steps whereby we ascend to virtue; inspiration, as opposed to temptation; delectation in God's inspiration, as opposed to that of temptation; and consent to the one instead of to the other.

He mentions St. Catherine of Siena in that quote from chapter 12.  He seems to mention her frequently.  I'm not the only person, I guess, who adores that little lady.