Introduction to the Devout Life, Part 5

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

Part 2 here.  

Part 3 here. 

Part 4 here.  

Part V: Renewing and Confirming the Soul in Devotion

1. It is Well Yearly to Renew Good Resolutions by Means of the Following Exercises

2. Meditation on the Benefit Conferred on us by God in Calling us to His Service

3. Examination of the Soul as to its Progress in the Devout Life

4. Examination of the Soul's Condition as Regards God

5. Examination of your Condition as Regards Yourself

6. Examination of the Soul's Condition as Regards our Neighbour

7. Examination as to the Affections of the Soul

8. The Affections to be Excited After Such Examination

9. Reflections Suitable to the Renewal of Good Resolutions

10. First Consideration - On the Worth of Souls

11. Second Consideration - On the Excellence of Virtue

12. The Example of the Saints

13. The Love Which Jesus Christ Bears to Us

14. The Eternal Love of God for Us

15. General Affections Which Should Result From These Considerations, and Conclusion of the Exercise

16. The Impressions which should remain after this Exercise

17. An Answer to Two Objections Which may be Made to This Book

18. Three Important and Final Counsels

Part V offers more exercises to strengthen one’s resolution to the devout life, an annual personal examination to assess status, progress, or backsliding, and final concluding counsels. 

Some notable quotes from Part V

From Chapter 1:

The first point in these exercises is to appreciate their importance. Our earthly nature easily falls away from its higher tone by reason of the frailty and evil tendency of the flesh, oppressing and dragging down the soul, unless it is constantly rising up by means of a vigorous resolution, just as a bird would speedily fall to the ground if it did not maintain its flight by repeated strokes of its wings. In order to this, my child, you need frequently to reiterate the good resolutions you have made to serve God, for fear that, failing to do so, you fall away, not only to your former condition, but lower still; since it is a characteristic of all spiritual falls that they invariably throw us lower than we were at the beginning.

From Chapter 4:

With respect to Jesus Christ as God and Man--how does your heart draw to Him? Honey bees seek their delight in their honey, but wasps hover over stinking carrion. Even so pious souls draw all their joy from Jesus Christ, and love Him with an exceeding sweet Love, but those who are careless find their pleasure in worldly vanities.

From Chapter 8:

When you have quietly gone through each point of this examination, and have ascertained your own position, you will excite certain feelings and affections in your heart. Thank God for such amendment, however slight, as you may have found in yourself, confessing that it is the work of His Mercy Alone in you.

From Chapter 10:

Consider how noble and excellent a thing your soul is, endowed with understanding, capable of knowing, not merely this visible world around us, but Angels and Paradise, of knowing that there is an All-Mighty, All-Merciful, Ineffable God; of knowing that eternity lies before you, and of knowing what is necessary in order so to live in this visible world as to attain to fellowship with those Angels in Paradise, and the eternal fruition of God.

From Chapter 18:

Finally, my beloved child, I intreat you by all that is sacred in heaven and in earth, by your own Baptism, by the breast which Jesus sucked, by the tender Heart with which He loves you, and by the bowels of compassion in which you hope--be stedfast and persevere in this most blessed undertaking to live a devout life. Our days pass away, death is at hand. "The trumpet sounds a recall," says Saint Gregory Nazianzen, "in order that every one may make ready, for Judgment is near." When Saint Symphorian was led to his martyrdom, his mother cried out to him, "My son, my son, remember life eternal, look to Heaven, behold Him Who reigns there; for the brief course of this life will soon be ended." Even so would I say to you: Look to Heaven, and do not lose it for earth; look at Hell, and do not plunge therein for the sake of this passing life; look at Jesus Christ, and do not deny Him for the world's sake; amid if the devout life sometimes seems hard and dull, join in Saint Francis' song,--

"So vast the joys that I await,

No earthly travail seemeth great."

Glory be to Jesus, to Whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory, now and ever, and to all Eternity. Amen.

###

Final Goodreads Review:

First and foremost, this book is a manual, a manual on how seek, find, and create a devout life, a life devoted to God.   The book speaks to what is devotion and why we need devotion.  Saint Frances de Sales, great saint that he is and patron saint of writers, leads you through a purification of the soul, the purging of sin in one’s life and, indeed, in the cleansing of one’s soul.  He teaches on how to perfect one’s lifestyle to make these changes permanent.  He 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.  He delves into the maintenance, practice, and perfection of various virtues.  He provides insight and guidance for the virtues of patience, humility, gentleness, obedience, purity, poverty, and friendship.  St. Francis discusses the nature of temptation, what constitutes succumbing to temptation, how to fight off temptation, and how to strengthen oneself so that temptations never penetrate.  He goes on to also discuss how one can become spiritually dry, and strategies to combat that dryness.  He offers exercises to strengthen one’s resolution to the devout life, an annual personal examination to assess one's status, progress, or backsliding, and finally offers concluding counsels.    

It's an incredible handbook to spiritual direction.  If you don’t have or want a spiritual director, get this book.  If you want to give spiritual direction, this book is the go-to-guide on how to do it.  It is a marvel of clarity.  Still, I don't know how much of the book will stick with me.  There’s a lot in there.  One can’t absorb it all.  You need to digest it in stages and let it work in you.  It's probably good to keep the book at arm’s reach and randomly peruse it every so often.  I made the mistake of buying the Kindle version.  A hardcover handbook to keep on one’s night stand is the perfect role for this treasure.  I found this book way more enriching than Thomas à Kempis’ The Imitation of Christ.