Summary of the Spiritual Doctrine of St Francis de Sales

from "The Catholic Encyclopaedia" at New Advent

"The writings of Francis de Sales, filled with celestial doctrine are a bright light in the Church, pointing out to souls an easy and safe way to arrive at the perfection of a Christian life." (Breviarium Romanum, 29 January, lect. VI.)

There are two elements in the spiritual life:

• first, a struggle against our lower nature;
• secondly, union of our wills with God, in other words, penance and love.

St. Francis de Sales looks chiefly to love.

Not that he neglects penance, which is absolutely necessary, but he wishes it to be practised from a motive of love. He requires mortification of the senses, but he relies first on mortification of the mind, the will, and the heart. This interior mortification he requires to be unceasing and always accompanied by love.

The end to be realized is a life of loving, simple, generous, and constant fidelity to the will of God, which is nothing else than our present duty.

The model proposed is Christ, whom we must ever keep before our eyes. "You will study His countenance, and perform your actions as He did" (Introd., 2nd part, ch. i).

The practical means of arriving at this perfection are:

• remembrance of the presence of God,
• filial prayer,
• a right intention in all our actions,
• and frequent recourse to God by pious and confiding ejaculations and interior aspirations.