A contemporary selection of Catholic classics, curated for the modern reader by Our Sunday Visitor in the spirit of our founder, Archbishop John Francis Noll.
A contemporary selection of Catholic classics, curated for the modern reader by Our Sunday Visitor in the spirit of our founder, Archbishop John Francis Noll.
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Overview
A contemporary selection of Catholic classics, curated for the modern reader by Our Sunday Visitor in the spirit of our founder, Archbishop John Francis Noll.
Product Details
ISBN-13: | 9781681922898 |
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Publisher: | Our Sunday Visitor, Publishing Division |
Publication date: | 09/01/2018 |
Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
Format: | eBook |
Pages: | 280 |
File size: | 2 MB |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
Francis de Sales’s Introduction to the Devout Life has remained a uniquely accessible and relevant treasure of devotion for nearly four hundred years. As Bishop of Geneva in the first quarter of the sevenjteenth century, Francis de Sales saw to the spiritual needs of everyone from the poorest peasants to court ladies. The desire to be closer to God that he found in people from all levels of society led him to compile these instructions on how to live in Christ. Francis’s compassionate Introduction leads the reader through practical ways of attaining a devout life without renouncing the world and offers prayers and meditations to strengthen devotion in the face of temptation and hardship.
Table of Contents
Preface xi
Introduction xv
The Author's Preface xxi
The First Part of the Introduction: Containing Counsels and Exercises Requisite for the Guidance of the Soul from Her First Desire of the Devout Life, Until She be Brought to a Full Resolution to Embrace It
Description of true devotion 1
The nature and excellence of devotion 4
That devotion is suited to all vocations and professions 6
Of the necessity of a guide, in order to enter on the path of devotion and make progress therein 8
That a beginning must be made by the purgation of the soul 11
Of the first purgation, which is that of mortal sins 13
Of the second purgation, which is that of the affection to sin 14
Of the means of making this second purgation 16
Meditation I: Of creation 17
Meditation II: Of the end for which we are created 20
Meditation III: Of the benefits of God 22
Meditation IV: Of sin 24
Meditation V: Of death 26
Meditation VI: Of the judgement 28
Meditation VII: Of hell 30
Meditation VIII: Of Paradise 32
Meditation IX: By way of election and choice of Paradise 34
Meditation X: By way ofelection and choice which the soul makes of the devout life 36
How to make the general confession 38
Solemn protestation, to engrave on the soul the resolution to serve God and to conclude the acts of repentance 40
Conclusion of this first purgation 42
That we must purify ourselves from the affections which we have to venial sins 43
That we must purify ourselves from affection to useless and dangerous, things 45
That we must purify ourselves from evil inclinations 47
Second Part of the Introduction: Containing Divers Counsels for the Elevation of the Soul to God by Prayer and the Sacraments
Of the necessity of prayer 49
A short method for meditation: And first, of the presence of God, which is the first point of the preparation 52
Of the invocation which is the second point of the preparation 55
Of the setting forth of the mystery, which is the third point of the preparation 56
Of the considerations, which are the second part of the meditation 57
Of the affections and resolutions, which are the third part of the meditation 58
Of the conclusion and spiritual nosegay 59
Some very profitable counsels upon the subject of meditation 60
For the dryness which may be experienced in meditation 62
Exercise for the morning 64
Exercise for the evening, and examination of conscience 66
Of spiritual retirement 67
Of aspirations, ejaculatory prayers, and good thoughts 70
Of the most holy Mass and how we ought to hear it 75
Of other exercises which are public and made in common 77
That we should honour and invoke the saints 79
How we ought to hear and read the word of God 80
How we should receive inspirations 82
Of holy Confession 85
Of frequent Communion 88
How we ought to communicate 92
Third Part of the Introduction: Containing Sundry Counsels Concerning the Exercise of Virtues
Of the choice which we ought to make in regard to the exercise of virtues 95
Continuation of the same discourse on the choice of virtues 100
Of patience 103
Of humility for the exterior 108
Of humility which is more interior 111
That humility makes us love our own abjection 116
How we should preserve our good name while practising humility 120
Of gentleness towards our neighbour and how to remedy anger 124
Of gentleness towards ourselves 129
That we must manage our affairs with care, but without eagerness or anxiety 131
Of obedience 134
Of the necessity of chastity 136
Counsels for preserving chastity 140
Of poverty of spirit observed in the midst of riches 143
How to practise real poverty, remaining notwithstanding actually rich 146
How to practise richness of spirit in real poverty 150
Of friendship, and first of that which is bad and frivolous 152
Of flirtations 154
Of true friendships 158
Of the difference between true friendships and vain 161
Counsels and remedies against evil friendships 164
Some further counsels on the subject of friendships 167
Of the exercises of exterior mortification 170
Of society and of solitude 176
Of propriety in attire 179
Of speech; and first, how to speak of God 181
Of propriety in words, and of the respect which we owe to others 182
Of rash judgements 185
Of detraction 190
Some further counsels in regard to speech 196
Of pastimes and recreations; and first, of such as are lawful and praiseworthy 198
Of forbidden games 199
Of balls and pastimes which are permissible but dangerous 201
When we may play or dance 203
That we must be faithful both on great and on small occasions 204
That we must have a just and reasonable spirit 207
Of desires 210
Counsels for married persons 212
Of the honourableness of the marriage bed 220
Counsels for widows 224
A word to virgins 230
Fourth Part of the Introduction: Containing Counsels for Combating the More Ordinary Temptations
That we must pay no heed to what the children of the world say 231
That we must have great courage 234
Of the nature of temptations and of the difference that there is between feeling temptation and consenting to it 235
Two good examples on this subject 238
Encouragement to the soul in temptation 240
How temptation and delectation may be sin 241
Remedies against great temptations 244
That we must resist small temptations 245
Of remedies against small temptations 247
How we must strengthen our hearts against temptations 248
Of disquietude 249
Of sadness 252
Of spiritual and sensible consolations, and how we should behave in them 255
Of spiritual dryness and barrenness 262
Confirmation and illustration of what has been said by a notable example 268
Fifth Part of the Introduction: Containing Exercises and Counsels for Renewing the Soul and Confirming Her in Devotion
That we must renew our good resolutions every year by the following exercises 273
Consideration on the favour which God shows us in calling us to his holy service, according to the protestation set forth above 275
Of the examination of our soul concerning her advancement in the devout life 277
Examination of the state of our soul towards God 279
Examination of the state of our soul in regard to ourselves 281
Examination of the state of our soul in regard to our neighbour 282
Examination of the affections of our soul 283
Affections which we must exercise after this examination 284
Of considerations suitable to the renewal of our good purposes 285
First consideration: of the excellence of our souls 286
Second consideration: of the excellence of the virtues 287
Third consideration: of the example of the Saints 288
Fourth consideration: of the love that Jesus Christ bears us 289
Fifth consideration: of the eternal love of God for us 291
General affections on the preceding considerations and conclusion of the exercise 292
Of the sentiments which we must keep after this exercise 293
Reply to two objections which may be made against this Introduction 294
Three final and principal counsels for this Introduction 295