The Spiritual Maxims of St. Francis de Sales

[Denise]

THE GREAT VIRTUES

Forget all that is not of God, and remain entirely at peace under the guidance of God; this is the height of virtue.

Among the virtues we should prefer that which is most conformable to our duty, and not that which is most conformable to our inclination.

True virtue has no limits.

[Denise]

Never do our virtues come to their full stature and measure, till such time as they beget in us desire of progress.

As for virtues, we may, of course, ask for them, and in asking for the love of God, we comprise all, for it contains them all.

[Denise]

On Resignation

Blesses are they who do not do their own will on earth, for God will do it in Heaven above.

Each one ought to cast all his care in God, who indeed sustains the whole world.

The infant which is within its mother's arms needs only to let her act and to fasten itself to her neck.

[Denise]

O little cross! thou art dear to me, because neither sense nor nature loves thee, but higher reason alone.

Never are we reduced to such an extremity, that we cannot pour forth before the Divine Majesty a holy resignation to His most holy will.

Regard the providence of God in the contradictions which are offered to you, for God permits them in order to detach you from all things and to unite you to Himself.

[Denise]

Whosoever takes pleasure in God desires faithfully to please God, and in order to please Him, desires to resign himself to Him.

Whosoever is not attached to his inclinations, is not impatient when they are contradicted.

I would have lost my liberty had I not lost my liberty.

[Denise]

Often it is required to leave God for God, renouncing His sweetness to serve Him in His sorrows and travails.

The child readily kisses his mother when she gives him sugar; but it is a sign that he loves her greatly if he kisses her after she has given him wormwood.

There is no clearer proof of affection for a thing than distress at the loss thereof.

[Denise]

We must never so form our opinions as not to be ready, if necessary, willingly to give them up.

When we abandon everything, our Lord takes care of everything and orders everything.

When will it be that, dead before God, we shall live again to this new life in which we shall no more will to do anything, but shall let God will all that we have to do?

[Denise]

On Devotion

Devotion is no other thing than a spiritual nimbleness and vivacity by which charity works in us, or we in her, readily and heartily.

Charity and devotion differ no more, the one from the other, than the flame from the fire.

The true essence of devout love consists in the movement and effusion of the heart which immediately follows complacency and ends in union.

[Denise]

He who desires love ardently shall shortly love with ardor.

If charity be a milk, devotion is its cream; if it be a plant, devotion is its flower.

Man gives himself wholly by love, and gives himself as much as he loves.

[Denise]

Such as love is, such is the zeal which is its ardor.

We must bring the razor to the division of the self and the spirit.

To live according to the spirit is to think, speak and act according to the virtues that are in the spirit, and not according to the sense and sentiments which are the flesh.

[Denise]

Feeling and sweetness in devotion may come from the friend or the enemy.

The less we live after our own tastes, and the less of choice there is in our actions, the more of solidity there is in our devotion.

True devotion does no harm whatever, but rather gives perfection to all things; but when it goes contrary to our lawful vocation, then without doubt it is false.

[Denise]

True devotion advances boldly, without stopping to worry about details.

Complacency draws divine sweetness into our hearts; but the love of benevolence makes our heart pass out of itself.

How happy we shall be if one day we change our own self into that love, which, making us no more separate, will perfectly empty us of all multiplicity.

Generous devotion does not wish to have companions in all that it does, but only in its aim, which is the glory of God and the advancement of our neighbor in divine love.

[Denise]

On Holy Indifference

Ask for nothing and refuse nothing.

The indifferent heart is like a ball of wax in the hands of its God, receiving with equal readiness all the impressions of the divine pleasure.

Remain in indifference as to having or not having spiritual goods.

[Denise]

Holy indifference goes beyond resignation: for it loves nothing except for the love of God's will.

If I desire pure water only, what care I whether it be served in a golden vessel or in a glass.

We must not only consent for God to strike us, but we must let it be in the place which He pleases

[Denise]

You are quite willing to have a cross, but you want to have the choice.

The truly indifferent soul would prize hell more with God's will than Heaven without it.

Where there is true indifference there can be no trouble or sadness.