Live Jesus!

That was Saint Francis de Sales’ motto. It’s his feast day today. Priest. Bishop. Counter-reformation Saint. Doctor of the Church.

Live Jesus…literally. St. Francis did just that, by living humility and charity. He gave great spiritual advice and helped to convert many Protestants (Calvinists) and he was effective because he radiated Christ. Because he was humble and charitable in all his dealings with others. A spiritual warrior of kindness who was also humble and charitable with himself. St. Francis encouraged those he directed, to exercise patience with themselves and to humbly correct their faults without becoming agitated over them.

I had begun to read the spiritual classic he wrote, Introduction to the Devout Life…great advice especially for lay people to be devout…I hope to get back to reading it. Today i was just thinking—how can i be charitable with others if i am not charitable with myself? Then I felt the Lord say how can you love if you don’t spend time to be loved by me?

Consider all the past as nothing, and say, like David: Now I begin to love my God.