Francois Fenelon
Francois Fenelon
François de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon, more commonly known as François Fénelon, was a French Roman Catholic archbishop, theologian, poet and writer. He today is remembered mostly as the author of The Adventures of Telemachus, first published in 1699...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionClergyman
CountryFrance
self suffering crosses
True love goes ever straight forward, not in its own strength, but esteeming itself as nothing. Then indeed we are truly happy. The cross is no longer a cross when there is no self to suffer under it.
hypocrite mind conviction
No human power can force the intrenchments of the human mind: compulsion never persuades; it only makes hypocrites.
cures pursuit imaginary
Nothing is so costly as the pursuit of a cure for imaginary ills.
powerful self hands
We may be sure that it is the love of God only that can make us come out of self. If His powerful hand did not sustain us, we should not know how to take the first step in that direction.
abandoned abandon
It is when God appears to have abandoned us that we must abandon ourselves most wholly to God.
order taste few-words
Genuine good taste consists in saying much in few words, in choosing among our thoughts, in having order and arrangement in what we say, and in speaking with composure.
god giving weakness
God never makes us sensible of our weakness except to give us of His strength.
lord thee resignation
O Lord, I do most cheerfully commit all unto Thee.
always-happy
Those who are wholly God's are always happy.
humility thinking easily-offended
There is no true and constant gentleness without humility. While we are so fond of ourselves, we are easily offended with others. Let us be persuaded that nothing is due to us, and then nothing will disturb us. Let us often think of our own infirmities, and we will become indulgent towards those of others.
blessing grace
We are not to choose the manner in which our blessings shall be bestowed.
knowledge perfect people
God bears with imperfect beings even when they resist His goodness. We ought to imitate this merciful patience and endurance. It is only imperfection that complains of what is imperfect. The more perfect we are, the more gentle and quiet we become toward the defects of other people.
strong fighting medicine
Fear is like the strong medicine used to fight serious diseases; it purges, but it also alters your temperament and wears out the body organs. A person who is driven by fear will always be the weaker for it
pride reflection simple
As the reflections of our pride upon our defects are bitter, disheartening, and vexatious, so the return of the soul towards God is peaceful and sustained by confidence. You will find by experience how much more your progress will be aided by this simple, peaceful turning towards God, than by all your chagrin and spite at .the faults that exist in you.