Saint Francis de Sales
Saint Francis de Sales
Francis de Sales, CO OM OFM Cap.was a Bishop of Geneva and is honored as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to the religious divisions in his land resulting from the Protestant Reformation. He is known also for his writings on the topic of spiritual direction and spiritual formation, particularly the Introduction to the Devout Life and the Treatise on the Love of God...
NationalitySwiss
ProfessionClergyman
Date of Birth21 August 1567
CountrySwitzerland
Every Christian needs a half-hour of prayer each day, except when he is busy, then he needs an hour.
We must fear God out of love, not love Him out of fear.
Cook the truth in charity until it tastes sweet.
True humility scarcely ever utters words of humility.
Charity and devotion differ no more, the one from the other, than the flame from the fire.
Flowers often grow more beautifully on dung-hills than in gardens that look beautifully kept.
If the heart wanders or is distracted, bring it back to the point quite gently... And even if you did nothing during the whole of your hour but bring your heart back, though it went away every time you brought it back, your hour would be very well employed.
Take care of your health, that it may serve you to serve God.
The whole world is not worth one soul.
Better make penitents by gentleness than hypocrites by severity.
Those who pray from the heart do not think about the prayer they are saying, but about the God to whom they pray.
You learn to love by loving.
True progress quietly and persistently moves along without notice.
If you would fall into any extreme, let it be on the side of gentleness. The human mind is so constructed that it resists rigor, and yields to softness.