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
Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections.
It is better to remain silent than to speak the truth ill-humoredly, and spoil an excellent dish by covering it with bad sauce.
One single act done with aridity of spirit is worth more than many done with feelings of devotion.
Be who you are and be that well.
It is to those who have the most need of us that we ought to show our love more especially.
Let us think only of spending the present day well. Then when tomorrow shall have come, it will be called today, and then we will think about it.
I have made a pact with my tongue, not to speak when my heart is disturbed.
Don't get upset with your imperfections. It's a great mistake because it leads nowhere - to get angry because you are angry, upset at being upset, depressed at being depressed, disappointed because you are disappointed. So don't fool yourself. Simply surrender to the Power of God's Love, which is always greater than our weakness.
Doing little things with a strong desire to please God makes them really great.
Have patience with all things, But, first of all with yourself.
It is right that you should begin again every day. There is no better way to complete the spiritual life than to be ever beginning it over again.
To lose ourselves in God is simply to give up our own will to Him. When a soul can truly say Lord I have no other will than Thine it is truly lost in God and united to Him.
Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength.
Anxiety is the greatest evil that can befall a soul, except sin. God commands you to pray, but He forbids you to worry.