#1609: Part 5 of “Letter 22: To Eustochium” by St. Jerome

My series of nearly randomly chosen letters by St. Jerome continues, as we finally finish out that letter to young Miss Eustochium, with some pretty good advice and imagery from our favorite curmudgeon.
Letter 22E
19:03.

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#1607: Chs. 17-18, Bk. 2, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, with chapters on how to pay attention to the Bible, how to read devotional literature, and how to make the most of it when God inspires you with a good idea.
Book 2, Chapters 17-18.
9:34.

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#1606: Chs. 14-16, Bk. 2, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, with advice on how to attend Mass, how to participate in the Liturgy of the Hours and other group public prayers and pious activities, and how to talk to the angels and saints.
Book 2, Chapters 14-16.
11:53.

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#1600: Part 4 of “Letter 22: To Eustochium” by St. Jerome

“Letter 22″ continues, and continues to have more uncomfortable criticisms which hit me than any five other works of the Fathers. No fair being relevant and topical, you saint guy!
I shall maintain my air of mystery by not telling you what the criticisms are.
Letter 22, Part 4
17:06.

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#1599: Chs. 35-37, Bk. 3, On Christian Doctrine by St. Augustine

On Christian Doctrine continues, with more helpful hints from Tichonius and Augustine on how to interpret Biblical writing conventions.
Book 3, Chapters 35-37: Tichonius’ Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Rules.
16:26.

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#1597: Chs. 12-13, Bk. 2, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, with a discussion of how to take little spiritual breaks throughout the day, retreating to God for stolen moments here and there. In tandem with this, we learn about incorporating feelings of aspirations, holy thoughts, and short, spontaneous mental/vocal prayers and exclamations. We also have some fun comparing [...]

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#1595: Ch. 10, Bk. 2, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, with a recommendation of a simple method of morning prayer.
Book 2, Chapter 10: A Morning Exercise.
4:37.

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#1596: Ch. 11, Bk. 2, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, with a recommendation of a simple method of evening prayer combined with an examination of conscience.
Seeing as people nowadays often don’t really believe in sin, examinations of conscience have often gone by the wayside. But even if you were interested in business profits or sports success instead [...]

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#1591: Chs. 22-24, Bk. 1, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, as I impatiently wrap up Book 1 in a single installment. (I’ve changed the track numbers of the first few chapters of Book 2, accordingly.)
As St. Paul said, all sins are wrong, but not all sins are deadly. Deadly sins = mortal sins. Not deadly = venial. [...]

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#1588: Part 3 of “Letter 22: To Eustochium” by St. Jerome

This series of assorted letters by St. Jerome continues, as he keeps giving good advice to his young friend St. Eustochium, a patrician Roman teenager and consecrated virgin. Her mother, St. Paula, was all for her daughter’s calling; her other non-Christian and even Christian family members, not so much.

Letter 22, Part 3
24:53.

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#1587: Chs. 24-29, Bk. 3, On Christian Doctrine by St. Augustine

On Christian Doctrine continues. In this installment, we get some short, easy rules about interpreting specific words and expressions which appear more than once in the Bible. We also learn that it’s safer to interpret a work from passages inside it than by reason.
Now, I know this sounds like “Turn off your brain when [...]

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#1586: Chs. 16-23, Bk. 3, On Christian Doctrine by St. Augustine

On Christian Doctrine continues, with more info on scriptural interpretation for Fun and Profit. In this installment, we learn that if you think the Bible is telling you to do evil things, you’re wrong. Also, that just because they jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge (figuratively speaking) in Old Testament times doesn’t mean you have to [...]

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#1583: Ch. 21, Bk. 1, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues.
There are three more chapters in Book 1, and then we’ll move back to Book 2 and a more linear approach. The rest of Book 2 is more about learning how to establish and maintain a regular prayer life. (Sorry for all the messiness, but I’m really trying [...]

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#1582: Ch. 20, Bk. 1, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, with a little prayer to say as an act of contrition during Confession.
In St. Francis de Sales’ time, people often were comforted by prayers that sounded like legal binding contracts, because it stopped them having to worry about contingencies. Since he’d been a lawyer, he could pour [...]

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#1581: Ch. 19, Bk. 1, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, with more informational chapters on how to continue purifying yourself after the ten days of meditations. Not surprisingly, he wants you to go to Confession. But as you’ll hear, a “general Confession” asks you to tell the priest about your entire past life, weaknesses as well as sins. [...]

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