#1718: Ch. 12, Bk. 4, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, with some good advice on sadness and depression.

Book 4, Chapter 12: On Sadness.

7:21.

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#1712: Chs. 1-2, Bk. 4, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, as we begin Book 4. Our good bishop encourages us not to care what people will say, and to have courage.

Book 4, Chapters 1-2.

11:00.

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#1711: Ch. 41, Bk. 3, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, with a very short chapter for the unmarried.

Book 3, Chapter 41.

1:31.

This winds up Book 3. So after this chapter, we move over to another detail page over at archive.org for the next book. This should make downloading and finding chapters faster, with any luck.

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#1710: Ch. 40, Bk. 3, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, with a chapter for widows who don’t intend to marry again.

Book 3, Chapter 40.

12:31.

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#1708: Chs. 38-39, Bk. 3, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, with two chapters of advice for married people. I think most people will agree with most of it. However, being French, our good bishop of course insists on explaining the Theology of the Body parts of marriage. (Several centuries before the current theology, of course; but it’s not as if JPII just made this stuff up on his own.)

So in Chapter 39 he explains this all by talking about good eating habits, and inviting the reader to learn by analogy. Completely decorous, completely obvious what he means. Very clever. Enjoy.

Book 3, Chapters 38-39.

25:42.

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#1698: Chs. 35-37, Bk. 3, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, with another chapter which helped inspire St. Therese of Lisieux’s Little Way. We also hear about not working ourselves up with currently-vain wishes, and about being fair to our neighbors while not giving ourselves too much slack.

Book 3, Chapters 35-37.

18:06.

I’m done with Christmas preparations, and I’ve got some days off. So I’ll see about catching up a little.

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#1683: Ch. 23, Bk. 3, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, as St. Francis talks a bit about external or bodily mortification, including stuff like fasting, abstinence, etc. (And hairshirts.) He’s not really all that hep on mortification as an extreme sport. In fact, he’s got a much better idea.

So it’s very plain to see how St. Therese of Lisieux was influenced by St. Francis de Sales in developing her “Little Way”. If eating whatever is set before you, regardless of your own wants, is more of a mortification than extreme fasting, the same principle quickly carries over to other preferences in daily life.

Of course, it could be pointed out that they’re both very French in thinking this way about food preferences. I’m sure the Food Network foodies would agree on how much a mortification of desires this would be to a gourmet. 🙂

Book 3, Chapter 23.

14:18.

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#1619: Ch. 1, Bk. 3, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, as we begin the part of the book dedicated to virtues and how to practice them. In this chapter, we begin a discussion of how to pick out which virtues to concentrate on getting and keeping.

Bk. 3, Ch. 1.

12:18.

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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 to reduce confusion to the listener, I swear!)

Book 1, Chapter 21: Conclusion of the First Purification.

2:24.

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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 on the legalese for worrywarts as much as they liked. (But if you don’t find this sort of language helpful, just say any other Act of Contrition prayer or make one up.)

Book 1, Chapter 20: A protestation for fixing in the mind a resolution to serve God after Confession.

6:53.

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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. So if you want to make a general Confession, you’ll want to make an appointment with a priest so you’ll both be able to take your time.

Book 1, Chapter 19: Concerning General Confession.

3:43.

UPDATE: Links fixed.

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#1580: Ch. 18, Bk. 1, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, with the final daily meditation.

Book 1, Chapter 18:
Meditation 9 – On the choice of Paradise.

7:43.

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#1577: Ch. 17, Bk. 1, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, with another daily meditation.

Book 1, Chapter 17:
Meditation 9 – On the Choice of Paradise.

5:55.

Next, more Beetle Horde! Also, tomorrow we finish up the daily meditations and go forward to more info. We’ll be just about finished with the February 1930 Astounding, and then I’ll go back to some more standard selections. I know I’ve left a lot unfinished, and we will move forward on that.

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#1576: Ch. 16, Bk. 1, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, with another daily meditation.

Book 1, Chapter 16:
Meditation 8 – On Paradise (Heaven).

9:05.

Sorry about the lateness of posting again. Went out to eat with my parents after I did my arm rehab last night, and that pretty well killed the evening. (In an enjoyable way, mind you.) I like taking them out. They’ve given me so much, so I like to give them a little bit back.

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#1574: Ch. 15, Bk. 1, An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life continues, with another daily meditation.

I know it’s not usual to meditate on these “scary” eschatological subjects, over the last forty years or so. But although the tone may seem unfamiliar and jarring to us, these things are integral parts of what Christ taught. So although we may prefer to look at these things differently or use different sorts of words about them, it still behooves us to think hard about the way we aim to spend eternity. (You will notice that this meditation is pretty short, also. This isn’t some kind of “pile on the harrowing details like it’s a horror movie” meditation.)

Book 1, Chapter 15:
Meditation 7 – On Hell.

5:50.

UPDATE: ARRRRGH! And I was so careful this morning! Anybody know a prayer against typos?

Link fixed. My self-esteem not fixed at all. Snif.

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