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Dear Parishioners, St. Francis de Sales wrote this beautiful prayer/meditation over 300 years ago. The words are ones we can continue to meditate upon: Try as much as you like but in the end only the language of the heart can reach another heart, while mere words as they slip from your tongue don’t get past your listener’s ear. Since, O my soul, thou art capable of God, woe to thee if thou contentest thyself with anything less than God. Be patient with everyone, but above all with yourself. I mean do not be disturbed because of your imperfections, and always rise up bravely from a fall. Religious orders are not formed for the purpose of gathering together perfect people, but those who have the courage to aim at perfection. Moderation is always good in all exercises, excepting that of loving God. Provided that God is glorified we must not care by whom. Nothing is as strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as strength. Love is the abridgement of all theology. Every Christian needs a half-hour prayer each day, except when he is busy, then he needs an hour. He who stays not in his littleness, loses his greatness. Make sickness itself a prayer. We must never so form our opinions as not to be ready if necessary to give them up. There was never an angry man that thought his anger unjust. Our words are a faithful index of the state of our souls. Flies are attracted by a spoonful of honey more than by a whole barrel of vinegar. Father Ring |
