Francis de Sales, The Devout Life

If birds stop beating their wings, they quickly fall to the ground.  Unless your soul works at holding itself up, our flesh will drag it down.  You must renew your determination regularly. Oddly, a spiritual crash leaves us lower than when we began. 

Clocks need winding, cleaning, and oiling.  Sometimes they need repair.  Similarly, we must car for our spiritual life by examining and servicing our hearts at least annually.

There is plenty of time for other things.  You do not have to do it all every day.  Stay with it.  Time flies away.  Keep your eyes on heaven.  Don't throw it away for earthly things.  Look at Jesus Christ and be faithful to him.

Live, Jesus!  To whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, now and forevermore.  Amen.

Francis de Sales,  Introduction to the Devout Life

Who is Francis de Sales?  Saint Francis de Sales, August 21, 1567-December 28, 1622, was Bishop of Geneva and a Roman Catholic saint.  As an accomplished preacher he sought to bring Protestants back to Catholicism.  He is mostly known for his writings on spiritual formation.

Follow Christ by Loving Others

If you want to follow Christ, changing your perspective and behavior, take all of the love and concern you have for yourself and put it all on others.  Genuine love, which fulfills every law, does not seek its own profit at the expense of the welfare of others.  Love is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

This is emphasized in all Scripture.  It may be applied to those who share our faith and to those who do not.  Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said, "love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."  The best, the most perfect and blessed condition is that in which we can most usefully and profitably serve others.  Keep in mind that spiritual service is superior to material service and that the community is more important than individuals.

This responsibility of service to others rests upon both spiritual and secular leaders.  There can be no greater plague than people seeking their own advantage.  The more a profession is useful to the needs of a community, the more it is honorable. 

We are living in those last days that Christ spoke about.  Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.  People want to live on the work of others. Christianity demands exactly the opposite.  The Christian who gives up even what is rightly due, is always ready to help others, holding on to the words of Jesus;  "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

Martin Bucer, Instruction in Christian Love

Who is Martin Bucer?  Martin Bucer, November 11, 1491-February 25, 1551, was a Protestant reformer whose primary ministry was in Strasbourg.

Watering your spiritual garden

Think of yourself as a gardener.  You want to cultivate a garden in your soul that will delight the Lord.  How is this garden watered?  There are four ways to water the garden of the soul.  You can draw the water from a  well.  This is hard work.  You could use a water-wheel with buckets.  This is less laborious and yields more water.  You could have your garden near a stream or a brook.   This will saturate the ground more thoroughly with no effort on your part.  You may need to pour on extra water only rarely.  But wouldn't it be best of all if rain fell from heaven and you could let the Lord water your garden.

In the same way, there are four degrees of prayer.  Beginners draw water out of the well.  They must fill the well, as it were, in a life full of distractions.  If God has put some water in the well, we can water the flowers a little.  If the well is dry, there remain moist tears that make virtues grow.  If there are not even tears, there can yet be tenderness and an interior feeling of devotion. 

The second level of prayer is a condition of the soul that allows itself to be captured by God.  It is something like being in love.  It brings great joy and requires little effort.

The third "water" that irrigates our soul is incomparably better than the first two.  Speaking and silence, laughing and weeping, it is a state of heavenly intoxication.  The focus is entirely upon God.  There is depth of understanding.

The fourth degree of prayer is almost impossible to describe.  It is like rain from heaven.  It comes when you least expect it.  The soul is in a state of suspension.  The soul feels close to God.  There is a consciousness of God's presence.

Teresa of Avila,  The Life of Teresa of Jesus

Who is Teresa of Avila?   Teresa of Avila (March 28, 1515 -- October 4, 1582) was a major figure in the  Catholic reformation as a prominent Spanish mystic, writer and monastic reformer.  She was known for continual prayer and ecstatic visions.  Many later theologians were influenced greatly by her autobiography, The Way of Perfection, and the work, Interior Castle.  These works still inspire and provide spiritual guidance to Christians today.

Keeping God First

There is a serenity of spirit that is extremely valuable in the spiritual life.  It is not easy to acquire because we are inexperienced and face powerful foes.

Sometimes we are completely out of control.  Our minds are confused.  This is the times to get right into prayer.  Remember how our Lord prayed three times in the Garden of Gethsemane before his betrayal.  It is only in conversation with God that we can find refuge. Pray that God will replace the chaos in us with tranquility.

Don't be bothered by the continuous and meaningless hustle of the business world.  When we go to work we can take care of business without getting rattled.  We can lighten up a bit. We do not need to be intimidated by a crowded calendar.  Some work can wait.

The thing we should concentrate on is an awareness of God's holy presence.  A desire to please God should be our top priority.  If we let other business take precedence, our souls will quickly become fearful and anxious.

Forbid thoughts that depress and distress you from entering your mind.  Try to preserve tranquility.  Christ said, "Blessed are the peacemakers."  God will surely bless your work and give you a peaceful soul.  The only thing he requires of you is a genuine effort to still the storms in your life.

You can't build a house in a day.  Neither will you be able to build a castle of inner peace in your soul in an instant.  It is a gradual accomplishment.

Lawrence Scupoli, The Spiritual Combat

Who is Lawrence Scupoli?--Scupoli was a priest who lived from 1530 to 1610.  His work, The Spiritual Combat, originally published in 1589 in Venice, was one of the most important works of Catholic Spirituality.  Scupoli was accused of breaking the rule of his priestly order and was arrested for a year in 1585.  Finally he was exculpated from blame, but he had to wait for it almost till his death.  

Seek the things of heaven

Christ encourages us to pattern our lives after his.  In this way we can become spiritually enlightened.  The most important thing we can do is to meditate upon the life of Jesus Christ.

Many who have attended church all their lives have not been affected by it.  They do not have Christ's Spirit.  If you really want to understand and enjoy the words of Christ, you must attempt to live like him.

What is the point of scholarly discussion on a deep subject such as the Trinity, if you lack humility?  Deep conversation will not make you holy.  God is pleased by a pure life.  It is better to feel contrition than to know its meaning.

If you knew the entire Bible by heart and were familiar with all the philosophers, what good would it be without the love of God and his grace?

Here is the wisest thing you can do: forget the world and seek the things of heaven.

Thomas a' Kempis, The Imitation of Christ

Please note--When possible I will list links to available books for those interested in purchasing or exploring further Christian classics.  Blessings from The Practical Disciple.