Introduction to the Devout Life Quotes

“If, when stung by slander or ill-nature, we wax proud and swell with anger, it is a proof that our gentleness and humility are unreal, and mere artificial show.”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life

“Be who you are and be that well.”
― St. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life

“We all colour devotion according to our own likings and dispositions. One man sets great value on fasting, and believes himself to be leading a very devout life, so long as he fasts rigorously, although the while his heart is full of bitterness;–and while he will not moisten his lips with wine, perhaps not even with water, in his great abstinence, he does not scruple to steep them in his neighbour’s blood, through slander and detraction.”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life

“When you speak of your neighbour, look upon your tongue as a sharp razor in the surgeon’s hand, about to cut nerves and tendons; it should be used so carefully, as to insure that no particle more or less than the truth be said.”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life - Enhanced Version

“Therefore, when you make ready to pray, you must say with your whole heart, “God is indeed here.”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life

“THE order of God’s Providence maintains a perpetual vicissitude in the material being of this world; day is continually turning to night, spring to summer, summer to autumn, autumn to winter, winter to spring; no two days are ever exactly alike. Some are foggy, rainy, some dry or windy; and this endless variety greatly enhances the beauty of the universe. And even so precisely is it with man (who, as ancient writers have said, is a miniature of the world), for he is never long in any one condition, and his life on earth flows by like the mighty waters, heaving and tossing with an endless variety of motion; one while raising him on high with hope, another plunging him low in fear; now turning him to the right with rejoicing, then driving him to the left with sorrows; and no single day, no, not even one hour, is entirely the same as any other of his life. All this is a very weighty warning, and teaches us to aim at an abiding and unchangeable evenness of mind amid so great an uncertainty of events; and, while all around is changing, we must seek to remain immoveable, ever looking to, reaching after and desiring our God.”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life - Enhanced Version

“strive when your meditation is ended to retain the thoughts and resolutions you have made as your earnest practice throughout the day. This is the real fruit of meditation, without which it is apt to be unprofitable, if not actually harmful—inasmuch as to dwell upon virtues without practising them lends to puff us up with unrealities, until we begin to fancy ourselves all that we have meditated upon and resolved to be; which is all very well if our resolutions are earnest and substantial, but on the contrary hollow and dangerous if they are not put in practice.”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life - Enhanced Version

“go on bravely in the spirit of humility to make your general confession;—but I entreat you, be not troubled by any sort of fearfulness. The scorpion who stings us is venomous, but when his oil has been distilled, it is the best remedy for his bite;—even so sin is shameful when we commit it, but when reduced to repentance and confession, it becomes salutary and honourable.”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life - Enhanced Version

“Almost all those who have written concerning the devout life have had chiefly in view persons who have altogether quitted the world; or at any rate they have taught a manner of devotion which would lead to such total retirement. But my object is to teach those who are living in towns, at court, in their own households, and whose calling obliges them to a social life, so far as externals are concerned.”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life - Enhanced Version

“Don't lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.”
― St Francis de Sales, Introduction to Devout Life

“We are crucified to the world, and the world must be as crucified to us. It esteems us as fools, let us esteem it as mad.”
― Saint Francis De Sales De Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life

“How sweet the momentary trials and sorrows, for they lead to Heaven’s never-ending joys.”
― Francis de Sales, The Classics Made Simple: An Introduction to the Devout Life

“So, each one represents Devotion according to his liking and imagination. He who is in the habit of fasting thinks that because he fasts he is very devout, even though his heart is filled with hatred; and while fasting he will not dare to sip wine or even water, but neither will he refrain from drinking the blood of his neighbor by means of gossip or slander. Another considers himself devout because of the very great number of prayers he recites every day, even though soon after this he speaks words that are annoying, arrogant, and hurtful to those in his house and to his neighbors. Another very gladly takes alms from his purse to give to the poor but cannot take any gentleness from his heart to forgive his enemies. Yet another will forgive his enemies but will not pay what he owes unless legally forced to do so. All such persons are generally looked upon as devout, whereas in fact they are not.”
― St. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life

“Those who keep careful watch over their conscience are not often liable to form rash judgments, for just as when the clouds lower the bees make for the shelter of their hive, so really good people shrink back into themselves, and refuse to be mixed up with the clouds and fogs of their neighbour’s questionable doings, and rather than meddle with others, they consecrate their energies on their own improvement and good resolutions. No surer sign of an unprofitable life than when people give way to censoriousness and inquisitiveness into the lives of other men.”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life - Enhanced Version

“certain persons have made a great mistake when, seeking to cultivate some special virtue, they attempt to obtrude it on all occasions, like the ancient philosophers we read of, who were always laughing or weeping. Worse still if they take upon themselves to censure those who do not make a continual study of this their pet virtue.”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life - Enhanced Version

“even as birds on the wing meet the air continually, we, let us go where we will, meet with that Presence always and everywhere.”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life - Enhanced Version

“the world, which cannot or will not discriminate between real devotion and the indiscretion of those who fancy themselves devout, grumbles and finds fault with devotion, which is really nowise concerned in these errors. No indeed, my child, the devotion which is true hinders nothing, but on the contrary it perfects everything; and that which runs counter to the rightful vocation of any one is, you may be sure, a spurious devotion.”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life - Enhanced Version

“In short, devotion is simply a spiritual activity and liveliness by means of which Divine Love works in us, and causes us to work briskly and lovingly; and just as charity leads us to a general practice of all God’s Commandments, so devotion leads us to practise them readily and diligently. And therefore we cannot call him who neglects to observe all God’s Commandments either good or devout, because in order to be good, a man must be filled with love, and to be devout, he must further be very ready and apt to perform the deeds of love. And forasmuch as devotion consists in a high degree of real love, it not only makes us ready, active, and diligent in following all God’s Commands, but it also excites us to be ready and loving in performing as many good works as possible, even such as are not enjoined upon us, but are only matters of counsel or inspiration.”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life - Enhanced Version

“The ordinary purification”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life

“Que  tu manera de hablar sea dulce, franca, sincera,  espontánea, ingenua y fiel.”
― Francis de Sales, Introducción a la vida devota

“Te  conjuro, pues, amada Filotea, que no hables nunca mal de  nadie, ni directa ni indirectamente: guárdate de  atribuir falsos crímenes y pecados al prójimo,  de descubrir los que son secretos, de exagerar los ya  conocidos, de interpretar mal una buena obra,”
― Francis de Sales, Introducción a la vida devota

“si una acción tiene mil aspectos, es  menester mirarla bajo el punto de vista mejor. Nuestra  Señora estaba encinta, y San José lo  veía claramente; mas, como quiera que, por otra  parte, sabía que era toda pura, toda santa, toda  angelical, no pudo creer que hubiese concebido contra sus  deberes, y se decidió a alejarse de ella y a dejar el  juicio a Dios.”
― Francis de Sales, Introducción a la vida devota

“¡Oh sumo y buen Creador mío! ¡Cuán grande es mi deuda para con Vos, que me fuisteis a buscar en mí nada para hacerme por vuestra misericordia lo que soy! ¿Qué podré yo hacer jamás que sea correspondiente para bendecir vuestro santo nombre y daros gracias de vuestra bondad inmensa?”
― Francisco de Sales, Introduccion a la vida devota

“A devout widow should chiefly seek to cultivate the graces of perfect modesty, renouncing all honours, rank, title, society, and the like vanities; she should be diligent in ministering to the poor and sick, comforting the afflicted, leading the young to a life of devotion, studying herself to be a perfect model of virtue to younger women. Necessity and simplicity should be the adornment of her garb, humility and charity of her actions, simplicity and kindliness of her words, modesty and purity of her eyes,--Jesus Christ Crucified the only Love of her heart.”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life

“One man sets great value on fasting, and believes himself to be leading a very devout life, so long as he fasts rigorously, although the while his heart is full of bitterness;--and while he will not moisten his lips with wine, perhaps not even with water, in his great abstinence, he does not scruple to steep them in his neighbour's blood, through slander and detraction. Another man reckons himself as devout because he repeats many prayers daily, although at the same time he does not refrain from all manner of angry, irritating, conceited or insulting speeches among his family and neighbours. This man freely opens his purse in almsgiving, but closes his heart to all gentle and forgiving feelings towards those who are opposed to him; while that one is ready enough to forgive his enemies, but will never pay his rightful debts save under pressure. Meanwhile all these people are conventionally called religious, but nevertheless they are in no true sense really devout. When Saul's servants sought to take David, Michal induced them to suppose that the lifeless figure lying in his bed, and covered with his garments, was the man they sought; and in like manner many people dress up an exterior with the visible acts expressive of earnest devotion, and the world supposes them to be really devout and spiritual-minded, while all the time they are mere lay figures, mere phantasms of devotion. But, in fact, all true and living devotion presupposes the love of God;”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life

“The desire and pursuit of virtue tends to make us virtuous, but the desire and pursuit of honors tends to make us odious and despicable.”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life

“There is no fear that a perception of what He has given you will   puff you up, so long as you keep steadily in mind that whatever is good   in you is not of yourself.”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life

“CHAPTER V. The First Step must be Purifying the Soul. "THE flowers appear on the earth," [15] says the Heavenly Bridegroom,   and the time for pruning and cutting is come.”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life

“Philothea meaning one who loves God.”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life

“I have addressed my instructions to Philothea,”
― Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life