Feast of St. Francis de Sales

St. Francis de Sales is one of my favorite saints.... and also came into our home on Christmas in the form of a relic, so I consider him one of our patrons.  If you have not read his book, Introduction to the Devout Life, it is excellent.  I might add... my thought through-out the book was "This is the introduction?! Sounds like perfection."  But alas... he also has, what I'd call the sequel... Treatise on the Love of God.  Which I have yet to read... and perhaps, given my lack of devout-ness, may never be able to get through.  But there's hope...  So here are a few words of many, many, many favorite quotes of mine from St. Francis de Sales, what a rich saint... rich in what it is to be really rich....

On Friendship:

♥ Friendships begun in this world will be taken up again, never to be broken off.
♥ A quarrel between friends, when made up, adds a new tie to friendship.
♥ Make friends with the angels, who though invisible are always with you. Often invoke them, constantly praise them, and make good use of their help and assistance in all your temporal and spiritual affairs.
(I would add to make friends with the saints as well... their lives give us hope)
With Self:
♥ Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections.
♥ Have patience with all things, But, first of all with yourself. ♥ Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly.

On Gentless of Spirit
♥ Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.
(I know people who would say that one summarizes me HAHAHAHAHAHAHA)
♥ Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength.
Just some things to work on this week....
:)

And I must add on one more that I read today while I was doing my spiritual reading on the lives of the saints and if you find yourself suffering from any form of despair, call upon St. Francis de Sales:
♥ Lord, if I am never to see Thee in Heaven, this at least grant me, that I may never curse nor blaspheme Thy Holy Name.  If I many not love Thee in the other world - for in Hell none praise Thee - let me at least every instant of my brief existence here love Thee as much as I can."
After he made that pure act of love, the despair left him and he was filled with deep peace in his soul.