Vive Jésus - Viva Gesù - Live Jesus

Wary about what is frivolous

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part Three – Chapters 31-41
Friday November 10, 2006
(Cecilia, Rey, Steve, Tien, John)

Although writing to his close followers, devout women to be sure, Francis nonetheless warned them to be wary about frivolous activities and pastimes that can easily go beyond the bounds of helpful and healthful recreation. Two areas he underscores in particular: gambling and dancing. Francis considers games of chance that depend on blind luck rather than intelligent skill to be innately or intrinsically evil. Furthermore, dancing, especially ballroom dancing he considered not only a waste of time but quite possibly an occasion of sin. Perhaps he reflected the situation of his times… we would more than likely be a bit more lenient in our assessment of those pastimes today.

John O’Brien

Regarding Gambling (Chapter 32):

In Eastern Cultures, Gambling is viewed as a form of relaxation. Here in the West, many churches have "Casino Nights" or trips to an actual Casino in order to raise money. These practices are accepted in both cultures as long as participants gamble in moderation.

But Francis de Sales writes "There is no joy in gambling except for the winner. Games of dice, cards and the like in which success depends mainly on chance are not only dangerous pastimes, but they are simple and naturally evil and blameworthy." Obviously Saint Francis de Sales would not accept our view that gambling has any benefit whether for pleasure or to raise needed funds.

Steve Von Stade

Firm Resolution

Introduction to the Devout Life
Group discussion Part V
Friday December 1, 2006
(Anne, Marcel, Javier, Thien-An)

Following are a few ideas from our group discussion on the fifth and final part of the Devout Life:

1. Our group agrees that the genre and the set up of these 18 chapters are more of the renewal, recollection, and retreat. In chapter 2 we are intrigued by one of the six important points of St. Francis teaching about making a Firm Resolution. The images of “gentle attraction of the Holy Spirit” and “the cords of love and charity” which God uses to draw us as little boats toward the safe harbor are very powerful and touching. They demonstrate that God always is concerned for us. God and we have a good relationship and connection that nothing can separate. However, it is God who takes action even with our resolution. We have to put our trust and faith in His Providence.

2. We also notice that in the chapter 18, St. Francis recommends that we dedicate the first day of month to the renewal of Firm Resolutions. Why does it have to be the first day? How many of us today (1 December) have remembered to offer the first day of the month to think about the relationship between God and us? It is something challenging but we think it is necessary to have it.

3. We are also interested in the five reflections for renewal of St. Francis. Firstly, he believes that our souls are beautiful and capable of desiring and enjoying God. Secondly, we should know that only virtue and devotion can make us happy. Without them, good can become ill and pleasure can be filled with anxiety and frustration. Thirdly, we learn from the saints that after they converted, they no longer followed the old path. They persevered and kept walking in God’s love. Fourthly, we have to think how our Lord Jesus Christ has been loving us through His Passion, Cross, and Crucifixion. We can compare Jesus’ love for us with the love of an expectant mother preparing for the birth of her child. It is through His love that God brings salvation to humankind. Finally, God’s love for us is infinite. There is neither beginning nor end to God’ love for us. Realizing this, we must be ready to suffer rather than to turn away from God and His love.

Thien-An

Devotion is really about Love

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part V – Chapters 1-18
Friday December 1, 2006
Korean Language Group

1. In chapter 6: our attitude towards our neighbor.

When we think love for neighbor, we are apt to remember our favorite neighbor. Francis taught us to discern this well, call to mind certain persons whom you think are troublesome and unpleasant. If we think these persons, we can not love them. Francis said that we should practice the love God towards our neighbor. This lesson moved to us.

2. In chapter 10: “Your soul has in addition a most noble will, capable of loving God and incapable of hating him in himself.”

Most spiritual teaching had a negative attitude for human nature, Francis’ teaching, we thought, had a positive attitude for human nature. These positive Approaching to human being can challenge one’s good motive for spiritual practice. As we read this book, we felt not a guilt and shamefulness but challenge and positive motive. In chapter 11, through these positive attitudes, we can know virtue and devotion can make us happy in this world.


3. In chapter 15: “Read and sign your Firm Resolution in his presence. Finally, go and unite your renewed heart to its Source and Saviour in the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.”

Francis emphasized the sacrament of Eucharist according to the catholic tradition. Eucharist means to unite between human and Jesus Christ. As a protestant pastor, we think protestant church should redefined the sacrament of Eucharist because the Eucharist in the protestant church left form without meaning.


4. In chapter 17. About diligence.

Whenever we discussed this book, we often said, “This is all right, but it is very difficult for us to live like that.” As if Francis heard our talking, he gave examples of various man, who were very busy and in troubles, to us. As we read that examples, we can resolve our decision without excuses.

Jesus as the expectant mother

Introduction to the Devout Life
The Fifth Part, Chapters 1 – 18
Group 1 (John, Rey, Steve, Tien, Cecilia)

1. Five reflections for renewing our deliberate decisions
(From Chapters 10 to 14, p. 317-322).

After the exercise of the examination of conscience, St. Francis recommended five reflections as the subject of daily meditation. They are reflections on the excellence of the soul, the virtues, the examples of the saints, the love of Jesus for us and God’s eternal love for us. Central to these reflections is the reflection on Jesus’ love for us. We are struck by the use of the image of the woman preparing the cradle as a metaphor for Jesus readying the spiritual cradle for each devout soul.

2. Chapter 15, p.322

The image of the beautiful tree to represent the deliberate decisions is significant to us. It has been God who planted the seeds in our hearts and water it with his blood. Therefore, not any storm can uproot it. No vanity, no riches, no difficulties will turn us away from our resolutions.

3. Chapter 12, p.319

Learn from the examples of the saints. They were as we are. Remember what the saints did in their conditions of lives. Why can we not do as much according to our state of life for our firm resolution and holy affirmation?

4. Chapters 4 and 5, p. 310-313

The teachings on the examination of one’s state are practical and easy to follow for all states of life. There are useful reference points designed for the person seeking to live out the devout life.

5. Chapter 3, p. 309

St. Francis encouraged us to do the examination twice a day in different ways. We don’t have to do it on our knees always. We can have it while we are walking or even when we are in bed. The important thing is to make use of some time each day and night according to our possibilities.

6. Chapter 18, p. 326

It is necessary that every individual has to express his/her desire of wanting to be devout. Francis emphasized that not that you ‘are devout,’ but you ‘want to be devout.” It indicates that to be a devout person is a journey, a process. The way to live the journey out is through the ordinary and necessary actions which lead us to the love of God, the desire to frequent the Sacraments and to follow the advice of one’s spiritual director.

7. Chapter 17, p. 325

If we think that the exercises and counsels recommended by St. Francis are too many in number whoever wishes to practice them will have no time for anything else. The two kings David and St. Louis had given us a good example. They worked for the public good and did everything with great diligence. They had succeeded to fulfill their duties and at the same times, they also had sufficient time to practice the spiritual exercises.

Cecilia

Temptations and such

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part 4, Chapters 1 – 15
Friday, 17 November 2006
Group 1 (John, Rey, Steve, Tien, Cecilia)

This section contained many beneficial recommendations. During our discussion, we mentioned some of these recommendations starting with Saint Francis de Sales remedies against “Great Temptations” and “Small Temptations”.

Francis’ best remedy against temptations, whether great or small, is to open our hearts and make known our suggestions, feelings and affections to our spiritual director. Francis says that communication with our Spiritual Director and God is the best way to battle Temptation, Sin and The Devil. We need assistance when battling The Devil because he can manipulate direct conversation or actions to his benefit. Because of The Devil’s ability to do this, Francis suggestions to “just say no” to sin and not engage in any argument or discussion with The Devil. Any further communication with The Evil One would allow him to gain advantage. Saint Francis further recommends Christians should divert their minds to doing good and praiseworthy occupations to battle evil temptations or suggestions.

Later in the reading, “anxiety” is described as “the greatest evil that can befall us except sin.” Also, “You see then that sadness, justified in the beginning, begets anxiety. Anxiety in its turn increases sadness, making it extremely dangerous.” Our group never heard “anxiety” described in this way before so we asked our professor to explain and clarify Saint Francis’ original meaning. He said “The original French word that Saint Francis de Sales wrote does not mean “anxiety.” A better translation of the original word would be to use the word “agitation” or “useless fears”. This clarification brought Saint Francis de Sales recommendation about “useless fears” into perspective for us.

Overall, this section contained shorter, concise chapters than previous sections. Francis de Sales used imagery to full effect throughout the section and the directness of writing made the subject matter more accessible and understandable than some previous obtuse chapters. Our group gained greater understanding and tools for our journey in the devout life.

Live Jesus!

Steve Von Stade

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What it takes to overcome temptation

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part IV – Chapters 1-15
Friday November 17, 2006
Korean Language Group

1. Some Christians think that temptations are the something from the world or Satan, and they often think the sin is not because of their weakness or fault but Satan. Such attitudes of temptation and sin are like the attitude of Adam and Eve. When God ask the reason eating the fruit of the tree in the middle of garden, Adam accused Eve, and Eve blamed her fault on snake. Many people’ s attitude of the temptation and sin is similar to Adam and Eve.

Protestants have a tendency to depend on only the power of Holy Spirit in order to overcome temptations, and so it may happen that they do not use any personal effort, because they think nobody can win against the temptation that comes from Satan. Thus, they believe that if anybody prays for overcoming a temptation, God will give him/her the victory even without his/her effort. Because of this attitude, we can make an excuse like Adam. Just as Adam said, “the woman you put with me”, he eventually blamed God, so we can make excuses that we are too weak to overcome temptation.

Francis, on the other hand, seems to think that our attitude is important when confronting temptations. According to him all people cannot avoid temptations -- even Saints lived in the middle of temptations. Therefore, what is important is our courage in facing temptations. Francis teaches us that we have to correctly understand the nature of temptations and continually use our personal effort in order to overcome them. Then our spiritual level gradually grows also thanks to this effort.

2. Francis said that it is different between feeling temptations and consenting to these. We talked about the pleasure of when trusting temptation away. We shared our experiences that could obtain more pleasure and freedom when they follow Jesus than when they stay in worldly sweetness from temptations. In other word, we are confronted by the temptation, but it could do us no harm. Rather by the temptation, we could seek more deeply spiritual life. However, we agree with the fact that this was seldom experienced in our life, but rather we very often have fallen into the temptation, because we do not have a good spiritual guide that helps us living in the world of temptation. Francis clearly explains, especially in chapter 7, us how we can thrust temptation away. Francis’s advice of temptation will be a great text for spiritual exercise to lay persons.

3. Moreover, our group newly perceived that anxiety bring our spiritual life serious harm by chapter 11. We thought that anxiety is just the state lacking the faith before, but Francis clearly said, “Anxiety is the greatest evil that can befall us except sin”. Anxiety not only leads us to deep restless and sadness but also make estrange us from God.

Francis also said, “Anxiety arises from an inordinate desire to be freed from the evil we experience or to acquire the good we hoped for.” This means that anxiety has closed relationship with secular desire. Saint James also said, “ Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin…” (James 1:15). Many Saints taught that our soul might be filled by Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, or God as much as we empty our will and desire. Thus Francis said, “when you experience the beginning of anxiety, entrust yourself to God” .

Jongsoo Kim

Counsels Required for Overcoming the More Common Temptations

Friday November 17, 2006
Group discussion Part IV
Anne, Marcel, Javier, Thien-An

Practicing the devout life is not always easy for we are living in the world with many others who do not believe in God. There are thousands of reasons for them to attack us, but the main reason is that we are different from them. They want us to be liked them all the time, but we cannot. We should be determined to embrace the devout life and forming ourselves for the means of our desires and resolutions because after all, we will find rest in the eternity to come.

1. About Temptation, St. Francis reminds us that it may occur any time and any where. It is always out there waiting for us. Temptation is the first of the three steps – temptation, delight, and consent – that leads us to sin. Is temptation always bad? The saint answers that temptation “can do us no harm as long as we take no pleasure in it.” (Ch. 3, par. 4) We like the example that St. Francis gives us about St. Catherine of Siena asking the Lord where he was during her temptation. The Lord answers He was in her heart, and it was Him who enables our hearts to “resist the temptation with all its power.” St. Francis de Sales also believes that after overcome temptations we, like Sts. Francis of Assisi and Benedict, will “lost nothing of God’s grace, but grew greatly in it.” (Ch. 3, par. 2)

To solve the problem, St. Francis proposes some remedies in chapter seven. First, he addresses that we should pray as Jesus has commanded his disciples “Pray that you may not enter into temptation” (Mt. 26:41). Secondly, we should not look at the temptation itself; yet instead we look at our Lord and embrace his Holy Crucifix. Thirdly, we need to humbly open our hearts and make known our temptations to our spiritual directors and seeking for help. Lastly, if it is necessary we should be stubborn ourselves in resisting the temptation. We should absolutely ignore to temptations exclusively even have no argument with it. However, St. Francis encourages us that “in time of peace, that is, when temptations to sins to which you are inclined do not trouble you… go boldly to meet them. In this way you will find strengthen your heart against future temptations.” (Ch. 10, last par.)

2. For anxiety, St. Francis believes that it is not just merely a temptation but a source of many temptations. If we rely on the love of God to deal with our problems, we will be patient, gentle, humble and calm. However, we will be eager and anxious if we become dependent in ourselves.

St. Francis also proposes some solutions that can help us to overcome our trouble of anxiety in chapter 11. First, he tells us to install our peace and tranquility quietly and gently instead of wildly struggle with our problems. Secondly, Francis challenges us to examine ourselves more than once a day that if whether “my soul is still in my hands” or “some passion or anxiety has robbed it.” If it is wandered around, we need to “go after it and bring it back quite gently to the presence of God.” (Ch. 11, par. 5) Lastly, St. Francis advises us to disclose our anxiety by seeing our spiritual directors or some faithful and devout friends.

3. For sadness, St. Francis points out that it can be either evil or good. It is interesting that the saint believes that there are six evil streams flow from the source of our sadness: anxiety, sloth, anger, anger, jealousy, envy, and impatience. However, sadness can produce compassion and repentance. Obviously, there are more evil than good in sadness. The saint insists us to “resist vigorously all inclinations to sadness.” (Ch. 12, par. 5)

St. Francis encourages us to occupy ourselves with some fervent exterior works such as singing a spiritual canticle or psalm, kissing the Crucifix, clasping it to the breast, raising eyes and hands toward heaven.

Thien-An

Virtues in the Asian mind

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part Three – Chapters 31-41
Friday November 10, 2006
Korean Language Group

According to the Asian mind, one of the important virtues is ‘moderation’ which means the “quality of being reasonable and not being extreme”

Francis de Sales recommends this virtue to Philotea with regarding to games, cards and dances. In themselves these pastimes are neither good nor evil normally, but they are very much inclined disposed toward evil.

Therefore, in terms of Francis de Sales, Playing and dancing are permissible, provided
We take part in them for the motive of recreation without being attached to them.
In these matter one should use reason, prudence and good sense.

Francis de Sales always focuses on the spiritual aspects of our daily lives, and emphasizes contemplation in action.

For him, daily life, humility, reason, little thing and present duty are the important means to grow in the spiritual life.

Philothea is young, isn't she?

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part III – Chapters 31-41
Friday November 10, 2006
Anne, Javier, Marcel, Thien-An

Before we break into small groups for discussion, our professor Fr. Boenzi points out some very important hints that we should keep in mind. First of all, the real Philothea whom St. Francis addressed was a young adult, and so this name, Philothea, besides representing “the soul” also represents young adults. Secondly, this work was written in 1610. Lastly, the saint did not have the ambition to write a study of spirituality for the entire the world but he simply writes letters of spiritual guidance, as it were, to a particular group or persons whom he knew.

1. St. Francis shows that we need to have relaxation or recreation. However, we should distinguish the differences between relaxation and occupation. While relaxation helps us to rest and to gain energy, occupation makes us exhausted and drains our energy. He compares the necessity of relaxation as the bow without stretching. If the bow always bent, it will loose its power to stretch when it need it.
2. Charity should be a center of all our thoughts and activities. It is charity that challenges us to have compassion on those who are suffering while we are killing our long hours with our dancing. Don’t enjoy too much or attach to all the joys that are offered by the physical world for it might be the causes of the scattering our spirit of devotion and make our charity grow cold. (Ch. 33, paragraph 4)
3. In community life, charity should be involved and put in priority. The saint says, “When prudence and discretion counsel you, you may comply and give pleasure to a social gathering which you are attending. In fact, compliance being a form of charity makes good what is indifferent and permissible what is dangerous.” (Ch. 34, paragraph 1) The example of St. Elizabeth of Hungary sometime played and danced without harm to her vocation compare to the rocks around the lake Rietta grow when beaten by waves.
4. About great things and little things, St. Francis points out that “great occasions of serving God are rare, but little ones are common.” All the activities such as feeding the hungers, visiting the sick, cooking for the family are like flowers growing at the foot of the Cross. (Ch. 35)
5. We need to have a just and reasonable mind when interact with people around us. Self-love and self-center only creates confusing and conflict. To have a true reason and a good judge, we should put ourselves in the situations on our neighbors. The saint says, “We loose nothing by living generously, nobly, courteously and with a magnanimous, impartial and reasonable heart.” (Ch. 36, last paragraph) – This is one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Right Judgment.
6. Lastly, we also learn that it is in vain when we desire something that is beyond our abilities. For instance, “It is an error to desire martyrdom without having enough courage to bear an insult,” says St. Francis (Ch. 37, 3rd paragraph). There are always many desires out there, and we should wisely choose a right thing and make it come true. Those kinds of desires that lead us to become greedier are rash and harmful.

Two Francises and two different kinds of poverty

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part III – Chapters 14-30
Friday November 3, 2006
Korean Language Group

In the first place, we talked about the question of ‘what is the life of enjoying a spiritual richness in whatever economic situations we have?’ Enjoying the life of spiritual richness amidst riches depends on the life of sharing their possessions with others, especially with the poor. According to Francis, possessions are not ours but God’s. He emphasizes the stewardship about possessions (material). People who realize that possessions are not theirs but are only given by God are readily to share their possessions with others and the poor. When this sharing happens in our real life, we experience the spiritual richness even in the situation of our real riches.

Francis offered the example of St King Louis as a radical practitioner who enjoyed the spiritual richness amidst riches. It seems to us that this exemplary is a most convincing one to explain this situation. Interesting to us is that Francis De Sales emphasizes the life-spirituality by saying the stewardship about material, while Francis of Assisi emphasizes the spirituality of poverty that we should voluntarily forsake our real richness, and choose the life of real poverty, and dwells among the poor. In some senses, the spirituality of Francis De Sales about the life of sharing their possessions with the poor is more applicable to the real life of ordinary people in contemporary era than that of Francis of Assisi.

To people who feel and enjoy the life of spiritual richness in real poverty the most important faith and life-attitude depends on the life of accepting God’s will more than our will. Now that our poverty comes from the will of God rather than our will or decision, we need not to shame about our poverty. Provided that our poverty is the intention and will of God, and when we accept the providence and love of God in the situation of poverty, we can experience and enjoy the spiritual richness in our real poverty.

Francis argues that true friendship is the mutual relationship among friends united with God. It means that when friendship takes place as a mutual exchange about charity, devotion, and Christian perfection, the friendship becomes true friendship. The purpose of true friendship is to praise virtue and the grace of God. The concept of charity, devotion, and Christian perfection is also emphasized in every Christian life by Francis and his book, Introduction to the Devout Life. Francis expresses ‘true’ friendship in other expressions such as ‘sacred,’ ‘holy,’ and ‘chaste’ friendship while he expresses ‘false’ friendship as vain, worldly friendship. False friendship, according to Francis, is a friendship that facilitates evil disposition and inclination, sordid sensuality and lustfulness, and vanity.

Interesting to us is that Francis explains false friendship through the image of ‘the honey of Heraclea.’ “The honey of Heraclea is sweeter to the tongue than the ordinary honey because of the aconite which gives it an excess of sweetness” (Francis, p. 199). Francis thinks highly of the concept of ‘sweetness.’ This ‘sweetness’ is expressed as a representative of simple and frank language (communication or mutual exchange among devout persons) about virtue and the grace of God. But an ‘excess of sweetness’ displayed in ‘the honey of Heraclea’ represents a passionate, charming, and flattering expression about sensual qualities. In the end, the image of an ‘excess of sweetness’ of ‘the honey of Heraclea’ expresses false friendship figuratively, implying that it brings evil disposition and inclination, and facilitates sordid sensuality, lust, and vanity among friends.

Almond seed inscribed

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part III – Chapters 14-30
Friday November 3, 2006
Group 1 (Tien, Cecilia, Steve, John, Rey)

1. There were two images used by Francis of Sales that really struck us. The first is biblical (Gen 27) - hair on the hands of Jacob "which did not stick to his skin but to his gloves" and the hair on the hands of Esau which was "sticking to his skin as it was hairy by nature". This biblical image does not really speak of poverty, yet St. Francis effectively employed this example to talk of poverty and detachment. Just like the hair of Esau which would have caused him great pain when pluck off, our "attachments" (resources or riches to which our hearts are inordinately attached) when taken away from us would cause us great pain and provoke us to complain and be impatient. Detachment and the spirit of poverty will enabl! e us not to lose our serenity and peace of mind. (Devout Life, 3:15, page187)

The second image is the "almond seed inscribed" on page 207 of the Introduction to the Devout Life. "If some word is written on an almond seed that is quite entire, and put back in its shell carefully, and properly folded and closed, and thus planted, then every fruit which the tree produces will have the same word writted and engraved on it." We are no agriculturists but we certainly do not believe that this agricultural image employed by St. Francis of Sales is indeed a fact. The editors of our Devout Life version traced this agricultural note to a 4th Century writer Palladius. (See fotenoot on page 207). Myth or fact (we say, myth), St. Francis made an effective use of this image to stress to Philothea (and to us) how exterior actions really come and flow from the he! art (interior) as the tree and all its fruits come from the seed, and that a heart filled with Christ will soon bear fruits of exterior actions filled with Christ. "Engrave and inscribe on your heart, before everything else, this holy and sacred maxim: LIVE JESUS! After that... your life which comes from your heart... will produce all its actions... inscribed and engraved with the same word of salvation."

2. We also find a paragraph in the Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis of Sales that echoes a similar phrase attributed to Jean de Chantal in another place.

On page 215 of the Devout Life, St. Francis talking about the propriety in dress says that: "a married woman may and ought to dress herself when with her husband as he wants it. However, if she does the same when she is away from him, she will be asked as to whose eyes she is seeking to please with such particular care." This is ! St. Francis here talking.

In another place, Jean de Chantal was described to be graceful, attractive and self-possessed who carried herself with nobility... "a perfect lady". But her husband, Baron Christophe de Rabutin (a military captain) was away, the Baroness Jean de Chantal would live a simple lifestyle. She would not go to court nor attend parties, and would exhibit extreme sobriety in her manner of dressing. Asked why, she would reply: "Don't bother me about that. The eyes which I must please are a hundred miles from here, and it would be useless for me to dress up." (Story and Spirit, 70)

Thus, on this "rule of thumb" concerning propriety in dress, who influences whom? Did Jean the Chantal learn it from Francis of Sales, or the other way around? Well, it looks like that it was more of the "common sense" of the people ! at that time and in that place which influenced both. Both the Bishop of Geneva and the Baroness simply articulated and gave "text" to the sense of their context.

3. Finally, we also commented about the idea of "particular friendship" and what St. Francis of Sales says about it. First of all , we say that every friendship is particular in the sense that it is personal. Secondly, Francis of Sales did not outrightly condemn particular friendship, rather made a distinction between genuine friendship which comes from God (Devout Life, 3:19) and frivolous friendship which is dangerous and even evil (Devout Life, 3:17-18). Talking about genuine friendship which comes and tends to God and whose bond is God, Francis of Sales clarifies to us that he speaks not of simple love of charity but of a kind of spiritual friendship among persons who share and communicate their devotion and spi! ritual affection and thus become one in spirit. (Devout Life, page 196). Much of what he writes about this theme, we believe, come from his own experience of genuine and spiritual friendship, particularly with Jean de Chantal. In Chapter 21 (Devout Life, 3:21), when dealing about the counsels and remedies against evil friendship, Francis of Sales offers concrete and practical suggestions like distancing, changing of place, refraining from all private conversations... He was actually clarifying what we would consider today as "boundaries". Besides the importance of keeping and respecting the boundaries (of course, Francis didn't use this term), the Bishop of Geneva calls Philothea (and us) to the basics - mental solitude, prayer, spiritual books, confession, communion, and spiritual direction.

Rey

Panning for spiritual gold

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part III – Chapters 14-30
Friday November 3, 2006
Group 2 (Thien-An, Anne, Marcel, Javier)

1. St. Francis believes that true friendship is a small virtue that which we need for our societal life. According to him, there are two kinds of friendship: true friendship and vain friendship. We must love our friends in spite of their imperfection, yet we must neither love nor receive his imperfection. Going further the saint uses the image of people who shift the gravel of the river Tagus. They separate the gold from the sand. Then they leave the sand on the river but only take gold with them. In the same way, he says, “those who commune in a good friendship, ought to separate the sand of imperfections and should not allow it to enter their spirit” (Ch. 22, 3rd paragraph)

2. No one is an island. We live in the society that contains the mixture of good and evil. On one hand, we need to courageously and firmly reject and stay away from all evil just as the bees are turn aside from the swarm of horse-flies and hornets. On the other hands, there are some good qualities that are valuable and useful that we can share from the devout and virtuous people in the social gatherings. The saint is using two images to show us. He says that “the vine planted among olive trees bears oily grapes which have the taste of olives… Drones alone are not able to make honey, but they help the bees to make it.” (Ch. 24. 2nd paragraph and 5th paragraph)

3. For the individuals, the saint reminds us that we should neither listening to evil words from our neighbors nor saying bad words to them. Rather the saint advises us to be sincere and respectful when we speak to our neighbors. He quotes that, “it is said that those how have eaten the herb called angelica (Aromatic plant used in cooking) always have a pleasant and agreeable breath. Those who have the angelic virtue of modesty and chastity in their hearts always speak pure, polite and suitable words.” (Ch. 27, 2nd paragraph)

4. St. Francis also convinces us not to be very careful when slandering our neighbor and listening to the slanderers. He reminds us that king David once comparing the slanderers as the tongue of a serpent. “The serpent’s tongue is forked and has two points … he poisons the ear of the listener as well as the reputation of the person of whom he is speaking.” (Ch. 29, 5th paragraph)

Our group also talk about how we act our charity is much more important than what we practice charity. St. Louis is a good model of this. He is not only feeding the poor, but he is seating and eating with them, having conversation with them. St. Elizabeth dresses like the poor and mingles among them to share the life of the poor.

One of the signs of an authentic friendship is we see that we grow in morality. We are called to love everyone, but we only have one or very few true friendship. The reason of that is not because we are selfish, but we all are weak and fragile. We need others’ support that we can be persevere to follow God.

Thien-An

Images in Salesian discourse: comments during a class discussion

Francis de Sales makes use of many images in his commentaries on virtues in the third part of the Introduction to the Devout Life. We found the following images particularly striking:

• Detachment of poverty and Esau and Jacob
• The married woman who dresses for her husband and not for the court.
• The almond seed that carries a word: writing the name of Jesus on the heart.
• Friendship (19) particular friendship … but every friendship is particular…

Poverty as stewardship. He offers good example of poverty. He gives good examples of how we can be poor in a rich situation; how we can be with the poor and serve the poor people. Gives the example of St Louis IX, the king.

Living a life of spiritual richness is more difficult in real poverty: enjoying the life of spiritual richness whether or not we are rich or poor materially, depends on our ability to share with others. When we share with others we feel God's love. This is not about economics, but about devotedness to God and neighbor. What is striking to us is that we can enjoy spiritual richness only when we can accept God's will and put God's absolute will above our own will.

Primacy of Charity

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part III – Chapters 1-13
Friday October 20, 2006
Group 2 (Thien-An, Anne, Marcel, Javier)

Generally speaking, our group agrees that these chapters are most valuable, rich, and deep to those who are pursuing to learn more about spirituality especially in the living in the community.

First of all, St. Francis de Sales asserts that the virtue of charity is the most important, and it is compatible with other virtues. He believes that “charity is the true sun of virtues.” Just as the queen of the bees never goes to the fields without her companions, charity is always accompanied by other virtues. The saint also reminds us that we should choose a virtue that is most suitable with our situation and put it in practice; one at a time. “When we struggle against some vice, in so far as it is possible, we ought to embrace the practice of the contrary virtue, relating all the others to it,” said St. Francis.

• About the virtue of patience, St. Francis suggests us to be patient with ourselves. How can we be patient with our neighbors if we do not have patience within ourselves? Give ourselves an opportunity.

• St. Francis spent his four chapters to teach about the virtue of humility. According to him, there are two kinds of humility: external and interior. He believes that if we want to receive God’s grace, we ought to empty ourselves of our own glory. It is humility that “drives away Satan and preserves in us the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit.” The saint distinguishes the true humility from the false humility. He believes that, “a truly humble person would like to be told that he is miserable, he is nothing, he is worthless, rather than he himself saying it.”

• The saint also reminds us that when we practice fraternal correction, we are to make sure that we only do it with gentleness and peace. In the meantime, we should keep in mind that it is wrong to expect that everyone has our same interest. Indeed, everyone has different paths and gifts on his or her journey of faith.

• St. Francis also points out that the three vows obedience, chastity, and poverty only apply to Religious. Instead everybody is called to practice these vows. It is a matter of practicing these vows but not taking these vows. There are two kinds of obedience: necessary and voluntary. The latter is called voluntary obedience because we have chosen for our own those we want to obey to such as our spiritual confessor or director. However, the saint believes that we ought to obey our parents, the household superior, pope, bishop, the master, mistress, prince and officers absolutely. “Blessed are the obedient, for God will never let them go astray.”

• With the vows of chastity, the saint recommends us to “be extremely prompt turn away from all the tendencies and all the attractions of lust.” Stay away from all the opportunities that could ruin our chaste lives is not good enough; rather we should be “resting our heart on our Lord, then we will see that our soul and heart will soon find ourselves purified of all defilement and unchastity.”

Thien-An

Less controversy and more illustrative

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part III, Chapters 1-11
Group 1
(Steve, John, Rey, Cecilia, Tien)
20 October 2006

Less controversial than other chapter

More gentle – illustrates with comments

His maxims summarize his thoughts, e.g., “everyday life situation requires the practice of virtues”, or “don’t make a show that you are last unless you mean it.”

The core section of the book is on virtues: Humility – gentleness – kindness

Chap 6, pg. 157: humility makes us love our won abjection. Humility means voluntary acknowledgment of our abjection but also in loving it and take pleasure in it.

Pg. 159: “abjections most profitable to us and pleasing to God are those which happen to us by unforeseen events or by our condition of life.”

Individualism makes it difficult for us to obey or to subject our will to God. We need gratitude and trust in God, thus allowing person to accept the unforeseen events of life.

Important points of Salesian spirituality are gentleness and humility.

Chapter 3 on Patience, pg 145 3^rd paragraph

To accept criticism by the wicked is a man of courage but to accept it from friends or loved ones is true humility.

Criticism from the wicked is not always bad. There are truths in what they said.

Image of bees sting more than flies

Pg 177 compares chastity to the moth attracted to the flame – fanciful people get burn like the moth by the flame

Pg 164 on gentleness – image of olive oil

Pg 167 on anger: if one acts with anger, replace it with gentleness toward the same person

Unplanned and unconditional events teach us true humility. We begin with the interior. We cannot rush patience, for example, a person would like to have patience and he says to God, “God gives me patience and give me now.” The person just shows that he lacks great patience.

Francis de Sales learned from his own life. He faced his own struggles and temper, and he was able to keep them in check.

Tien

Leading a virtuous life

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part III, Chapters 1-11
Group 2 - Korean Language Group
(Jung Seung-Ku, JS Kim Jong-Soo, Michael Lee Chun-Seob, Oh Kwang-Cheol)
20October 2006

In this unit, our group focused on experiences of insensibility (chapter 2) and humility (chapters 4-7).

Three protestant students were surprised that Francis mentioned several mystery experiences, for example, ecstasies, raptures, experiences of insensibility, impassability, deific unions, levitations, transformations and other such perfections. Because many Korean protestants knew that catholic church had a formal faith rather than mystic experience. By explaining of chun-sup, we came to know that there are many movements of holy spirit in catholic church. As we know, Francis gave a good definition to us, that is, “such perfections are not virtues. Rather they are rewards which God gives for virtue.” That is very impressive and evangelical definition.

In Korea, some denominations emphasized on special experience strongly. For themselves, such special experiences are symbols of salvation. We think their thought were very dangerous. Many heresies came from them. Francis pointed out very exactly such attitudes. “Sometimes it happens that those who esteem themselves to be angels are not even good men and in fact than in their sentiments and deeds.”

Francis also explained about ‘humility’ using several chapters. Through his explaining, we can know his theology and attitude for christian life. He distinguished internal humility from external humility. External humility is almost something like vainglory. His expression for internal humility is very impressed to us.

“We often say that we are nothing, that we are misery itself and the refuse of the world. But we would be very sorry if anyone took us at our word and made public that we are such.”

“We pretend to wish to be the last, and seated at the lower end of the table, but it is only to pass to the top with greater advantage.” (P153)

“A truly humble person would like to be told that he is miserable, he is nothing, he is worthless, rather than he himself saying it. At least, if he knows that someone said it of him, he does not contradict it but accepts it with a good heart. (p154)

As further, he explained the difference of between humility and abjection.

Abjection is the littleness, lowliness and meanness whish is in us without our thinking of it. But the true virtue of humility is the real knowledge and voluntary recognition of our abjection.”(p157)

He concluded,

“The highest point of humility consists not only in the voluntary acknowledgment of our abjection but in loving it and taking pleasure in it.”

Here we can see the feature of saint. But that is not only himself. That is his guide to us for being a good Christian. Therefore all Christian who want to be good Christian must follow this guide, however, the road seems to be very difficult for us yet.

Seung-Ku

When we dwell in God's presence…

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part II, Chapters 10-21
Group 2 - Korean Language Group
(Jung Seung-Ku, JS Kim Jong-Soo, Michael Lee Chun-Seob, Oh Kwang-Cheol)
13 October 2006

Reading the Introduction to Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales, we see a sort of similarity between Jesus’ style of preaching as presented in the Gospel and Francis’ style of writing – the use of parables or metaphors. With the use of metaphors, many times drawn from realities and processes in nature, St. Francis helps us appreciate what spiritual life is about and understand concepts like prayer, sacraments, and communion of Saints in a practical way.

In the second part of the Philothea, chapter 10-21, St. Francis de Sales stresses on nurturing a kind of “spiritual sensitivity” or “spiritual sense”, i.e., a sense or awareness of God’s presence, creativity and providence. The purpose of prayer and sacramental life is to develop this “spiritual sense” in our daily life. However, prayer and the awareness of God’s presence should lead to practical resolutions, i.e., prayer and reflection must be fruitful, operative and practical in one’s daily life (prayer and praxis)

Philothea or the Introduction to the Devout Life is a simple book that speaks to us, making us reflect and repent, i.e., desire to renew our life. In this sense, it should not be read only with the mind. It must be read with the heart.

Michael

Frequenting sacraments

Introduction to The Devout Life
Part Two, Chapters 10-21 (pp. 85-100)
Group 1
(Steve, John, Rey, Cecilia, Tien)
13 October 2006

CREATE AN INTERIOR LIFE

Francis de Sales advocates doing various spiritual exercises to individuals in Chapters 10 – 21 of the “Introduction To The Devout Life.” St. Francis recommends daily prayer, weekly confession and frequenting the sacraments. Making spiritual exercises a daily habit will create a room in your heart for God and create a spiritual lifestyle for each of us with God at the center.

LIFESTYLE

While the “Introduction To The Devout Life” wasn’t written for children, it is impressive in it’s simplicity. The message provides common sense for the common person. This classic book should be read in daily doses rather than all at once. Taking each exercise one day at a time will help the individual build upon each spiritual exercise to create a “Devout Life”.

Asking the individual to be active, participation and devotional. One is not obliged to mention all of their venial sins during confession. But one should be sincerely sorry and regretful when promising not to repeat the wrongful action during confession. In fact, Francis de Sales recommends preparing for confession the night before to ensure the heart is ready for the sacrament.

DAILY LIFE

Likewise, our discussion mentioned that in St. Francis de Sales’ era, the church was the center of the town. The church bell would ring to announce the time, important events and emergencies. When one heard the frantic ringing of the Church bell, one should say a “Hail Mary” for the person that was in trouble. Likewise today, we should say a “Hail Mary” when we hear a siren for the individuals in trouble. This simple spiritual exercise provides empathy for the person and a reminder that we are all God’s children. As St. Francis de Sales recommends putting God at the center of our lives of each day. This simple act creates a spiritual exercise the will help build an individuals’ “Devout Life”.

Steve

In communion with the communion of saints

Introduction to The Devout Life
Part Two, Chapters 10-21 (pp. 85-100)
Group 1
(Anne, Tien An, Javier, Marcel, Julie)
13 October 2006

Prayer.

The goal of all our prayer is to bring us ,and to sustain us in the presence of God throughout the day. The sun of all spiritual exercises is the Mass.

Starting with our morning prayers we look ahead to see the pitfalls that may come our way that day. We make not only a deliberate resolve to avoid them, but we make a concrete plan to put our decisions into practice.

St. Francis teaches how we can live with the Communion of Saints here on earth and this can help to make our daily spiritual journey easier.

Confession.

Do not confess your sins with broad statements,accusations that are irrelevant but mention the reason for your fault,in this way the confessor will be better able to understand your inner dispisitions as regards sin.Also the length of time you have remained in your sin as there is a great difference between a fleeting vanity in your heart ,and one that's there for days.

Three Steps for Growth in Charity and Sin.

Inspiration, Pleasure in it, Concent to it.
Temptation, Delight in it, Concent to it

It is more hurtful to refuse our concent after taking pleasure in some inspiration than if we never welcomed it in the first place.

Anne and Co.

Wanting to be close to God

Introduction to The Devout Life
Part Two, Chapters 1 – 9 (pp. 85-100)
Group 1
(Steve, John, Rey, Cecilia)
6 October 2006

1. Prayer

Prayer of the mind and of the heart is really necessary for us if we want to be close to God. ‘As children learn to speak by constantly listening to their mothers and chattering to them’ (p.85), so we remaining close to Jesus makes us think, act and behave like Him. A baby can learn how to speak quickly if his/her parents/relatives speak to them often. A little boy imitates his father’s ways of doing because he is close to him and wishes to be like his father one day. A little girl is eager to try the cosmetics of her mother because she wants to be like her.

2. Rosary

We agree that the Rosary is a very helpful way of prayer. We shared that there are several ways of praying the Rosary such as with illustration of pictures, with the biblical images brought out, with meditation on the mysteries and with intentions to pray for the needs of the world. We can also pray the Rosary individually or in small groups.

3. Meditation

The method recommended in these chapters is very practical. However, we understood that the method is just to help. The main thing is to keep the good movements of the will. ‘…immediately after the preparation for meditation, your good movements of the will are wholly aroused towards God. At such times, give vent to them freely and do not try to follow the method….’

As long as we find sufficient inspiration, just go on very gently and without any hurry.
There is an insistence of transforming from the movement of wills to action. ‘…do not linger too long with these general good movements of the will. You have to change them into deliberate decisions, precise and particular…’ (p. 95) Just like after the Transfiguration, Jesus told the disciples not to linger to the blissful experience but to move on to the mission.
After all, we find there is a tune of to move gently, do not rush prayer, do not force it, just enter into the flow through out the process. It is the prayer moves to the Spirit.

4. Lectio Divina

Lectio Divina could be a kind of biblical inspiration. It is not a substitute of the meditation, but it helps a lot to the growth of our spiritual life.

Cecilia

Defining prayer

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part II, Chapters 1-9
Group 3
(Anne, Tien-An, Javier)
6 October 2006

Group discussion the second part of the Introduction to the Devout Life.

• St. Francis de Sales begins Part II by giving us a definition about prayer. He says, “Prayer is opening our understanding to God’s brightness and light, and exposing our will to the warmth of his love.” (Ch. 1, paragraph 1) According to him, there are two kinds of prayer: vocal and mental. The latter, however is strongly recommended. Francis would say that mental prayer is much more complicated but if we take time to learn and to do it properly, it will bring many good fruits and effects to flourishing our spiritual life. When comparing mental prayer to vocal prayer, the saint says, “In fact, the mental prayer you have made in their place is much more pleasing to God and of greater benefit to yourself.” (Ch. 1 paragraph 8)

• St. Francis has a great gift of using graphic language. In his writing, we find many concrete, simple, and practical examples that are easy to understand. For instance in chapter 5 paragraph 3, he writes, “As long as you find sufficient attraction, light and fruit in one of these reflections, stop there without moving on to another. Be like the bees who do not leave a flower as long as they find honey to gather there.” When he wants to challenge us to be concentrated and not to suddenly interrupt our holy and peaceful moment right after meditation, he gives us this example, “A man is given some liquid of great value to take home in a bowl of beautiful porcelain. He will walk carefully, not looking to one side or the other. He will look sometimes in front, for fear of tripping over a stone or making a false step. Sometimes, he will look at his bowl to see that it is not leaning to one side.” (Ch. 8 paragraph 4)

• St. Francis believes that after finishing the contemplation, we should come up with deliberate decisions and put them into practice. He strongly emphasizes that we put into practice what we have been contemplating, “Meditation is very often not only useless but even harmful. In fact, merely to meditate on virtues and not to practice them, sometimes makes our minds and our emotions swell with pride.” (Ch. 9 paragraph 1)

• Some of us are surprised that the act of oblation is one of the three acts of bringing the meditation to a close. “We offer to God his goodness and mercy, and death, the suffering… our own good movements of the will and our deliberate decisions.” (Ch. 7 paragraph 2) We believe that God’s goodness is far better than our own.

• We learn from these chapters about the virtue of perseverance in meditation. We like the quote in Genesis: “I will not let you go, Lord, unless you bless me.” (Gen. 32:26) Francis also convinces us not to worry, panic, and give up with our dryness sometimes. If it is necessary we can come to meditate with the attitude as if we were fulfilling our duty. Even when we have not found favor with God, we should keep in mind that “it is a very great honor indeed to be near God and be seen by Him.” (Ch. 9, last paragraph)

Tien An

Making meditation practical

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part II, Chapters 1-9
Group 2 - Korean Language Group
(Jung Seung-Ku, JS Kim Jong-Soo, Michael Lee Chun-Seob, Oh Kwang-Cheol)

1. Our group could reaffirm that Introduction to the Devout Life is the practical spiritual guide which can more closely lead prayers to God. Francis de Sales, in part II, chapters 1-9, introduces readers into the detailed practice of prayer from experiencing the presence of God to managing dryness in meditation. He not only explains the importance of the process of raising oneself to God by easy examples, but also proposes practical methods for meditation. Moreover, the verses in the Bible he shows for meditation may be very useful to prayers, especially, to beginners of meditation.

2. In Protestant tradition, we are not familiar with praying to our Guardian Angel and to the holy persons. By sharing opinions with each other, however, we could understand that by imagining holy persons in the Bible, it is possible to share the experience of heart and mind that they had at that time, and to allow ourselves to come closer to God today.

3. Francis stresses that meditation has to advance to making a deliberate decision and taking deliberate action. We were impressed by his teaching that the fruit of meditation is gained through the practice. Meditation is completed by practice in our life, and contemplation and life are not different from each other but the one reality. Therefore, meditation is not the spiritual refuge but the place of spiritual action for Christians who want to raise themselves to God.

Jongsoo

Language and cultural questions in a venerable text

Introduction to The Devout Life
Part One, Chapters 9-24
Group 1
(Steve, John, Rey, Cecilia, Tien)
29 September 2006

1. Chapter 11 (p. 55)

With the meditation on "God's Blessings", Francis reminds his readers to remember the bodily gifts God has bestowed on them in comparisonn to those who have been blessed with fewer, even far fewer, gifts: "those with defective bodies or weighed down in poverty, and those with weak minds who are stupid, insane, and foolish."

This seems to us to be very harsh language and sentiments from this gentle saint toward the "lesser-gifted" people of God. Perhaps, without meaning to disparage these unfortunates, Francis desires to have his blessed people be ever more grateful and responsive to the gifts that God has given them for their own benefit and that of others (Fr. O'Brien).

2. Chapter 20 (p. 73)

"The genuine declaration to impress upon oneself the decision to serve God…" Francis presents a lengthy, solemn, and very legalese series of sentences and paragraphs -- we must not forget he had two law degrees! Certainly these vow-like pledges are more from a prayer of dedication and more like a signed, binding contract. Such a formula underscores the serious nature of the commitment after a general confession and repentance.

3. From Chapater 23 (p. 79)

"We must purify ourselfs from attachment to useless and dangerous things", i.e., games, dances, feasts, plays, and pompous celebrations, not evil in themselves, but frequently done in excessive fashion and for extended periods of time. It's okay to get involved in these distractions to a limited degree avoiding excesses and undue attachments. Perhaps he had in mind the frequency and intensity of social involvement in his own times (Sr Cecilia).

The better choice

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part I, Chapters 9-24
Group 3
(Anne, Tien-An, Javier, Marcel)
29 September 2006

Group discussion of part one of the Introduction to the Devout Life, chapters 9-24:

1. The ten meditation of St. Francis invite us to begin with the reflection on our presence here on earth. We are originally created by God from nothing. God makes us only for the reason of sharing his glory, love, and grace. Human life is progressive, and we are now midway between heaven and hell. We are not stationary. We are moving forward. We should make our own decision now by choosing heaven for our final destination and move toward it.

2. We should choose God and heaven for it is a better choice. Only in God and heaven is there eternal happiness. This world is a just temporary and uncertain for we do not know when we will leave it. We, therefore, should not become attached to it. Yet our families and friends pose a problem. Shall we abandon them now? In responding this, Francis challenges us that we “shall not love them except with a holy friendship that will last forever.” (Introduction to the Devout Life, 1:13).

3. From chapter 19, we have a view about the Sacrament of Confession that is different from our common view. St. Francis shows the contrast between sin and the power of the sacrament. He argues that the scorpion’s poison is very dangerous; but if we make it into oil, it becomes very curable. Sin is disgusting when we commit it, but confessing our sins will please and honor God. In and through this sacrament, we listen to God, renew ourselves, and know ourselves better.

4. St. Francis points out a few reasons why we should not become attached to venial sin. First of all, venial sin displeases God. If we don’t want to do anything to offend God, we should stay away from venial sin. Secondly, though venial sin does not have power to kill our spiritual life, it gradually spoils our devout life and numbs all our senses so that we no longer desire to practice charity.

Tien An

Sprisingly specific

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part I, Chapters 9-24
Group 2 - Korean Language Group
(Jung Seung-Ku, JS Kim Jong-Soo, Michael Lee Chun-Seob, Oh Kwang-Cheol)
29 September 2006

1. To begin, our group, most of our group members are Protestants, talked about some differences between the Catholic and the Protestant tradition. Also, we talked about the spirituality and the specific method of meditation displayed in Francis’ book, Introduction to the Devout Life. The surprising thing to us is that the content of the meditation is very specific. It expresses spiritual sensitiveness. It has the deep relations to the life of ordinary people. In addition, the contents of the meditation are not only well organized according to each stage but also have some clear themes and purposes. The meditation of Francis De Sales seems to have a point of excellence in that meditators can feel their spiritual condition and its developmental stages through the meditation. On the other hand, we can find that the devout life Francis emphasizes continuously is similar to the concept of ‘sanctification’ of Protestant theologian Wesley. Needless to say, it is true that Wesley was influenced by Francis De Sales.

2. The purpose of the meditation, as Wendy Wright says, is “to make Christians know their true identity as children of god created to know, remember, live and praise the Creator” (Wright, p. 55). Francis began his meditation with the themes of the creation of human beings and the purpose for which we are created. How is the life of humans who comprehend the purpose for which they are created? What is the purpose of human existence? The meditation continuously makes us recall our identity as Christians. We come to realize that we are God’s creatures and God’s loving children, and then we serve God with all our capabilities (mind, heart, soul, and strength), and live a life of devotion, a life oriented toward the love.

3. In his meditation, Francis emphasized the consequence of the meditation. For Francis, it is very important to take form in action. As Wendy’s expression, meditators “need to be impressed upon consciousness, burned into the flesh of our lives” (Wright p. 55). One thing we have to have in mind is that the meditations are directed toward the whole person. There are some connections among concepts such as the whole person, the devout life, devotion (not partial but whole thing), and charity.

4. The most impressive phrase to us is that “the most terrible torment is the privation and loss of God’s glory which they are debarred from seeing forever; deprivation of the sight of God’s gentle and loving face” (Francis, meditation: hell, p. 64). We think that this is the most tragic to human beings. Our life has meaning only when we live in God’s grace and loving face.

Devotion is really about Love

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part I, Chapters 1-9
Group 3
(Anne, Tien-An, Javier, Marcel)
22 September 2006

There are a few things that we learned from reading the first 8 chapters of the Introduction to the Devout Life:

1. We were surprised to find out that Devotion was a virtue. We were wondering whether it would still be a virtue if someone had a bad devotion. Fortunately, with Fr. Joe Boenzi’s help, we eventually understood that the term Devotion according to St. Francis de Sales meant something different from the devotions that we understand today. This true devotion is the true love of God, that is, charity. This can only be seen in human action.

2. We agree with St. Francis that we should begin our devout life by finding a good spiritual director. This person should be strong and gentle, entirely holy and reverent, entirely spiritual. Once we find one, we should put absolute trust in and be obedient to our spiritual director like Tobias trusting and following the angel’s direction.

3. We also like the image of Jacob’s ladder. This image helps us to see the importance of keeping a balance between praying and doing charity. St. Francis describes that the ladder has two directions. When we climb up, we pray to God; and after we have prayed to God, we come down to act with charity toward our neighbors.

4. When we discussed chapters 6, 7, and 8, which were all about purification, we had a difficult time talking about it. We thought we were not holy enough nor even ready to talk about it. We are still very human, and we do not want to detach from earthly things yet. However, we believe that God’s grace will be poured down on us through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

Practical devotion for real life

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part I, Chapters 1-9
Group 2 - Korean Language Group
(Jung Seung-Ku, JS Kim Jong-Soo, Michael Lee Chun-Seob, Oh Kwang-Cheol)
22 September 2006

The contents of this text are very practical and anyone can apply what they learn here to real life. Also, each chapter is very logical and Francis develops his teachings step by step.

As a Protestant Christians, some of us in this group have always understood «devout life» or «devotion» to mean just much reading the Bible and praying, however this book shows us what is the real devout life and the methods of the life.

We cannot understand exactly the difference between charity and devotion because charity means something about acting to the Protestant Christian in Korea. Through the class, we came to know that charity is very important thing in the Catholic Church, especially in the Salesian tradition.

Seung-Ku

New baby

Kwang-Cheol Oh, who is taking the class on Francis de Sales this semester, has shared that a week ago his wife gave birth to a baby girl -- their second child. These are happy days for Kwang-Cheol and his wife; his mother-in-law arrived from Korea on Friday (22 Sep) and is helping with the baby.

Best wishes to Kwang-Cheol and his family, and especially to the new arrival!!

Devotion is for everyone

Introduction to the Devout Life
Part I, Chapters 1-9
Group 1
(Tien, Steve, John, Cecilia, Rey)
22 September 2006

1) Images: Francis de Sales used a lot of images in his text perhaps for readers to remember. He connects images from Scriptures to his messages too.

2) Devotion is for everyone thus it is a call to holiness: in this way, it is applicable to our time today not only within the Catholic Church but also other Churches are catching on as well.

3) Working gradually to the center: Francis de Sales sets up his preliminary work for the soul going from outside (explaning devotion, charity, sybolism) and works its way into the interior (meditation, purification....)

4) Difficulty in finding a good guide: this was true of Francis's time as well as our time. obedience to the spiritual guide poses as a challenge for sometimes we like to do penance rather than obey our spiritual guide especially when the guide lacks prudent.

5) Spiritual guidance and the ministry of priests and laity. Francis did not say a guide is a priest (perhaps common assumption at the time), but when he talked about purification and about sins, he ventures into the sacramental realm of the ordained ministers. We have now-a-days many spiritual guides who are not priests. What would Francis say about that?

6) Issues of politics and how to practice devotion in one's life. Political life can be corrupted, and to mantain one's holiness of life within the system is a challenge. Should a person leave politics or shoud one stay within it to help improve it? what if one is blind by the corrupted system?

tien

Reading Spiritual Classics

The following comments come out of a group discussion on the essay "Reading Spiritual Classics" by Wendy M. Wright, published in her volume Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life and Treatise on the Love of God, rev. ed. (Stella Niagara: DeSales Resources, 2006), 17-28.

Question one: What did you, as a group, find most striking in this essay?

Responses:

• This essay is refreshing to read, perhaps because Wendy Wright writes from experience.
• In approaching Francis de Sales, we are all very much like freshmen: everything is new for us. Naturally we want to move toward a more critical consciousness, and the author puts us on our guard about becoming more critical than conscious.
• We reflected together that Francis de Sales is a diocesan bishop who lived in day-to-day contact with the common people. He spoke their language. We need to find a way to understand that language and the context in which he lived and worked.

Question two: What did you find personally most striking in Wendy Wright's essay?

• When dealing with classical, spiritual writing, it is important to let the author's words come to us gradually so that we pray over what we read and dwell with it. To use an anology, we need to let the material simmer gently.
• Wendy Wright offers many insights, and she is especially clear when she says that we need to change our attitude in approaching authors such as Francis de Sales. Our world and culture and values have changed over time, so it will often happen that we find his explanations out of step with our sensibilities. For instance, he speaks about "loving your abjections". What does this mean? He can't possibly mean that I love to be abused, does he? No. What he is saying is "accept your limits and handicaps, be patient with yourself and love yourself".
• Wendy uses an interesting image when she speaks about God's heartbeat. Spiritual writers want to help us approach God more closely, and if we keep this in mind, we can get beyond the cultural differences to find the deepest value in the encounter. We will discover ourselves in the communion of saints, straining to tack the fragile vessels of our lives in the direction of God as they did before us. We are certainly not alone. For the human heart, despite the centuries, has not changed; its fundamental rehythm is still the heartbeat of God. [Wright, 28]

Reflection of Rey de la Cruz:

In spite of the distance of time and space, we can connect with spiritual authors such as Francis de Sales, for we share the same Gospel Faith. It is in that connection that we are empowered to respond to God in a heart-to-heart way. We cannot reduce God to our world. But this is something about which Francis de Sales was very aware. He wrote over a period of time and revised his writing as his experiences changed. In a similar way, I may have read the writings of Francis de Sales when I was very young, and I certainly learned from that experience, yet now, twenty years later, I have grown in different ways. As I take up his writings today, I read it in a new way because I have different needs now than I had as a youngser. There is a dynamic of growth, therefore, in the author but also in the reader.

Approaching Spiritual Classics

After discussing the reflections of Wendy M. Wright on the reading of «Spiritual Classics», students in ISS/DSPT course SP2505 (GTU Fall 2006) offered the following pointers for approaching the reading of the Introduction to the Devout Life:


Anne Collins, FMA: My new approach is to read these gems of living wisdom, which have come from a lived experience, reflectively, with an open mind and heart, the mind being thoughtfully critical, leaving aside some of the language and ideas not relevent to this century but allowing the content to be savoured, mulled over and prayerfully pondered, so as to reach the spiritual nourishment contained there for my own God-ward. journey.

Rey de la Cruz: What would be my approach? To read, to reflect, and to reappropriate.

Seung-Ku Jung: Reading the spiritual classics is a journey because we must leave our home (our naivete) and set out on a spiritual path; and then we must come back home (with a new sense that is critical consciouness).

Jongsoo Kim: I often would try to approch the spiritual classics in a theologial way, but I am very new to theology. I understand that spirituality is an area for all Christians interested in spiritual life. I think it is important to begin with the pure heart when approaching spiritual texts.

Tien Nam: What new approach for me in reading Introduction to the Devout Life? In reading this book, I realize that what St. Francis wrote in the text requires some reflections and at time praying with the text; therefore, it is fitting that I would bring what I read into my daily reflection and prayers as well.

John O’Brien, SDB: My ambition in reading and studying the Introduction to the Devout Life is to peel off the layers of bygone cultures and expressions, exposing clear meanings in current language, furthering greater understanding and easier applications in the spiritual life via the insights of St Francis de Sales’ ready and warm wisdom.

Kwang-Cheol Oh: Through reading the spiritual classics, especially the Introduction to the Devout Life, I want to feel ‘the heartbeat of God’. In so doing, I hope that I will enjoy the common spirit (holy communion) with the author and many spiritually sensitive readers through history.

Thien An Tran, OP: I’ve learned many new things from the reading. However, my new approach could be "when I read a spiritual classic, I should take some time to digest it. Besides, I need to read it with not only my reason, but with my heart."

Cecilia Tse, FMA: Here is the new approach I would like to take: I will take time to reflect the writings of the spiritual classics and try to adapt it to our context and live out the spiritual teachings in daily life.

Steve Von Stade: My new approach is to take more time to reflect on the message of the reading and allow it to speak to my heart.

GTU: Lo studio di S Francesco di Sales a Berkeley

Un saluto dopo tanti mesi - e un annuncio:

A Berkeley, presso l'Istituto di Spiritualità Salesiana di California, si è iniziato un nuovo corso intitolato: «Francesco di Sales: Storio e Spirito - Francis de Sales, Story and Spirit». E, guardate un po’, gli alunni di questo corso del GTU stanno mettendo su un blog, come si faceva l'anno scorso all’UPS. Volendo, potete controllare quanto il gruppo di studenti pensano dell’opera di Francesco di Sales, cioè, della Filotea. Andate a controllare allo sito: «Philothea & Us».

After months of silence, here is a greeting and an announcement:

In Berkeley, at the Institute of Salesian Spirituality, a course is now underway which is entitled «Francis de Sales, Story and Spirit». And, just as we did last year in Rome at the UPS, the students of this course in California are discussing the writing and spirit of Francis de Sales through a thorough study of the Introduction to the Devout Life. Check out the blog that the class is putting together. It is called «Philothea & Us».

Joe

Non si è mai degli arrivati

Parte quinta Filotea
Gruppo di lingua italiana:13 gennaio 2006
(Baltasar, Boonlert, Gianluca, Italo)

Questa parte della Filotea ci ricorda il nostro progetto personale di vita, il quale va verificato sempre alla luce dell’amore di Dio. Amore di Dio che ci spinge all’amore verso gli altri.

Dinamicità della vita spirituale dell’uomo, non si è mai degli arrivati. Dunque ci ricorda l’importanza di vivere bene il quotidiano.

Importanza dell’esempio da parte dei santi, e troviamo nella loro vita esemplare una testimonianza da seguire.

E’ importante la sottolineatura riguardo il cuore umano, il quale ha la capacità di amare Dio, a lui dunque tutto il cuore.

Un ultima sottolineatura da parte del gruppo riguarda la visione di Dio. Anche se tante volte non ce ne se accorge è spesso sbagliata nella nostra società, perché Dio viene visto come un padrone. Così non è e san Francesco ce lo ricorda bene, Dio dobbiamo vederlo come un padre.

Gianluca

Spiritual Director as Spiritual Friend

Introduction to the Devout Life
Fifth Part
English-speaking Group: 13 January 2006
(Balaraj, Virgilio, Vettath)

1.The fifth part of the ‘Introduction to a Devout Life’ emphasizes the need to renew every day the affection of the heart towards God, towards oneself in God and towards one’s neighbour in God through regular examination of conscience, re-reading of the resolutions and checking the direction or the orientation of the affection of one’s heart during various moments of the day.

2.The chapters forming the fifth part makes it very clear that a life of devotion and continuous growth in it is a process that should go on all through one’s life and is the result of sincere commitment to it, i.e, taking all the burden and responsibility that it calls for on oneself in the free exercise of one’s free will in collaboration with God who is living and working in one’s life continuously.

3. The role of a spiritual director even in the form of a good friend is continuously emphasized in one form or another in every chapter so that there is no danger of going astray by one’s own whim and fancies and puts spiritual growth as a reality that happens not just in isolation but in relationship with God and others.

Jose