The Heart

Introduction to the Devout Life
Third Part, Chs. 23-41
Bancha Kitprasert, Thomas Kayyalackel,
Sinhyang Park, and Melanio Puzon

In discussing chapters 23-41 of the Third Part of Philothea, our group noticed that St. Francis de Sales has a keen sense of the human heart. On the chapter regarding exterior mortification, for example, St. Francis is more concerned with the transformation of the heart over and above performing exterior mortification “[s]ince the heart is the source of our action. Therefore, our great work is to “engrave and inscribe on our heart this holy and sacred motto, ‘Vive Jesus!’”

On the chapter regarding desires, our group saw St. Francis wanting Philothea (us) to have a modest heart, i.e., to do what is in front of us and that which is within our scope. To go beyond these boundaries is to have useless desires that, in the end, will sadden and tire our hearts.

Submitted by Fr. Bancha