Annual Retreat Exercise #9: Consideration of the excellence of virtue
October 24, 2021 • 2 min
From Introduction to the Devout Life, page 275
By St. Francis de Sales
CHAPTER XI.
The second consideration: the excellence of virtue.
Consider that nothing but virtue and devotion can make your soul content in this world. Behold how beautiful they are, and draw a comparison between the virtues and their contrary vices.
What sweetness in patience, when compared with revenge? In meekness, compared with anger and vexation? In humility, compared with arrogance and ambition? In liberality, compared with covetousness. In charity, in comparison with envy? In sobriety, with revellings?
For virtues have this admirable quality, that they delight the soul with an incomparable sweetness and satisfaction after we have exercised them, whereas vices leave the soul exceedingly fatigued and disordered. Why then do we not endeavour to acquire this sweetness?
With respect to the vices, he that has but little of them is uneasy, and he that has much of them is more discontented; but as to the virtues, he that has but a little, has already some contentment, which increases as the virtues themselves increase.
O devout life! how fair, how lovely, how sweet and delightful art thou: thou dost alleviate our tribulations, and dost add sweetness to our consolations; without thee good is evil, and pleasures are full of restlessness, trouble. and deceit.
Ah! he that should know thee well might say, with the Samaritan woman: “Lord, give me this water!” an aspiration very frequently used by the holy mother Teresa, and St. Catherine of Genoa, although upon different occasions.
Latest book snippets
Search | Random | 909 total | 50h 1m
June 7, 2022
God’s goodness in giving Himself to us sinners should inspire us with even greater humility, trust and love
1 min — Imitation of Christ
June 6, 2022
The more we preserve our hearts for God, the more will he fill us with Divine Love and Grace
1 min — Imitation of ChristThe love of friends must only depend on and exist in the Love of God
1 min — Imitation of Christ
May 24, 2022
Mary’s love was greater than any angel’s or saint’s as much as the moon is bigger and brighter than any star
1 min — The Month of Mary According to the Spirit of St. Francis De SalesMary only slept in order to love and serve God better
2 min — The Month of Mary According to the Spirit of St. Francis De Sales
May 17, 2022
May 17th: Mary not only practiced perfect obedience, but recommended it to all in the Gospel
2 min — The Month of Mary According to the Spirit of St. Francis De Sales
May 15, 2022
May 15th: The union of Humility and Charity in the Blessed Virgin Mary
4 min — The Month of Mary According to the Spirit of St. Francis De SalesMay 15th: The three Unions that occurred at the Incarnation
2 min — The Month of Mary According to the Spirit of St. Francis De Sales
May 13, 2022
By humility and a desire to love God, we begin to pray, which is so effective against the devil that he tries to convince us not to
2 min — The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena