Origin of the Sermons

The sermons of St. Francis de Sales are divided into two series: those signed and those received. This division is based not only on the mode of transmission by which they have come down to us, but also upon the special character, even the very nature, of these sermons. Some have been preserved for us just as they left the pen of the orator; others, just as they fell from his lips, or at least just as they had been heard and understood by his hearer. Each of these two series has its special merit, its proper form, its determined shape. In the first, one discovers the light and lively thought of the author and sees delineated the logic of his deductions, the force of his arguments. In the second, one notices particularly the charms of his gracious and imaginative word. In both, his intelligence and his heart are revealed.

What we have just said concerns only form, but an essential difference distinguishes these two classes of sermons. The signed sermons, which for the most part had been delivered before a large public group, reveal the major lines of formal discourse; they are replete with erudition, strewn with texts from Sacred Scripture and with practical applications appropriate to the most varied situations. All the subjects of doctrines and morals, indeed even a number of points of controversy, are treated or touched upon in these sermons. This is not the case with the received sermons, which are addressed principally to a particular audience, subjected to special obligations of which the preacher never loses sight. Here he applies himself more to touching souls than to instruction. It is the language of a father much more than that of a master or a pastor.

Under the rubric of “received sermons” must be included the talks given at the Chapel of the Visitation, which were written carefully preserved by the religious who heard them. It was a precious manna which the daughters of this saintly bishop gathered up; but unlike the Israelites who put nothing aside for the next day, these Sisters made provisions for the future of their Institute, and even for the edification of the entire Christian people. Besides, they had had precedents in their labour. During the Lenten stations preached at Dijon and later at Grenoble, and in still other cities, St. Francis de Sales had seen men of the first rank stationed assiduously at the foot of his chair in order to write down his admirable instructions as delivered. Unfortunately these collections, which might have been of such great value for posterity, are lost today. We must be content with those which the Sisters of the Visitation have preserved for us.

Remember that the holy founder had two ways of instructing his religious. Sometimes it was in the parlour, during familiar conversations in which each one could pose questions, as for solutions to her difficulties and seek enlightenment for her doubts.

Other times it was in the chapel of the monastery, before a restricted audience. Among these latter instructions one must make a further distinction. Some were given for solemnities in which the audience was relatively large. They reveal a very careful preparation and reveal clear and methodical divisions. Among these are found expositions of the highest mysteries of our Faith, such as the Trinity, the Incarnation, Redemption, etc. Often the holy bishop cites the Inspired Books, works of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, and develops these citations with the smoothness, the grace and the depth with which we are familiar in him.

He proceeds in another way when, without entirely excluding others, he addresses principally his religious. It is especially in the ceremonies for clothing and profession, when the holy founder embraces some chosen soul in order to “present her to Christ as a chaste virgin,” that he finds in his heart the most tender, the most moving accents. His style become simpler and more imaginative, all the while maintaining a grave, even at times austere, hue. And this is something remarkable: These addresses, in which one might fear a certain sameness, assume a great variety of forms. It seems that everything presents this admirable orator with the opportunity of making delightful metaphors, and of drawing practical applications which are as ingenious as they are unexpected. Ordinarily he takes inspiration from the Gospel of the day or from the life of the saint whose feast it is; frequently, too, mosaic practices and circumstances which are insignificant in themselves furnish material for allusions in which a perfect grace and dignity do not preclude a delicate irony whose point is completely softened by gentleness and charity.

In these familiar instructions the Bishop of Geneva eminently justifies the title of Evangelium loquens (“a Speaking Gospel”) which his friend St. Vincent de Paul gives him. He ceaselessly preaches renunciation of self, humility, obedience, the renunciation of all covetousness – in a word, the death of the “old man,” an indispensable condition for the incorporation of people into Our Lord Jesus Christ. The holy founder does not lose sight of the fact that the Visitation is “founded spiritually on Calvary.” By preference he applies himself to riveting the sights of his daughters to this redeeming mountain; and if from time to time he permits them to contemplate the radiant heights of Tabor, it is only to remind them that the hour has not yet come for pitching a tent there as long as, remaining in the bonds of the flesh, “we journey far from the Lord.”

One might find it surprising that, while addressing contemplatives, the saint speaks so little to them of prayer. There are only four sermons which deal exclusively with this fundamental subject. But one must not forget that he often deals with this question in his Spiritual Conferences and that, further, the Treatise on the Love of God gives a direction to his holy exercise which is as complete as it is profound.

The sermons which make up this volume an the following were preserved almost entirely by two religious to whom we are already indebted for the Conferences: Sisters Claude-Agnes Joly de La Roche and Marie-Marguerite Michel. Happily, both were gifted with an exceptional memory; they reproduced with a remarkable fidelity the teachings of their blessed Father. Nevertheless, each left in her version so unique a personal touch that it is easy to distinguish which is to be attributed to whom. Sister Claude-Agnes’ style is flowing and rapid; this choice soul is easily at home among the most sublime subjects and clearly renders theological topics and argumentation which are at times a bit difficult. She knows how, at the right moment, to put aside details of secondary interest in order to throw into relief the major lines of the sermon.

Sister Marie-Marguerite’s version presents a totally different character. Practical application and homely anecdotes are reproduced with more fidelity. But, in contrast, her pen is easily at a loss with matters which are somewhat abstract. Her heavy and prolix sentences lack clarity and precision and are not always irreproachably correct.

The verification of this difference in style has been a major help to the editors in determining the probable date of a certain number of these sermons. Following the style of the redaction, they are divided into two characteristic groupings; Those which come from Sister Claude-Agnes de La Roche date from the first years of the Institute up to her departure for Orleans (from December, 1613 until July, 1620); those which Sister Marie-Marguerite Michel preserved for us date from August, 1620 until April, 1622. It is surprising that nothing has come down to us of the instructions which the holy founder most probably addressed to his daughters at Annecy during the summer and fall of 1622, the last year which he spent on earth. And this is not the only lack which we must admit. However rich our collection may be, it is certain that a large part of the sermons of St. Francis de Sales have not been collected, a fact established by contemporary documents. If good intentions were never lacking, often leisure time to record the sermons was, and the religious had to be content with preserving such teachings in their heart.

In addition to the sermons preached at Annecy, we possess several which were given by the holy founder in different monasteries of the Visitation: one at Bourges, five at Lyons, one at Belley. The tone is less familiar than in the others. One senses that the preacher is less at ease in addressing an audience where he is little known; but to judge by the scope of the collection, this audience was no less attentive than that at Annecy.

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Value of the Sermons

The collected sermons are the continuation and development of the Spiritual Conferences; the same vigour is present in them and the same spirit inspires them. As always, the holy bishop here directs consequences back to their principle. If he earnestly recommends the practice of virtues, he insists more on the generating cause which brings them about. His great desire is to bring about the soul’s true foundation and rootage in charity, so that from there it may, as if without effort, rise to all devotions and sacrifices. But this charity, as this Doctor of the Church shows it to us in its radiant furnace, is nothing more than the adorable Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ. It seems that St. Francis de Sales is always trying to direct his hearers’ attention toward, and to cause all their affection to converge upon, this unique Centre of all holiness.

We have said it elsewhere, but one should not fail to mention again here that the glory of this holy founder is to have been one of the prophets of devotion to the Sacred Heart. He prepared the way for this beneficial devotion which ought to be the joy and hope of the Church in these times. As if he had a presentiment of the glorious mission destined for his Institute, he prepared it from afar to be worthy of it. [Dome Mackey is alluding to the role that the Visitandine nun, St. Margaret Mary, played in bringing abut devotion to the Sacred Heart.] It is satisfying to state just how frequently in these sermons our delightful saint returns to this inexhaustible subject, and in terms which are as explicit as they are touching. Thus we will hear him assure us that the Savoiur “desires to give us” an abundance “of graces and blessings” and “even” His Heart; that His divine “side was opened” so that one could see the thoughts of His Heart which are thoughts “of pure and tender love”; and that “if we touch His Heart we will find it completely enflamed and burning with an incomparable love toward us.”

Although similar passages could be cited here, it is better to permit the reader the pleasure of noticing them himself. Assuredly the reader will make his own this practical conclusion which will be the most beautiful fruit of devotion to the Sacred Heart: One needs “to have no other heart than that of God’s, no other spirit than His, no other will than His, no other affections than His, nor any other desires than His – in short, we must be completely His.”

Dom B. Mackey O.S.B.