General Intentions for All True Lovers of Jesus Christ
Let their whole life and all their actions tend to unite them with God in order that they may assist Holy Church and the salvation of their neighbor by prayer, works and good example. In order to do this, they should desire nothing so much as to be so virtuous that the perfume of their virtue, in pleasing God, may be diffused in the hearts of the faithful. This desire has caused the following three wishes to be written at the beginning of this Spiritual Directory.
PARTICULAR WISHES
First Wish: That the bond of charity be the humble glory of the true lovers of Jesus Christ.
We have no bond but the bond of love, which is the bond of perfection, for love is strong as death (Cant. 8:6) and the zeal of love, firm as hell. How then could we have any bond stronger than the bond of love, which is the bond of perfection? The charity of Jesus Christ presses us (2 Cor. 5:14).
Second Wish: In imitation of the one made by Job (Job 31:35-37).
Prayer of St. Francis de Sales to Jesus Christ Our Lord for those lovers of Jesus Christ who follow the Spiritual Directory.
Ah, Lord Jesus Christ, listen to the prayer of my heart for Thy servants. Grant that the hearts which Thou has! gathered together under Thy name and that of Thy dear Mother be not dispersed; that those whom Thou hast assembled be not scattered; that those whom Thou hast joined together be not separated. Grant rather that the names of all those who follow the Spiritual Directory be forever written in the Book of Life with the just who reign with Thee in the life of immortal bliss. Amen.
Third Wish: In Imitation of St. Paul (Phil. 4:1).
To all true lovers of Jesus Christ
Therefore, dearly loved children, my most desired sons and daughters, my joy and my crown, stand fast in Our Lord, my dearly beloved. O sons and daughters of heavenly converse, I beseech all of you, nay, I conjure you, to be of one love and live with one accord in this life in Jesus Christ, Our Lord, and in His Mother, Our Lady. Amen.
COMMENTARY
A few days before the death of St. Francis de Sales, while he was visiting the Monastery of the Visitation in Lyons, the Superior, Mother de Blonay, brought forth a large sheet of paper and a pen and humbly asked the holy bishop to write some spiritual counsels for the Sisters. With his usual graciousness and condescension, he took the pen and traced on the large sheet of paper in big, bold characters just one word— HUMILITY. It is a great word in the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales. But, if you were to hand me a sheet of paper and ask me to jot down just one word which would summarize the doctrine of the great De Sales, I would write boldly—TOTALITY. Yes, totality is a very great word in the spirituality of our Saint. It is the very first concept of the Spiritual Directory. "Let their whole life and all their actions tend to unite them with God." St. Francis de Sales wants us to give all to God, not only our Masses, Confessions, Communions, rosaries and other exercises of piety, but all our actions and sufferings, every breath we draw, every beat of our heart. All must be given to God, our religious life, our social life, our economic life.
And why do we give all to God? St. Francis de Sales answers, "In order to assist Holy Church and the salvation of our neighbor." Like our Blessed Savior, we must live for the Church—for the Church Triumphant in heaven, by the glorification of the Most Holy Trinity, the Sacred Humanity of Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, St, Joseph and all the Angels and Saints; for the Church Suffering in purgatory, by the relief of the poor souls; for the Church Militant on earth, by the salvation of souls. Stop now to consider how much is contained in this very first sentence of the Spiritual Directory.
St. Francis de Sales continues, "In order to do this they should desire nothing so much as to be so virtuous that the perfume of their virtue in pleasing God may be diffused in the hearts of the faithful." We must be convinced of this. If we want to be of use to the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, we must be virtuous. We must be charitable, humble, poor in spirit, pure in body and soul and obedient to God and His representatives. But, for St. Francis de Sales, we must be, above all, souls of charity. That is why he utters three wishes at the very beginning of the Directory. He does not plead for fraternal charity once, but three times. He cries out, "LOVE. LOVE. LOVE." With all possible care, consider these three wishes of the Doctor of Love. They constitute the solid foundation of the Christ-Life. "A new commandment I give you: love one another: as I love you, so I want you, too, to love one another. By this token all the world must know that you are My disciples—by cherishing love for one another (Jn. 13:34-35)."
Francis de Sales took Our Lord at His word. He based everything on love, the love of God and the love of neighbor. In fact, when he first founded his spiritual family, he did not want his spiritual children to take the traditional vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. He was convinced that all would go well for them if they took only a solemn promise of charity. St. Francis de Sales was right. Charity contains all. Every Christian should live as if he had made a most solemn vow of charity. It is charity which makes us like our Blessed Savior. Our Lord was a great lover of His heavenly Father and of His fellow man. We must do likewise if we want to live the life of the Directory, the life of Christ. As a great aid in this work of charity, here is the little formula of charity given by Father Brisson and widely used by the children of St. Francis de Sales, in religion and in the world.
The Promise of Charity
Lord Jesus Christ, out of love of Thee and in the embrace of Thy cross, I promise—for a day, a week, a month—I will do nothing, knowingly and deliberately, contrary to fraternal charity in thought, word or deed.
Help me, O Lord, through the Blessed Virgin, Thy Mother. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayer for Fidelity to Article I
My Jesus, may my whole life and all my actions tend to unite me to our heavenly Father, in order that I may assist Holy Church and the salvation of my neighbor by my prayers, works and good example. O my Jesus, in order to do this, I desire nothing so much as to be so virtuous that the perfume of my virtue in pleasing God may be diffused in the hearts of the faithful. Above all, sweet Jesus, I desire no bond but the bond of love which is the bond of perfection. Give me the grace to continue and perpetuate on earth Your great Jove for Your heavenly Father and Your fellow man.