The true lovers of Jesus Christ are not idle. Like Jesus, Mary and Joseph at Nazareth, they keep themselves busy with some good work. The work of Nazareth was done for the most part in silence, that eloquent silence which is intimate conversation with God.
Therefore, on starting to work, they shall especially call to mind the presence of God, asking His grace to make use of silence to the end for which it was so piously established. This end is not only to prevent idle chatter, but also to cut off roving and useless thoughts while they converse with God and obtain new strength to serve Him better.
For this purpose they may use their morning meditation, looking at Our Lord in the mystery in which they have meditated on Him and dwelling upon whatever thoughts they have most relished. For instance, if they have meditated upon the mystery of the scourging and the tender and loving glance cast from time to time by the gentle Savior upon those who were scourging Him has touched their hearts, they are often to represent this look to their minds, making thereupon this ejaculation, "O sweet Jesus, look upon me with eyes of mercy!" At another time, "O Lord, take away from me whatever is displeasing to Your eyes."
They may also remain quietly at Our Lord's feet like Magdalene, listening to the words He may speak to their hearts, considering His goodness and love and speaking to Him from time to time these or similar yearnings of the heart and ejaculatory prayers.
1. O God, Thou art my Father; clasp me in the arms of Thy Divine Providence.
2. O God, have mercy on my weakness.
3. O Jesus, may I live for Thee alone.
4. Alas, my Salvation, give me Thy love.
5. Thou art, O Lord, my only Hope.
6. Jesus, be to me a Jesus.
7. Savior of my soul, when shall I be all Thine?
8. Receive me, O good Jesus, into the arms of Thy Divine Providence.
9. O my God, accomplish in me Thy Divine Will.
10. O my King, when shall I see Thee in all Thy glory?
11. Lord, be merciful to me a sinner.
12. Alas, my God, when shall I love Thee perfectly?
13. Dear Lord, grant me a meek and humble heart.
14. My Salvation and my Love!
15. My God, Thou art my all!
16. O Jesus, Thou art the delight of my soul!
17. Lord, may I accomplish Thy whole Will.
18. In Thy goodness, keep me from displeasing Thee.
19. My sovereign God, I desire but Thee!
To the Blessed Virgin
1. My dear Lady, I greet thee and reverence thee with my whole heart.
2. Mother of mercy, pray for me.
3. Queen of heaven, I commend my soul to thee.
4. My sweet Mother, obtain for me the love of thy Son.
5. My cherished hope with Jesus!
6. I cast myself at thy feet, sweet refuge of sinners.
7. Make me feel thy power with the Holy Trinity, Most Glorious Virgin.
To the Guardian Angel
1. Glorious Angel, who art my guardian, pray for me.
2. My dear Guardian, grant me thy blessing.
3. Blessed Spirit, defend me from the enemy.
4 My beloved Protector, give me a great fidelity to Thy holy inspirations.
In like manner they may invoke the saints to whom they may have a particular devotion, for example, St. Joseph, St. Augustine, St. John the Baptist, the Princes of the Church, Sts. Peter and Paul, St. John the Evangelist, St. Bernard, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anne, St. Mary Magdalene and other glorious saints whose lives they may have read.
On the Blessing of the Hour
Upon the stroke of the hour:
Let them sigh over the hours uselessly spent.
Let them reflect that they must give an account of this hour and of all the moments of their life.
That they are approaching eternity.
That hours seem like ages to the souls in hell.
That death is swiftly approaching. That our last hour may soon strike.
After such thoughts, they should make some fervent aspiration that God may be merciful to them at that last hour. This will certainly be the case for those who have been faithful to this exercise. They should practice it at all times and on all occasions, because through it they will grow and progress, day by day, from virtue to virtue, even to the perfection of Divine Love.
Those who are harassed by temptations or passions may use the time of silence to gain courage and strength by the considerations of the pains of Our Lord, picturing Him therein to themselves. When they meet with difficulties in the practice of virtues, they will find instruction and help if they consider Our Lord in the exercise of those virtues which He practiced while in this life.
COMMENTARY
This is an extremely rich Article of the Spiritual Directory, containing many important counsels for those who are striving for union with God. Therefore, we shall divide our commentary under several important headings.
1. The Love of Solitude and Silence
In The Introduction to a Devout Life, Part III, Chapter 24, St. Francis de Sales says:
"To seek the society of others and to shun it are two blameworthy extremes in the devotion of those who live in the world, and it is of this that I speak. To shun the society of others savors of disdain and contempt for our neighbor, and to seek it is a sign of idleness and futility. You must love your neighbor as yourself. To show that you love him, you must not avoid being with him. And to show that you love yourself, you must remain within yourself when you are there. Now, you are within yourself when you are alone. 'Think of thyself,' says St. Bernard, 'and then of others.' If then there is no cause for you to seek the company of others or to receive them at home, remain within yourself and hold converse within your heart. But, if company comes to you or some good reason invites you to seek it, go in God's name and see your neighbor willingly and cheerfully."
"You should love actual solitude of place, not to retire into the desert like St. Mary of Egypt, St. Paul, St. Anthony, Arsenius and the other Fathers of the desert, but to be alone for a little while in your room, in the garden, and elsewhere, where more at will you may withdraw your spirit into your heart and recreate your soul with good reflections and holy thoughts or with a little good reading."
Our Blessed Savior was a great lover of solitude and silence. He was silent as a youth in Nazareth. He was silent most of the time even in His public ministry. He was silent in His passion and death. In His silence, He conversed with His heavenly Father. St. Francis de Sales urges us to follow our Blessed Savior. Therefore, be silent and converse with God, with our Blessed Lord, with our Blessed Mother, with your guardian Angel and the saints.
2. The Love of Ejaculatory Prayers
One of the most important chapters in The Introduction to a Devout Life is Chapter 13 of Part II. You will profit greatly if you read it and put it into practice. To show the importance of ejaculatory prayer, all we need do here is quote this powerful paragraph from this great chapter.
"In this exercise of ejaculatory prayer lies the great work of devotion. It can supply the lack of all other prayers, but the lack of this can scarcely be made good by any other means. Without it the contemplative life cannot properly be followed, nor the active life otherwise than ill. Without it repose is but idleness and work but embarrassment. Therefore, I beseech you to embrace it with your whole heart and never abandon it."
Now, you see why St. Francis de Sales gives us so many ejaculatory prayers in the Article on Work and Silence. He gives us these examples, the outpourings of his own ardent heart. He does not bind us to any set formulas of prayer. He prefers the spontaneous outpouring of our own heart.
3. The Thought of Death at the Hour
To none of the holy practices of the Directory is there such a positive and wonderful promise attached as to the practice of the thought of death as the clock strikes the hour. It is a great Doctor of the Church, St. Francis de Sales, who promises to souls faithful to the thought of death as the clock counts off the hours, the grace and mercy of God for the hour of death. And he assures us that by means of this practice we shall progress day by day from virtue to virtue even to the perfection of Divine Love.
There is nothing morbid in his concept of death. For St. Francis de Sales, this life is a great opportunity to prove our love for God. When the clock strikes the hour, it is a reminder that death is approaching and that this great opportunity of living and suffering for God is fast coming to an end.
4. The Thought of Jesus in the Time of Silence
St. Francis de Sales says, "Those who are harassed by temptations or passions may use the time of silence to gain courage and strength by the consideration of the pains of Our Lord, picturing Him therein to themselves. When they meet with difficulties in the practice of virtues, they will find instruction and help if they consider Our Lord in the exercise of those virtues which He practiced while in this life."
Truly, Jesus is the heart of the Spiritual Directory of St. Francis de Sales. He is constantly saying, "Consider Jesus. Picture Jesus to yourself. Look at Jesus. Meditate on Jesus. Contemplate Jesus. Follow Jesus. Live Jesus."
So, if you meet with difficulty in the practice of virtues, do what St. Francis de Sales suggests. Consider Our Lord in the exercise of those very same virtues which He practiced while on this earth.
Do you find difficulty with charity? Consider, then, the exquisite charity of our Blessed Savior. Consider how Our Lord loved us so much that He even gave His life for us. And you will hear Him say, "My little children, love one another as I have loved you."
Do you find difficulty with humility? Consider, then, the profound humility of the Son of God. Consider Him down on His knees to wash the feet of His creatures. And you will hear Him say, "I have given you an example, so that what I have done so should you do also."
Prayer for Fidelity to the Article on Work and Silence
My Jesus, You were a great lover of manual labor. You spent most of Your life at work. Give me a great love for work. When I work, I will recall that I am working with You, that I am continuing Your laborious life in my life. Your great lover, Francis de Sales, has told me that work without prayer is but embarrassment. Dear Jesus, I do not want to suffer this embarrassment. I will sanctify my work by making many aspirations of love to You, to our Blessed Mother, to my Guardian Angel and to my favourite Saints.