Spirituality of SFS: A Way of Life

Francis leads Christians on the way of a liberty. This is not meant to isolate them from others, but to permit them to witness, wherever they are, to this liberty won for them by Christ. Christ’s love for his Father moved him to give his life for the human family. The cross symbolizes these two loves united as one, love of God and love of neighbour.

Thus, Paul would write to the Galatians that the best way to prove their liberty as children of God was to place themselves humbly and fraternally at the service of others. “You have been called to live in freedom – but not a freedom that gives free rein to the flesh. Out of love, place yourselves at one another’s service” (Gal. 5:13). For his part, Saint John says that to follow Christ in his love for his Father leads inevitably to “laying down our lives for our brothers” (1 Jn. 3:16). Christian liberty always translates into the gift of self for service to others, since what is pleasing to the Father is that we love one another as brothers and sisters. “The culmination of our love for the heavenly Father’s divine goodness consists in the perfection of our love for our brothers [and sisters] and companions” (Treatise on the Love of God, Book 10, Chapter 11).

Francis de Sales always sends those who listen to him or read his works back to where they live their lives. He does this because, for him, faith is experienced where believers actually live out their lives. Some of his biographers and commentators have spoken of this characteristic as his “civil and social devotion”, alluding to the emphasis he gives to the apostolic, social, and moral dimensions of Christian life. Indeed, faith simply cannot be enclosed within the intimate “within” of each believer; it must be expressed in all areas of human life.

How is this done? In myriads of ways; in the witness our lives give; in the happiness with which we live out our own vocation; in our service to family and to those around us; by our professional lives or other involvements; in our participation in an organized apostolate and in our participation in the growth of a new humanity.

The witness of our lives

This is the primary, and often the only, way most of us share our faith with others. It is always necessary, even when other possibilities to evangelise are possible for us. Pope Paul VI stressed this in his superb exhortation on evangelization (Evangelii Nuntiandi, 1975, no. 41), by nothing that “people today listen more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, of if they listen to teachers it is because they are also witnesses.” He draws the following conclusion from this: “It is thus first and foremost by its conduct, by its life, that the Church will evangelise the world, that is, by its witnesses lived in fidelity to the Lord Jesus, by it poverty and detachment, by its liberty in face of this world’s powers and, in a word, by its sanctity.”

Francis de Sales greatly insists on the necessity of our life witness. A number of his letters develop and apply to concrete situations what he says more generally in his Introduction to the Devout Life (Part 1, Chapter 3). Christians are the living plants of the Church; they must bear fruit in the field which is the world. True “devotion” commits all of us to being witnesses where we live in the world.

It [devotion] not only does not harm our vocation but on the contrary actually adorns and embellishes it… Each calling becomes even more agreeable with devotion… Care of the family becomes more peaceable, spousal love more sincere, service of the prince more faithful, and work of every kind more pleasant and agreeable.

This quotation indicates the principal areas for witness, even for today; the family, political life, work, relationships, even if all of these areas have been considerably broadened since the 17^th century. Vatican II, especially in its Pastoral Constitution on the church in the Modern World and in its decree on the apostolate of the laity, speaks of the family, culture, economic and social life, political life, national and international spheres, world peace, and the interdependence of people. The Roman Synod of 1987 on the vocation and mission of the laity in the Church and in the world made, in its turn, an inventory of the numerous fields of lay presence and apostolic activity. No area of modern life can escape the witness which Christians are called upon to give to their faith.

Francis de Sales could not have imagined the many new spheres for lay witness which have arisen since his time. But the principle he enunciates remains valid.

Devotion [that is, that particular manner of being Christian which is inspired by an active love of God and others] does us no harm whatever when it is true; rather, it perfects everything; and when it becomes an obstacle to our legitimate vocation [that is, to our state in life or profession or work], then it is doubtless a false devotion (Introduction to the Devout Life, Part 1, Chapter 3).

Happy to be what we are

Doesn’t the first witness of all come from those of us who are comfortable where we are and “happy in our vocation?” “Your serenity should impress everyone who sees it,” wrote Paul to the Philippians (4:5).

All who met Francis de Sales noted what a strong and attractive impression he made on them. Michael Favre, his confessor, secretary and confidant, paints this portrait of him. “He was naturally jovial and gracious, an enemy of sadness and melancholy; his countenance was always inviting and serene… he never had a sad face, nor did he ever frown, no matter how impinged upon he was; rather, he welcomed every visitor in the same gracious and welcoming manner and demeanour” (First Process, article 28). He acted thus because he simply believed that welcoming people in a kindly fashion was part of what it meant to be a bishop.

Occasionally, smiling, he would say that if he knew at the time of his nomination what being a bishop entailed, he would have refused the honour. But since he was bishop, he had to be happy in his vocation and "carry our joyously” its demands.

He was never tired of telling others what he himself lived: “Don’t desire to be other than what you are, but desire to be thoroughly what you are… Believe me, this is the most important and the least understood point in the spiritual life. We all love what is according to our taste; few people like what is according to their duty or to God’s liking. What is the use of building castles in Spain when we have to live in France? This is my old lesson” (to Madame Brulart, June, 1607, AE XIII, 291; English translation in Letters of Spiritual Direction, 112).

About his city and diocese, he wrote: “Our little Annecy, where I have learned to be happy, since it is the ship on which I must sail from this life to the next.”

To live where we are, to try to be happy in our vocation, is simply to say that adhesion to Christ causes us to flourish; it is a source of peace and joy which usually occasions growth in us. “Whoever follows Christ, the perfect human being, becomes, like him, more perfectly human” (Gaudium et Spes, 41). If this truth is verified in the life of Christians, then Christ and his Church will one day receive a more sympathetic appraisal from those outside.

On the issue of Christian liberty, which he explained with masterful precision in his October 14, 1604 letter to Jane de Chantal, Francis gives this illumining example.

Therefore, it’s a false use of freedom for married women to absent themselves from their husbands without a legitimate reason, under the pretext of devotion or charity. Our freedom must never take us away from our vocation. On the contrary, it should make each one of us content with our own calling, knowing that it is God’s will that we remain in it” (AE XII, 365; English translation in Letters of Spiritual Direction, 140).

A flower which flourishes where it is planted delights both the gardener and passers-by. Christians are the plants and flowers of the Church’s garden seen by the eyes of the world.

The family and our social environment

The first field of our evangelisation efforts must be our own heart and personal life. Since each of us is a part of the human family, the Kingdom of God extends throughout the world when it grows in us. But our apostolic efforts are not limited to ourselves. They must extend to our family and to our immediate relations.

The husband is encouraged to live his faith first of all with his wife and the wife with her husband. Parents ought to live it with their children and children with their parents and with one another. Beyond this, our faith ought to be lived with others who come into our homes and lives, with visitors, neighbours and friends.

A letter to Madame Brulart sums up well the Christian attitude toward relational life (AE XII, 270). Francis counsels her “to take the trouble now and then to visit hospitals to comfort the sick, to pray for them and to assist them.” This will, of course, take some time. There has to be a good balance between these times of apostolic out-reach and time spent at home.

But, in all this, be very careful that your husband, your servants, and your relatives be not inconvenienced by overly long visits to Church, by too lengthy withdrawals to pray and noticeable neglect of your household responsibilities or, as sometimes happens, by your trying to control the actions of others, - [avoid gossiping and meddling into other people’s business, either to criticize or to observe them] – or showing too much disdain for gatherings where the rules of devotion are not precisely observed [that is, don’t play the hypocrite by seasoning your every word with pieties]. In all these instances charity must prevail and enlighten us so that we yield to the wishes of our neighbour in whatever is not contrary to the commandments of God” (English translation in Letter of Spiritual Direction, p. 104).

Salesian accommodation is one of the aspects of love. It is love which must always inspire our manner of living. Love makes our life-style inviting so that it can attract others to Jesus Christ. If you truly honour your faith, “you must render your devotion lovable to everybody but especially to your family; act so that everybody will be able to speak well of this devotion” (AE XII, 352; letter of October 13,1604).

How are we to make our genuine Christian life lovable in our family life and to those around us? By seeing to it that everybody receives joy and comfort from it. He asks this same Madame Brulart to be sure that her faith isn’t lived only for herself. He says that she’ll render herself lovable to others in so far as she becomes helpful and agreeable to them. And he gives her several practical examples of what he means here:

The sick will love your devotion if they receive care and comfort from it; your family will love it if they see you more attentive to their well-being, more gentle in handling affairs, more kind in correcting, and so on; your husband will love it if he sees that as your devotion increases, you become warmer and more affectionate toward him; your relatives and friends will love it if they see you more free, supportive of others, and yielding to them in matters that are not contrary to God’s will. In short, we must, as far as possible, make our devotion attractive” (AE XII, 352; letter of October 13,1604).

Our professional and social worlds

As a labourer or as the owner, as an artisan or a person in business, as a co-worker or as one’s own boss, as a farmer or a sailor – no matter what our work is, it is never easy to witness to Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, it is precisely there that Christians are called upon to witness to their faith. Honesty in business and on the job, conscientious professionalism, quality relationships, solidarity, justice – all are gospel values.

Even if it doesn’t envision every possible such situation, since many have arisen since its publication, nevertheless the Introduction to the Devout Life does give clear guidelines to Christian “behaviour” in the work place, thereby throwing light on the road they have to travel in today’s world.

Patience, humility and gentleness would no doubt not head today’s list of most-needed virtues. Yet, don’t we sometimes hear heads-of-state say that they must “be humble before the facts”; or members of organizations say they have to be patient enough to let a certain openness develop before results will be seen? The mutual respect people often show even in confrontational settings, may not that very well be a contemporary version of gentleness, that “flower of charity”?

It still remains true today that Christians, at least as much as others, must “undertake their affairs with care and diligence,” all the while aware that “this care and solicitude must be accompanied by an inner peace and tranquillity. This is possible when we don’t have riches in our heart and our heart set on riches.”

Francis also deals with the question of sports, pastimes and leisure time. They are part of our lives after all. We must “occasionally relax our minds and also our bodies.” At the same time we must respect certain parameters, the first of which is “not to mock or embarrass our neighbour” because no one has the right “to be entertained at another’s expense”; the second is not to use the time set aside for “God’s service” (Sundays and Holy Days especially) for recreation; the third is “never to go to excess in these areas,” for a disproportionate time spent in recreational activities is an insult to others as well as an injustice.

Francis’ letter to Celse-Benigne de Chantal at the time of his departure for the political life of the French court contains some helpful guidelines to those engaged in public life at the local, national or international level. He begins by sharing with him his conviction that Christian can live their faith in the political world, provided that they avoid “vanity” and “ambition” and that they take great care to nourish themselves spiritually by (1) frequent communion, (2) regular confession, and (3) by having a spiritual guide. What kind of witness did be expect from this young man? The witness of true charity, respect for others and courage in his faith.

“I expect from you a gentle and sincere courtesy which offends no one and is accommodating to everyone. I expect you to look more for charity than for honour, and never to amuse yourself at another’s expense, or to mock or avoid anyone…” Wouldn’t such advice be a welcomed addition at political debates and during electoral campaigns?

What about the temptation to flirt and to lead a double life? “Be very careful, I implore you, never to entangle yourself in petty flirtations and love affairs.”

In short, “I would prefer that, right from the start, in speech, bearing and conversation, you make an open profession of your faith and clearly manifest to everyone your intention of living a virtuous, upright and consistently Christian life” (AE XIV, 376-379).

The best way of realizing all this is not to go it alone, but to journey along with other Christians.

The organized apostolate

This expression, used by Vatican II in contradistinction to an “individualized” apostolate, is not found in Francis de Sales, but its reality is there in some fashion. Unquestionably he more often than not addresses individuals rather than organized groups.

Yet, he asks people to change their life-situation not only by changing themselves but also by attracting others in their milieu to Christ. Also, he very often invites people to join with others so as to better live their faith and give witness to it. In that sense, with him were already found intuitions of organized apostolate and apostolates associated with one’s milieu.

Once again, it is to Celse-Benigne de Chantal, before his departure for Paris, that he writes: “It will be infinitely beneficial to you to make friends with like-minded people with whom you can communicate and find mutual support” (AE XIV, 378-379).

In his Introduction to the Devout Life he also notes that Christians who are serious about their desire to live the Gospel in the world cannot do it alone. “They must unite together in holy, sacred friendship. By this means they encourage, assist, and lead one another to the performance of good deeds” (Introduction to the Devout Life, Part 3, Chapter 19).

When, at the end of the 19^th century, Father Henri Chaumont, a priest of Paris, founded the Societies of St. Francis de Sales, he remembered this advice, as well as the example of the first Christians spoken of by the Acts of the Apostles: to live the apostolate through friendship.

In his day, Francis founded and encouraged “Confraternities”, because they enabled Christians to give a more effective witness. He wrote: “Be glad to join in the confraternities where you live because it is always a very charitable act to concur and to cooperate with others in their good purposes” (Introduction to the Devout Life, Part 2, Chapter 15; emphasis author’s). To those who might be tempted to live their faith in isolation, he has this to say:

Although it may be that when alone we perform exercises as good as those with others in a confraternity and perhaps derive more pleasure in doing them that way, yet God is more glorified by the union and contribution of our good works with those of our brethren and neighbours” (Introduction to the Devout Life, Part 2, Chapter 15).

A new humanity

Asking Christians to change their environment by changing themselves is a practical echo of the Lord’s demand to his disciples to be “the slat of the earth and the light of the world” (Mt. 5:13). The image of leaven and yeast is very present to Francis’s spirit. He counts on the presence of Christians as a yeast which causes the dough which is the human family, to rise, becoming a communion of persons and of communities living in service of one another, in the light and strength of Jesus, “the great Unifier”, and under the guidance of his Spirit of love. This renewed earth will be able to prepare for and announce the new earth of God’s Kingdom. For “there is no new humanity if there is not first new people, renewed by baptism and life lived according to the Gospel” (Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi, 18).

This is why Francis asks all of us to be filled with Christ's life and to permit ourselves to be guided by his Spirit so that we will be able to share with others the “newness” of Christ. In fact, if Christians live as “living images of the Incarnate Saviour” then a new humanity will emerge and new structures will evolve or old structures will be replaced by those which will favour justice and peace, because they will have been prepared and actualised by people enlightened by Christ and attentive to his Spirit.

“Devotion harms nothing if it is true; rather it perfects everything.” This is true of all areas, including the liberation of individuals and of peoples. A lay person from a developing country who is deeply involved with programmes of conscientization and formation told me of the inspiration he found in Francis de Sales for continuing his work among his people.

The Salesian vision of man is rooted in Revelation, in the book of Genesis (1:27). Each of us is created to God’s image and likeness. This is the foundation of our dignity and of the respect due to every human being at every stage of life and under all circumstances, without exception. The human person is “the highest being of the visible world”, a being whose integral development rests on the respect and development due to his or her body, spirit, heart and soul. This is proclaimed very beautifully in the passage from the Treatise on the Love of God:

Man is the perfection of the universe; spirit the perfection of man; love the perfection of spirit; charity the perfection of love. For this reason love of God is the end, the perfection, and the excellence of the universe (Treatise on the Love of God, Book 10, Chapter 1).

If we agree with Francis de Sales that God’s love for man “ravished God and drew him into ecstasy” (that is, caused him to free go out of himself to come to us in the Incarnation), then we must love each person today, working in some fashion or other to make the world a more habitable place. To do that we must plummet the love at the very heart of God and learn “to love God in man or man in God” (Treatise on the Love of God, Book 10, Chapter 11).