SALESIAN LITERATURE

Salesian Spirituality:

A Source Book of Inspiration

for every day of the year

Compiled by Fr. Noel Rebello MSFS


This book is a daily guide to the follower of St Francis de Sales leading him from theme to theme and throwing light on issues and challenges of the quest of the human spirit in search of the Divine and truly human. After unfolding to us the various dimensions of God as love, the Compendium dwells at length on love revealed in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.


Conceived and published in India, this book presents 365 themes for a year of reflection, each with a selection of interpreted texts from Francis de Sales. 365 days with SFS, a day at a time, is the compiler’s new pedagogical approach. Eager to present St Francis de Sales' writings to the modern generation, the author embellishes the translation from French to English with creative paraphrasing and in meaningful expressions. His dedication and passion for contextuality and connectivity bring in freshness and vitality and make the Compendium a delightful companion throughout the year. His hope is to “communicate to the Salesian disciple the spirit of Francis related to present-day reality.”

This is a soul-stirring and user-friendly book that Fr. Noel REBELLO has painstakingly and with great effort compiled by translating the teachings and writings of SFS and arranging them under various themes to respond to the needs of various occasions. In doing this, he has given the reader a comprehensive, vivid and deep insight into the thoughts and writings of this great saint of the 17th century.

The writings of St. Francis de Sales appeal to the mind and touch the heart because they are simple, down to earth, easy to follow, thought-provoking and relevant even today. His comparisons of bees and drones, flowers, mother and baby, etc. make his message easy to register in the mind and give it a human touch.

This book would prompt introspection by the reader which would eventually evolve into a new way of thinking and living. The Catchwords of St. Francis de Sales “Ask for nothing. Refuse nothing” are worthy of note; they summarize his philosophy of life. This book inspires you to build a period of prayer into your routine and after quiet reflection, spurs you to find new ways to enrich your life and bring hope and love to a world so sorely in need of these divine qualities.

This volume of Salesian Spirituality is another invaluable source-book and treasure-trove of Salesian thought. Read this book, a page a day, to better understand and imbibe the wealth of inspirational sayings. It will definitely help you to find a few prayerful moments daily, to make your days worthwhile.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. PRELIMINARIES

1.1 GOD IS LOVE

1.2 LOVE - COMMUNION [3]

1.3 LOVE - COMMUNICATED [5]

1.4 LOVE MANIFESTED

1.6 LOVE - RECEIVED [2]

1.7 LOVE RECOGNIZED

1.8 LOVE - RECIPROCATED

1.9 LOVE - REJECTED

1.10 LOVE - RESTORED

1.11 LOVE DIFFUSED [2]

Chapter 2. LOVE REVEALED

2.1. FATHER IN HEAVEN

2.1.1 Creation

2.1.2 Redemption

2.1.3 ABBA: Father / Mother

2.1.4 Providence: the Way

2.1.5 Providence: Confidence

2.1.6 The Will of God

2.1.6.1 Signified Will of God

2.1.6.2 Permissive Will of God

2.1.7 Human Response:

2.1.7.1 Gratifying Love

2.1.7.2 Benevolent Love

2.1.7.3 Resignation / Indifference / Detachment

2.2. THE WORD MADE FLESH

2.2.1 The INCARNATION:

2.2.2.1 Emmanuel: God with Us

2.2.1.2 Incarnation

2.2.1.3 Manna: Figure of Christ

2.2.1.4 Shepherds: Witnesses / Heralds

2.2.1.5 Mary: Receptacle and Communicator

2.2.1.6 The Message of the Manger

2.2.1.7 The Holy Name of JESUS

2.2.1.8 The Epiphany

2.2.1.9 The other Manifestation [at Cana]

2.2.1.10 John the Baptist

2.2.1.11 Joseph

2.3. JESUS THE WAY TO THE FATHER

2.3.1 THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

2.3.1.1 The Reality

2.3.1.2 The Invitation

2.3.1.2 The Process

2.3.1.3 The Response

2.3.1.4 Miracles: The Message

2.3.1.5 Miracles: The Gospel Values

2.3.1.6 DISCIPLESHIP

2.3.2 GOSPEL PERSONALITIES

2.3.2.1 Acceptance: Mary Magdalene

2.3.2.2 Acceptance: Others

2.3.2.3 Rejection: High Priests / Judas

2.3.2.4 Acceptance / Rejection / Acceptance

2.3.2.4.1 Peter

2.3.2.4.2 Thomas

2.3.3 PASSION / CRUCIFIXION

2.3.3.1 The Crucified [1,2]

2.3.3.2 The Words of the Crucified [1,2]

2.3.3.3 The CROSS: Object, Term, Significance [1,2]

2.3.3.4 Honour due to the Cross and the Crucified

2.3.3.5 Veneration of the Cross

2.3.3.6 The Sign of the Cross [1,2]

2.3.3.7 Cross and Discipleship [1,2]

2.3.3.8 Cross and Discipleship: Personal Vocation

2.3.3.9 Cross: Images

2.3.3.10 Cross: Challenge offered by SFS [1, 2]

2.4. THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST

2.4.1 Sacrament of God

2.4.2 Custodian of the Word of God

2.4.3 Servant of the Will of God

2.4.4 Dispenser of Divine Compassion God

2.4.5 Convocation of the Chosen and Sent [1, 2]

2.4.6 Channel for the Sacraments

Chapter 3. VOCATION / MISSION

3.1 DEVOTION

3.1.1 Universal Call to Love

3.1.1.1 Devotion: Genuine and Fake

3.1.1.2 Images

3.1.1.3 Images

3.1.1.4 Denigrated by the World

3.1.1.5 Need for Guidance

3.1.1.6 Essence of Christian Living

3.1.1.7 Mainstay of the Christian Home

3.1.2 Dealings with Neighbour:

3.1.2.1 In Word

3.1.2.2 In Attitude

3.1.2.3 In Action

3.2 VOCATION

3.2.1. Vocation to one’s State of Life

3.2.1.1 Discernment

3.2.1.2 Perseverance in Vocation / Mission

3.2.1.3 Preparation for Mission in Vocation

3.2.1.4 Discernment of Mission

3.2.1.5 Objective of Mission

3.2.2 Vocation to Religious Life

3.2.2.1 Discernment / Preparation / Requirement

3.2.2.2 Perseverance

3.2.2.3 Witness

3.2.2.4 Mission

Chapter 4. THE HUMAN CONDITION

4.1 PRELIMINARIES

4.1.1 Preliminaries

4.1.2 Ordinariness of daily living I

4.1.3 Ordinariness of daily living II

4.1.4 Senses / Passions / Higher faculties

4.1.5 Supremacy of the WILL

4.2 DETAILS

4.2.1 Weak and imperfect

4.2.2 Naturally drawn to God

4.2.3 Freedom / Liberty

4.2.4 Friendship

4.2.4.1 Harmful friendship

4.2.4.2 Genuine friendship

4.2.5 Education

4.2.6 Reputation

4.2.7 Anger

4.2.8 Fear

4.2.9 Joy / Sadness

4.2.10 Time / Eternity

4.2.11 Sickness / Death

4.2.12 Death / Eternity

4.3 SELF - LOVE

4.3.1 Self-Love / Self-Will / Vanity

4.3.2 Self-Love / Self-Will / Vanity

4.3.3 Self-Love and Devotion

4.3.4 Self-Love and Devotion

4.3.5 I M A G E S

4.4 TEMPTATIONS

4.4.1 Test of Fidelity

4.4.2 No one is exempt

4.4.3 Terrors of the Night

4.4.4 A fact of life

4.4.5 Stuns but does not kill

4.4.6 Great and small

4.4.7 And the wiles of Satan

4.4.8 Remedies

4.4.9 Reward of Victory

4.10 Temptation and Sin

4.5 SIN AND FORGIVENESS

4.5.1 SIN

4.5.1.1 Cause: Ignorance, Weakness, Malice

4.5.1.2 Cause: Ambition, Pride, Envy, Avarice

4.5.1.3 the Proximate Cause

4.5.1.4 Circumstantial assistance

4.5.1.5 Preventives - Remedies

4.5.1.6 Mortal Sin: Fatal Reality

4.5.1.7 Venial Sin: Serious Handicap

4.5.2 HEALER

4.5.2.1 Conversion

4.5.2.2 Contrition

4.5.2.3 Confession

4.5.2.4 Repentance

4.5.2.5 Penance

Chapter 5. CHRISTIAN LIVING

5.1 PRAYER

5.1.1 Gift of God

5.1.2 The Protagonists

5.1.3 Characteristics

5.1.4 Modalities

5.1.5 Mental Prayer

5.1.6 Meditation

5.1.7 Meditation leading to Contemplation

5.1.7 Contemplation

5.1.8 Vocal Prayer

5.1.9 Ejaculatory Prayer

5.1.10 Practice of the Presence of God

5.1.11 Leading to Action / Virtue

5.1.12 Problems

5.2 FASTING

5.3 MORTIFICATION

5.4 VIRTUE

5.4.1 THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES: Faith, Hope, Charity

5.4.1.1 Theological Virtues: Faith

5.4.1.2 Theological Virtues: Hope

5.4.1.3 Theological Virtues: Charity

5.4.2 PREFERENTIAL: Suited to one’s vocation

5.4.3 EVANGELICAL COUNSELS:

5.4.3.1 CHASTITY:

5.4.3.1.1 In Christian Living

5.4.3.2.2 In Religious Life

5.4.3.2 OBEDIENCE:

5.4.3.2.1 In Christian Living

5.4.3.2.2 In Religious Life

5.4.3.3 POVERTY:

5.4.3.3.1 In Christian Living

5.4.3.3.2 In Religious Life

5.4.4 PREFERENTIAL: LITTLE VIRTUES

5.4.1 GENTLENESS

5.4.1.1 Compromised by anger, fear, sadness

5.4.1.2 Compromised by anxiety

5.4.1.3 Anxiety hampers progress in Devotion

5.4.1.3.1 Anxiety: Remedies

5.4.2 HUMILITY:

5.4.2.1 Humility in relation to other Virtues

5.4.2.2 Humility in itself

5.4.2.3 Humility and Vanity / Pride

5.4.2.4 Humility and Abjection

5.4.3 PATIENCE:

5.4.3.1 Patience with Oneself

5.4.3.2 Patience with Others

5.4.4 SIMPLICITY

5.4.4.1 Simplicity in relation to other Virtues

5.4.4.2 Simplicity in itself

5.4.5 INDIVIDUAL VIRTUES:

5.4.5.1 Fortitude

5.4.5.2 Love

5.4.5.3 Peace

5.4.5.4 Perseverance

5.4.5.5 Prudence

EPILOGUE

COMPANION

REFERENCES

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