SALESIAN LITERATURE

Principal Way of Practising the Presence of God in the Life and Teachings of SFS

Fr. Johnson Pathiyil MSFS

This is a Licentiate Thesis. The first chapter explains the concept of the presence of God in General, referring to the Old Testament teachings and the New Testament teachings. Besides these I have also referred to some of the teachings of the great saints like Thomas Aquinas, Bonaventure etc. In the second chapter, which deals directly with the four methods of the practice of the presence of God as taught by St. Francis de Sales in his book of Introduction to the Devout Life, I have also elaborated a bit on the aspect of prayer and meditation which become a contributing factor for the practice of the presence of God. These methods are to be practised one at a time, depending on the situation in which one finds himself. In the third chapter, then author has tried to show how these methods of practising the presence of God are practical in various aspects of spiritual life in our everyday life situations. We also see the role of sin in the context of virtues and the life of holiness. It is a practice which affects our spiritual life and our social life as we seek to live completely aware of the mystery of the presence of God in every moment of our life. Finally, these methods lead us to live Jesus in our daily life.

Table of Contents

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1

PRESENCE OF GOD: A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING

Introduction

1.1. The Concept of the Presence of God

1.2.The presence of God in the Old Testament

1.2.1. The two characteristics of the presence of God

1.2.2. Presence of God in the Life of Moses

1.2.3. The presence of God in the Cloud

1.2.4 In the life of the Kings

1.2.5. In the life of the Prophets

1.3. The presence of God in the New Testament

1.3.1. Jesus, The “Emmanuel”

1.3.2. Jesus, ‘The Word made Flesh’

1.3.3. Jesus, the Bringer of God’s Kingdom

1.4. In the life of the Church

1.4.1. What is the Church?

1.4.2. The Church - instituted by Christ Jesus for the union with God

1.5. The Presence of God according to St. Thomas Aquinas

1.5.1. The existence of God

1.6. Presence of God according to St. Bonaventure

1.7. A Short biography of St. Francis de Sales

1.7.1. The childhood

1.7.2. His student life and Temptations

1.7.3. Life in Padua

1.7.4. His Vocation to Priesthood and Ministry

1.7.5. A Great Missionary

Conclusion

CHAPTER 2

THE EXERCISE OF PRACTISING THE PRESENCE OF GOD ACCORDING

TO ST. FRANCIS DE SALES

Introduction

2.1. The Role of Prayer in Christian life

2.1.1. Prayer according to St. Francis de Sales

2.1.2. Different Types of Prayer

2.1.2.1. The values of prayer

2.1.2.2. What is meditation?

2.1.3. The importance and the need of practising the presence of God

2.2. The Principal ways of being in the presence of God

2.3. God is in all things and in all places

2.3.1. Creation as the self-manifestation of God

2.3.2 Man’s unawareness of the presence of God

2.4. God’s Presence in the Human heart

2.4.1 The Image of Mirror

2.4.1. Soul, the Temple of Go

2.4.2 Divine presence in the Soul a Unique one

2.5. God’s presence in those who pray

2.5.1. Different types of Gaze of Jesus

2.6. By means of simple imagination and in the Eucharist

2.6.1. The real Presence of Christ in the Eucharis

2.8. The Benefits of these methods in the meditation

Conclusion

CHAPTER 3

CHRISTIAN LIFE AND THE PRACTICE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD

Introduction

3.1. God’s Presence in our nature and creation

3.2. God’s Presence in our prayer life

3.2.1. The Role of Silence

3.2.2. The importance of humbling oneself in Prayer

3.3. God’s presence in meditation and contemplation

3.3. 1. The fruits of the meditation

3.4. God’s presence in the Eucharistic Celebration

3.4.1. Effects of the Eucharistic Presence

3.5. How does this awareness helps one to avoid sin?

3.5.1. Sin and its nature in the OT

3.5.2. The effects of Sin

3.6. Presence of God and growth in virtues

3.6.1. Salesian Virtues

3.6.1.1. Humility

3.6.1.2. Patienc

3.6.1.3. Obedience, Chastity and Povert

3.7. The practice of God’s presence: the best way to Sanctity

3.7.1. Holiness for all walks of life

3.7.2. The Teachings of St. Francis de Sale

3.7.3. Vatican II and the Universal call to Holiness

3.7.4. The Vocation of the Church

3.7.5. The Concept of ‘Vive Jesus’

Conclusion

GENERAL CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY