THE MEASURE OF LOVE
St.
Francis de Sales said, “The measure of love is to love without
measure.” Today’s saint was bishop of Geneva and spiritual director of
St. Jeanne de Chantal and many others. When Protestantism spread
throughout Europe, most Catholic leaders reacted defensively. Francis de
Sales was different. He perceived the Reformation as a call to
conversion and to a more intense effort to achieve holiness. His
preaching became known because of his love, moderation and balance. He
did not, like many other spiritual guides, impose the usual harsh
disciplines or force the faithful to make a drastic choice between good
and evil. For him, the intensity of one’s charity is
more important than self-mortification. This reflects the ministry of
Jesus, who reached out and called all to “love God and love neighbor.”
The only complaint against Francis came from rigorist critics who
charged that he made it appear all too easy to become a saint. While
most spiritual books were for clerics and nuns, he addressed his
Introduction to the Devout Life and his Treatise on the Love of God also
to lay people. Francis taught that one could become a saint wherever
one lives in the world. He wrote, “Devotion is to be practiced
differently by the noble, the worker, the servant, the prince, the
widow, the young girl, the wife.”
For him, genuine devotion is simply true love of God. He wrote, “In
holy Church, all is by love, in love, for love and of love.” These
simple words make us check whether in our lives all is by, in, for and
of love. Love is the key to other persons’ hearts and to the heart of
God. Of course, it needs time and effort to achieve genuine and profound
love of God. We get easily discouraged when we commit the same mistake
again.
Let us end with his very practical advice for our prayer life: “A
single ‘Our Father,’ said with feeling, has greater value than many
repetitions, said quickly and hurriedly.” Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD
REFLECTION
QUESTIONS: Do you get easily discouraged because of your repeated
failures? Are you gentle and understanding when you meet erring
fellowmen?
Lord,
today I thank You for giving the Church a man like St. Francis de
Sales. Make me more understanding, gentle and compassionate with my
fellowmen.
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