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Saint Francis de Sales

Saint Francis de Sales Quotes

Bishop of Geneva

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Famous Saint Francis de Sales Quotes

“Do not be ashamed of being poor, or of asking alms. Receive what is given you with humility, and accept a refusal meekly. Frequently call to mind Our Lady's journey into Egypt with her Holy Child, and of all the poverty, contempt and suffering they endured. If you follow their example you will indeed be rich amid your poverty.”

IfsMindChildrenSufferingGivenPoorAcceptingPovertyRichJourneyExampleHumilityHolyAskingAshamedContemptEgyptRefusalAlms
Book:Introduction to the Devout Life
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“How are you to meet the swarm of foolish attachments, triflings, and undesirable inclinations which beset you? By turning sharply away, and thoroughly renouncing such vanities, flying to the Saviour's Cross, and clasping His Crown of thorns to your heart, so that these little foxes may not spoil your vines. Beware of entering into any manner of treaty with the Enemy; do not delude yourself by listening to him while intending to reject him.”

HeartMayLittlesEnemyListeningCrossesFoolishFlyingVanityRejectsAttachmentCrownsFoxesEnteringInclinationSpoilThornsSaviourTreatiesVinesSwarmsUndesirableCrown Of Thorns
Book:The Saint Francis de Sales Collection [16 Books]
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“Without a doubt, one of the things which keeps us from attaining perfection is our tongue. When one has reached the point of no longer committing faults in speech, he has surely reached perfection, as was said by the Holy Spirit. The worst defect in talking is talking too much. Hence, in speech be brief and virtuous, brief and gentle, brief and simple, brief and charitable, brief and amiable.”

SaidSpiritSimpleTalkingDoubtToo MuchWorstHolySpeechPerfectionFaultsTongueGentleHoly SpiritAttachmentVirtuousDefectsCharitableAmiableTalking Too Much
Author:Saint Francis de Sales
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“Be patient with everyone, but above all with yourself. I mean, do not be disturbed because of your imperfections, and always rise up bravely from a fall. I am glad that you make a daily new beginning; there is no better means of progress in the spiritual life than to be continually beginning afresh, and never to think that we have done enough.”

ThinkingMeanDoneEnoughSpiritualSpiritFallProgressPatientGladImperfectionSpiritual LifeNew BeginningsBe PatientDisturbed
Author:Saint Francis de Sales
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“Do not scrutinize so closely whether you are doing much or little, ill or well, so long as what you do is not sinful and that you are heartily seeking to do everything for God. Try as far as you can to do everything well, but when it is done, do not think about it. Try, rather, to think of what is to be done next. Go on simply in the Lord's way, and do not torment yourself. We ought to hate our faults, but with a quiet, calm hatred; not pettishly and anxiously.”

ThinkingWayTryingWellsLittlesLongDoneHateNextLordGoes OnOughtQuietHatredFaultsCalmIllSeekingTormentDiscipleshipScrutinize
Author:Saint Francis de Sales
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“Many great persons have been of opinion that love is no other thing than complacency itself, in which they have had much appearance of reason. For not only does the movement of love take its origin from the complacency which the heart feels at the first approach of good, and find its end in a second complacency which returns to the heart by union with the thing beloved--but further, it depends for its preservation on this complacency, and can only subsist through it as through its mother and nurse; so that as soon as the complacency ceases, love ceases.”

LoveFeelsFirstsHeartPersonsDoeHas BeensEndsReasonMotherLove IsOpinionMovementDependsReturnApproachUnionsAppearanceCeaseBelovedNursePreservationComplacencyGreat Person
Book:The Saint Francis de Sales Collection [16 Books]
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“Consider the pains which martyrs have endured, and think how even now many people are bearing afflictions beyond all measure greater than yours, and say, "Of a truth my trouble is comfort, my torments are but roses as compared to those whose life is a continual death, without solace, or aid or consolation, borne down with a weight of grief tenfold greater than mine."”

PeopleThinkingPainLife IsReligiousGriefGreaterTroubleMinesComfortWeightRoseAidsAfflictionTormentConsolationMartyrSolace
Book:Introduction to the Devout Life
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“If you have to do with one who is unquestionably a slanderer, do not excuse him by calling him frank and free-spoken; do not call one who is notoriously vain, liberal and elegant; do not call dangerous levities mere simplicity; do not screen disobedience under the name of zeal; or arrogance, of frankness; or evil intimacy, of friendship. No, my friends, we must never, in our wish to shun slander, foster or flatter vice in others: but we must call evil evil, and sin sin, and so doing we shall serve God's glory.”

IfsEvilNamesWishSinDangerousCallingGloryMy FriendsMereSimplicityVicesExcuseScreensIntimacyVainArroganceFrankServing GodElegantDisobedienceZealSlanderFranknessLevity
Book:The Saint Francis de Sales Collection [16 Books]
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“The enemy often tries to make us attempt and start many projects so that we will be overwhelmed with too many tasks, and therefore achieve nothing and leave everything unfinished. Sometimes he even suggests the wish to undertake some excellent work that he foresees we will never accomplish. This is to distract us from the prosecution of some less excellent work that we would have easily completed. He does not care how many plans and beginnings we make, provided nothing is finished.”

TryingDoeSometimesCareWishEnemyPlansAchieveProjectsTasksAccomplishFinishedExcellentOverwhelmedUnfinishedProsecutionExcellent Work
Author:Saint Francis de Sales
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“If after all your efforts you cannot succeed, you could not please our Lord more than by sacrificing to Him your will, and remaining in tranquility, humility, and devotion, entirely conformed and submissive to His divine will and good pleasure.”

IfsPleasureEffortLordSacrificeHumilityDivinePleaseSucceedDevotionTrust In GodSerenityTranquilityOur LordRecipe For SuccessCommitment To GodSelf SacrificeSubmissiveKeep The FaithKeep BelievingStay HumbleDivine WillChristian HumilityUltimate Sacrifice
Book:Letters to Persons in the World
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“We do not very often come across opportunities for exercising strength, magnanimity, or magnificence; but gentleness, temperance, modesty, and humility, are graces which ought to colour everything we do. There may be virtues of a more exalted mould, but... these are the most continually called for in daily life.”

MayOpportunityVirtueGraceHumilityOughtExerciseColourDaily LifeModestyGentlenessExaltedTemperanceMouldMagnificenceMagnanimity
Book:The Saint Francis de Sales Collection [16 Books]
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