29 August, 2019 “The Means for Making this Second Purgation” The total purgation of ego and pride is only capable with the assistance of Jesus, the one who perfectly "lets go". (St. Senan's Catholic Church. Photo. P. Smith)                 On our own, we are too weak to purge ourselves of any affection for sin. Indeed, it is “[b]y the help of God’s Grace” that we can let go of any fixation on material Truth or any sin that plagues us and disrupts our relationships with self, other, nature, and God. St. Francis De Sales offers us specific exercises we can use to help us, but it should be noted that these exercises mean nothing if we do them without the assistance of Jesus Christ. There is no purgation without the assistance of the one who perfectly purges Himself of ego and pride.

28 August, 2019 “The Second Purgation, Namely, of Affection for Sin” The Incarnation reveals to us a God who is willing to "let go" His Divinity, if just for a time, in order to be with us. (St. Teresa's Church, Discalced Carmelites. Photo P. Smith)                 It is not enough to let go of our sins, St. Francis De Sales argues; the greater struggle is to let go of our “affection” for sin. “I want to stop doing___________________, but _________________.” We say this to ourselves often. We may even say it as we are leaving the confessional, but the desire to sin, itself, can be an anchor. I used to ask my students: “What does it mean to be ‘fully human’?” Almost always, someone would respond: “To sin! Or make mistakes!” De Sales tells us in this section of the book, “…you must not only cease to sin but you must also purify you heart of all affection for sin.” Our True image and likeness detests...

27 August, 2019 “The First Purgation, Namely, That of Mortal Sin” A student gave me this Cross that she obtained in Assisi, Italy. On the Cross, Jesus purges Himself of wealth, honor, power, and pleasure; we can mimic this in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.                 I wrote this in the last post, but, St. Francis De Sales reiterates the idea that we should seek the Sacrament of Reconciliation if we desire devotion. I used to teach my students that sin, effectively, is any action we make that disrupts relationships with self, other, nature, and/or God. Reconciliation literally means to make a relationship well again. True devotion is predicated on the concept of relationship with Jesus Christ so we can know and encounter the perfect and eternal Love He has for us. We must reconcile with God if we desire to Love our students the way they deserve to be Loved.

26 August, 2019 “We Must First Begin by Purifying the Soul” Stone Crucifix in the center of Shanagolden, County Limerick, Ireland. The humility of Jesus on the Cross models for us and invites us to be vulnerable. (photo: P. Smith) The first step in the journey to Devotion?   St. Francis De Sales writes, “To practice humility it is absolutely necessary for us at times to suffer wounds of spiritual warfare, but we are never vanquished unless we lose our life   or our courage.” The path to holiness begins with a humble heart, and, as teachers, we have the Grace and the opportunity to be humble before our students so they can witness what it looks like to be “fully human”. Many years ago when I was about to begin my first year as a teacher, it seemed a good idea to me to go to confession the weekend before classes started. Indeed, any time we are going to play a role in the Faith journey of another, we need to practice the humility necessary for the sort of purga...

23 August, 2019 “Need of a Guide for Beginning Devotion and Making Progress in It” pp 33-35 "The Word of Life Mural" at the Hesburgh Library at the University of Notre Dame (photo:P. Smith)                  The first thing I think of is how we, as Catholic school teachers, need to be guides for our students. We need be those people who encourage and challenge and inspire and, most of all, Love our students. If what St. Francis De Sales has to say is real, and we are all called to follow the road to devotion, then we are guiding our students to much more than just middle school, or high school, or college, or a profession, or even to being a good person. Our students are all called to much more than that… they are called to Devotion…to a relationship with Jesus Christ and the Holiness that comes with it. But we cannot be the guide they need if we, ourselves, do not possess that “great desire to imitate” the Love of Jesus. We ...

22 August, 2019 “Devotion is Possible in Every Vocation and Profession” pp 31-33 Mary, the Mother of God, reveals to us what True Devotion "looks like". ((St. Teresa's Church, Discalced Carmelites. Dublin, Ireland. P. Smith)                 St. Francis De Sales tells us that not only is devotion possible in every vocation and profession, it actually enhances every experience we have in our vocations and professions. If we orient our entire selves to the Real Presence of Jesus and if we are always moving toward Him in intimate relationship, then we begin to see Him at work in every aspect of our lives. Indeed, He IS always active in every aspect of our lives, but devotion clears our vision so we can see Him at work. De Sales writes, “…true devotion does no harm whatsoever, but instead perfects all things.” As we increase in our devotion to Him, we, especially in Catholic education, begin to be fulfi...

21 August 2019 “The Propriety and Excellence of Devotion” pp.29-31                 It is amazing how even in the 16 th and 17 th Centuries, when St. Francis De Sales was writing this book, he notes that “…the world vilifies holy devotion as much as it can.” The world abhors discomfort, but like Pope Benedict XVI wrote, “[y]ou were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness”. The devout life may be difficult and even painful, at times, especially as a teacher when we find ourselves grading late or picking up an extra lunch duty or any of the thousand other things that has to be done in our schools.   But when we are close to Jesus, especially in the Eucharist, St. Francis De Sales writes, the “…devout souls encounter great bitterness in their works… but by performing them, they change them into something more sweet and delicious.” Indeed, those thousand irksome tasks become like honey...

20 August 2019 “Description of True Devotion” pp. 27-29 “Good people who have not as yet attained to devotion fly toward God by their good works but do so infrequently, slowly, and awkwardly.” These words jump out to me. I am reminded that I cannot Love my students (or anyone, for that matter) as much as they deserve to be Loved. When I try to do so, it is never enough. If I think that I Love my students enough and that I work hard enough , then I am mistaken. “’Why do you call me good?’ Jesus asked. ‘No one is good except God alone.’” Mark 10:18. If I want to teach, if I want to Love, if I want to serve my students, I need God. I need True devotion to Jesus.   Five minutes in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament can help to kindle that “spiritual fire”, as De Sales calls it, so my devotion can deepen and my Love increase.