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Tag: St. Francis de Sales

Exposure.

Published on January 27, 2026

It seems to me that being vulnerable is the key to growing, strengthening, adapting, and actualizing. It is a peculiar thing, is it not? Why is it that man, who props up and assumes a mask (typically of his own fancy and fabrication) is incapable of being the exposed child he once was with his spouse, his family, the world he engages with? Christ Himself says that one cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven, if he has not a heart of a child. When we are weak, then the Lord is strong. Perhaps that the point of where this aimless and ignorant post is going: viz. we need to get ourselves out of the way, for the Lord to come in and bind up wounds, fill in scars, and send us out among wolves.

Yet at the same time, juxtaposed to this, it seems as if vanity is what walls up the heart. We are seeking praise for something we fabricated and propped up for others to see; and, because it itself is very fragile, and we know it is fragile, we seem to seek affirmation that it is not not fragile; thus, I think I now see why St. Francis de Sales calls for us laymen to engage in mental prayer, particularly with a keen focus on the Lord’s cross; what can be more vulnerable than being crucified? Nothing. Yet, that is true strength. In control, total exposure, and vulnerability. No show, no vanity, just reality.

EAR

St. Francis de Sales, An Introduction to the Devout Life. Part Second, Chapter 1, The Necessity of Prayer.

Affections.

Published on January 26, 2026

To detest what one already has a disdain for is not difficult, and it is of no great merit that one scrupulously war against those very sins which brings him shame, and contrition posterior to the action of them. But to contend with what one is happily inclined to, naturally leaning towards, that is another matter entirely.

How does a vain man contend with his imperfection and natural predisposition to seek the approval, praise and affirmative talk of other men?

How does a lazy man work up the industry to contend with his affection to endlessly scroll, rather than pray and labor?

I think it is an act of sheer will, reinforced by discipline, and mixed with God’s grace. Awareness seems to matter and be key as well to the topic. To neglect these things, is to neglect one’s history and identity. Perhaps it would be akin to not know one’s own self, but the contrary leading one to nowhere.

EAR

The Introduction to the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales, Book 1, Chapter 24.

Devotion II

Published on January 19, 2026

Devotion, discipline, habit: these seem to be choices. Choices that are possible, choices that are difficult, choices that are formative. Time is not on our side. The clock ticks, and everything is in motion. This is not a weekly or daily choice. No, this is an hour by hour, minute by minute, second by second war for order, and assuming control over oneself. If the grace is lacking, then the intellect must make up for it, and in sheer cooperation of the will must seize the moment.

Distractions must be eliminated; total presence and full attention must be given. We must wake up, stop slouching around like a bunch of dead husks. Reason must be trained, numerical wisdom must be sought, meditations must be vividly intense, the Sacraments must be frequent, the devil squashed by the Rosary, and time must be consecrated by the Liturgy of the Hours.

These things must be necessary for our souls. We cannot do this alone, we need help, and prayers.

Deus, gratiam tuam nobis necessariam esse sentimus; adiuva nos ut tibi devotamur et ita perseveremus.

EAR

Privation.

Published on January 13, 2026

The human condition is a mystery. It seems that in varying degrees, across innumerable cultures, of any age, of any generation, there is a lingering gravitas within the rational will that inclines, or rather declines, towards the privation of good. It is most curious indeed, since it is evident, quite obvious even, that the entire potency of the entire collective human spectrum of faculties is, by definition, superior to all other natural things, and in of themselves good. Contingently, assuming this potentiality is in fact actualized by prudence, then it is through reason that the rational animal could bring all of reality into an ordered stewardship, by which other things come to reach their full potential too.

Yet, this is not the case, far from it. All one has to do is look around, and it is self-evident that something is very wrong, everywhere. What could be good, is privatively not. The tragedy of it all is that man seems to be completely helpless in uprooting this cumbersome gravitas that pulls him down to the Earth, towards base things. Likewise, any initiative to improve the situation by human reasoning alone, may start off right, but quickly becomes corrupted and goes off the rails in no time.

Despite this inclination to do what is not good, the act of the will is still completely free. Therefore, all things done that in privation of what is good, is thoroughly, and totally Man’s fault. Whether it is his fault for continuing this slippery slope, or the prior man who set the privation in motion, the fault is shared. Thus, it would seem reasonable to accept that Man is in need of a Savior from this condition of inevitable failure. Indeed, if Man is unable to will himself to the good of what could be, by his meagre power alone, then he is in need of a supernatural grace to get him there.

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

EAR

Devotion.

Published on January 12, 2026

It seems that the rational soul’s active and conscious, renunciation and rebuking of prior thoughts, premises, and memories of a past life once lived, are necessary acts and daily affections: in order for the man to effectively pursue wisdom, peace of mind, ordered reasoning, and any kind of clear dialectic investigation. All of these aforementioned seem to be the prior cause to the devout life, as taught by St. Francis de Sales in his treatise for the laity, “Introduction to the Devout Life”.

If these privations, negations, and contrary dianoetic conceptions of the soul are not actively purged out and fought against, they seem to be like weeds which infect the garden of the soul that is actively attempting to plant, cultivate, and nurture fruitful ideas that bring the soul to perfection.

The nosegay ejaculations of devotion as collected personally during the meditative ascensions in purifying imperfections in the soul seem to be the key to return to the contrition, soulful stirrings, and resolutions as experienced during a full meditation in God’s presence.

To enter into God’s presence through meditation, or at least to become aware of His omnipresence, seems to be the purpose of acts of Faith, Hope and Charity. To remember the negations of the past life lived, and vigilantly defend one’s disposition, and subsequent affections caused by them, must be acts of Reasoning and Logic. Reasoning is needed to purge useless thoughts; whereas Faith, Hope, and Charity are necessary for God’s grace to fill that purged vacuum.

These things seem to work in tandem, and are both needed to bring about the purification, illumination, and – Lord willing – perfection of the hapless rational soul. In moments of emergencies, and crises, these must be opportunities to employ these acts of the soul and intellect, reject false premises void of evidence, and allow God’s grace to penetrate and transform the adopted soul, and prevent self-destruction. I.e. they seem to be invitations to permanently cement these small ascensions up the ladder of divine ascent and imprint these fruits into the soul. This is unbelievably difficult, not only to remember, but to act on in the heat of the moment. Once again, bringing our attention to what Aristotle teaches as being effective in energy, or in the moment, what is necessarily now. If we cling to this, perhaps we can more effectively, and efficiently grow in true devotion, and reasoning. There is a mysterious balance of co-operation, and submission here.

“Vacate, et videte quoniam ego sum Deus; exaltabor in gentibus, et exaltabor is terra.” (Psalmus 45:10)

EAR