Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
St. Francis de Sales died in 1622 at the age of 54. He is remembered in the world of French literature for his beautiful writing style and use of the language. He is remembered in the Catholic Church for his outstanding gentleness and patience, even as a Catholic bishop serving in deeply Calvinist Switzerland in the early decades after the Council of Trent. Such was the meekness with which he wrote in defense of the Catholic Faith and in promotion of devotion to God that he is honored with the title, doctor caritatis, Doctor of Love.
In the early years of his priesthood, St. Francis volunteered to work in a part of the diocese where local authorities had only recently legalized the preaching of the Catholic faith. Initially rejected by most people, the young saint continued to visit them house by house on foot each day. He wrote little one page descriptions of important Catholic beliefs for them to read after their conversations, and above all to treat them with kindness and love. Little by little lapsed Catholic after lapsed Catholic began to return to the Church.
In today’s readings we hear that far above any other sacrifice, what is most acceptable to God is the sacrifice of a docile and obedient heart. Putting the will of God ahead of all else is what the brothers and sisters of Jesus are to do. God clearly desires us to be united. As we remember the many hardships which St. Francis de Sales bravely faced in order to do God’s will of uniting Christians more and more closely in the Church, let us ask for the grace to imitate his gentle efforts to welcome lapsed Catholics back to the Church.