"Be sure that wherever our lot is cast we may and must aim at the perfect life."
Written over 400 years ago, Introduction to the Devout Life is still one of the most popular books for those pursuing holiness. St. Francis de Sales explains how to turn that desire for sanctity into resolutions that yield grace-filled results.
Themes include:
Pursuing a devout life whole-heartedly
Incorporating prayer and sacraments into a busy
schedule
Growing in virtue
Battling wisely against temptation
Making spiritual progress through daily, monthly, and yearly exercises
Whether you are just beginning your spiritual journey or are more advanced in the spiritual life, you’ll be able to apply this timeless wisdom immediately. Let St. Francis de Sales illumine the path to holiness and strengthen your desire to walk that road with the Lord.
St. Francis de Sales (1567–1622) was the Bishop of Geneva and a renowned spiritual director. Preaching during the Counter-Reformation, he is estimated to have converted 70,000 Calvinists in his lifetime. He was a fervent proponent of the universal call to holiness and spent much of his time guiding lay people on the road to sanctity. Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX in 1877, St. Francis is still helping to form saints through his many writings, of which Introduction to the Devout Life is the most famous.
—description from the publisher
Introduction to the Devout Life full text: https://watch.formed.org/introduction-to-the-devout-life-by-st-francis-de-sales
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Theme music: "2 Part Invention", composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved.
Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:38 Preface
12:26 Part 1 - Counsels and Exercises for the Guidance of the Soul from Its First Desire After a Devout Life unto a Full Resolution of Pursuing the Same
02:05:29 Part 2 – Counsels as to Uplifting the Soul to God in Prayer and the Use of the Sacraments
03:28:01 Part 3 – Counsels Concerning the Practice of Virtue
07:23:51 Part 4 – Counsels Concerning Some Ordinary Temptations
08:41:07 Part 5 - Counsels and Practices for Renewing and Confirming the Soul in Devotion