"It is easier to catch flies with a teaspoon of honey than with a barrel full of vinegar." Saint Francis de Sales wrote these wise words-and lived them-in the midst of the changes and difficulties of his own time. His spirit of hope and interior freedom, his confidence in God's love were the foundations of his activity. They enabled him to meet challenges with unflappable kindness, cheerfulness and humor, steadfast to the end.
During his lifetime, Saint Francis de Sales influenced thousands of people. They looked to him for guidance in facing their daily problems. This required a calm trust born of deep faith. Even today his counsel-offered with respect, precision, wisdom and great wit-provides the reader with practical ways to find inner peace and courage. With our hands clasped in God's, like Francis, we will never walk alone.
Francis de Sales was Bishop of Geneva, and was an accomplished preacher. He is known also for his writings on the topic of spiritual direction and spiritual formation, particularly Introduction to the Devout Life.
Francis came to the conclusion that whatever God had in store for him was good, because God is Love, as Scripture attests. This faithful devotion to the God of love not only expelled his doubts, but also influenced the rest of his life and his teachings.
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