St. Francis & St. Frances

I've been to visit New York city twice. Although I have yet to see the Sears Tower, the Statue of Libery or Ground Zero, I have come back both times with more wisdom than I had when I left. I went there both times to visit the Sisters of Life. While there, I encountered two friends. Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Frances de Chantal.

One of their convents is named after Saint Frances de Chantal and although I know little about her, I do know that she was friends with Saint Francis de Sales. This is the convent where I learned, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I would never return to the Sisters of Life as one of their sisters in community. It was heart breaking and freeing all at the same time.

Given that information, my prayer time this morning was quite interesting. One book shared a comment from Saint Frances de Chantal: "Perform faithfully what God requires of you each moment, and leave the thought of everything else to him. I assure you that to live in thisway will bring you great peace."

The other a quote from Saint Francis de Sales "No indeed, my child, the devotion which is true hinders nothing, but on the contrary it perfects everything; and that which runs counter to therightful vocation of any one is, you may be sure, a spurious devotion. Aristotlesays that the bee sucks honey fromtheflowers without damaging them, leaving them as whoe and fresh as it found them. But true devotion does better still, for it not only hinders no manner of vocation or duty, but, contrariwise, it adorns and beautifies all. Throw precious stones into honey, and each will grow more brilliant according to its several colors-and in like manner everybody fulfills his special calling better when subject to the influence of devotion: Family duties are lighter, married love truer, service to our King more faithful, every kind of occupation more acceptable and better performed where that is the guide.

Given that St. Francis de Sales feast day was yesterday, this is completely understandable but it was enlightening nonetheless and something I definitely needed to hear. As I look across that room at my two little blessings, I realize how much my life has changed since that slice in time on a rainy day back in March of 2004. I will never forget that moment and I have a feeling that these two saints had something to do with it. I must learn to listen to my friends more often!