We have freedom to do good or evil; yet to make choice of evil, is not to use, but to abuse our freedom. Saint Francis de Sales More Quotes by Saint Francis de Sales More Quotes From Saint Francis de Sales During the night we must wait for the light. Saint Francis de Sales light waiting night God will either shield you from suffering or give you unfailing strength to bear it. Saint Francis de Sales shields suffering giving Nothing appeases an enraged elephant so much as the sight of a little lamb. Saint Francis de Sales lambs elephants sight Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections. Saint Francis de Sales recovery love-yourself patience It is the mark of a mean, vulgar and ignoble spirit to dwell on the thought of food before meal times or worse to dwell on it afterwards, to discuss it and wallow in the remembered pleasures of every mouthful. Those whose minds dwell before dinner on the spit, and after on the dishes, are fit only to be scullions. Saint Francis de Sales mind time mean It is better to remain silent than to speak the truth ill-humoredly, and spoil an excellent dish by covering it with bad sauce. Saint Francis de Sales covering sauce silence A quarrel between friends, when made up, adds a new tie to friendship. Saint Francis de Sales motivational inspirational life The whole world is not worth one soul. Saint Francis de Sales soul whole world If we say a little it is easy to add, but having said too much it is hard to withdraw and never can it be done so quickly as to hinder the harm of our success. Saint Francis de Sales done littles add Every Christian needs a half-hour of prayer each day, except when he is busy, then he needs an hour. Saint Francis de Sales prayer christian needs If I want only pure water, what does it matter to me whether it be brought in a vase of gold or of glass? What is it to me whether the will of God be presented to me in tribulation or consolation, since I desire and seek only the Divine will? Saint Francis de Sales glasses desire water There is nothing as strong as tenderness, And nothing as tender as true strength. Saint Francis de Sales true-strength strong cute A dance is the devil's procession, and he that entereth into a dance, entereth into his possession. Saint Francis de Sales devil dancing dance The elephant, not only the largest but the most intelligent of animals, provides us with an excellent example. It is faithful and tenderly loving to the female of its choice, mating only every third year and then for no more than five days, and so secretly as never to be seen, until, on the sixth day, it appears and goes at once to wash its whole body in the river, unwilling to return to the herd until thus purified. Such good and modest habits are an example to husband and wife. Saint Francis de Sales husband intelligent animal If you have to do with one who is unquestionably a slanderer, do not excuse him by calling him frank and free-spoken; do not call one who is notoriously vain, liberal and elegant; do not call dangerous levities mere simplicity; do not screen disobedience under the name of zeal; or arrogance, of frankness; or evil intimacy, of friendship. No, my friends, we must never, in our wish to shun slander, foster or flatter vice in others: but we must call evil evil, and sin sin, and so doing we shall serve God's glory. Saint Francis de Sales simplicity evil names Do not desire crosses, unless you have borne those already laid upon you well — it is an abuse to long after martyrdom while unable to bear an insult patiently. Saint Francis de Sales forgiveness abuse long To love our neighbor in charity is to love God in man. Saint Francis de Sales charity love men In so far as divine love beautifies our souls. And makes us pleasing to His divine Majesty, it is called grace; in so far as it gives us strength to do good, it is called charity; but when it reaches such a degree of perfection, that it makes us not only do the good, but do so carefully, frequently and readily, then it is called devotion. Saint Francis de Sales perfection love-is giving One great remedy against all manner of temptation, great or small, is to open the heart and lay bare its suggestion, likings, and dislikings before some spiritual adviser; for, . . . the first condition which the Evil One makes with a soul, when he wants to entrap it, is silence. Saint Francis de Sales spiritual evil heart Better make penitents by gentleness than hypocrites by severity. Saint Francis de Sales severity gentleness hypocrite
