A vocation to the Visitation Order is a call to live a deep, interior life. One of the guides to developing this inner life is St. Francis de Sales’ Spiritual Directory.
Central to the practice of the directory is what is called the Direction of Intention. It is guaranteed to help you grow into a disciplined Visitation nun.
THE SISTERS WHO WISH TO PROSPER AND MAKE PROGRESS IN THE WAY OF OUR LORD MUST AT THE BEGINNING OF ALL THEIR ACTIONS BOTH INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR ASK FOR HIS GRACE, AND OFFER TO HIS DIVINE GOODNESS WHATEVER GOOD THEY MAY DO.
WE THUS PREPARE OURSELVES TO BEAR ALL THE TROUBLE AND MORTIFICATION THEY MAY MEET WITH THEREIN, WITH PEACE AND GENTLENESS OF MIND, AS COMING FROM THE HAND OF OUR GOOD GOD AND SAVIOR, WHOSE MOST HOLY INTENTION IS BY SUCH MEANS TO MAKE THEM MERIT, THAT HE MAY AFTERWARDS RECOMPENSE THEM WITH THE ABUNDANCE OF HIS LOVE.
THIS THEY MUST NOT OMIT EVEN IN LITTLE MATTERS, AND SUCH AS SEEM TO THEM OF SMALL IMPORATNCE, EVEN THOUGH EMPLOYED IN THINGS WHOLLY CONFORMABLE TO THEIR WILL AND NECESSITY, SO THAT ACCORDING TO THE COUNSEL OF THE APOSTLE, WHATEVER THEY DO MAY BE DONE IN THE NAME OF GOD AND FOR HIS SOLE PLEASURE.
Asking for grace, doing all for God- it all sounds simple- and yet it leads to sanctity.
If this approach is appealing to you, perhaps you are being called to a Visitation way of life.
As we continue this series, we will use the Direction of Intention in elaborating on its various aspects as an aid to your vocational discernment.