St. Jane de Chantal gave many spiritual conferences to her Sisters in the early days of the Visitation Order. Many of her insights are applicable to laity as well as religious.

In this series, which will be followed up in our Chat sessions on Sunday evenings, we are going to share the wisdom of the Holy Foundress, St. Jane de Chantal.

St. Jane said, How must we set about reforming the soul, you ask, my dear daughter? We must really know ourselves, our nothingness..If our understanding is filled with this truth, we shall see clearly that there are many defects, imperfections and many things to reform in us..

In the exercise of Christian virtues,  we are as a bird which has no wings to fly with, and no feet to walk with. We cannot so much as pronounce the name of Jesus without the special help of our Lord..

This, in my opinion, is how we must commence to reform the soul, by knowledge of self and by confidence in God.

Knowledge of ourselves will make us see many things in us to correct and reform, which, nevertheless, we shall not be able to accomplish of ourselves; confidence in God will make us hope that we can do all in God, and that, by His grace all things will be possible and easy to us.”

To be continued

Source: Conferences of St Jane de Chantal, Conference 1

REFLECTION: How do I feel about looking within myself honestly? What else do I need to grow within?