One of the frequently quoted Saints by St. Francis de Sales is the awesome St. John Chrystostom, whose Feast we celebrate Saturday Sept. 13. As Monday is the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, we have selected a quote that reflects all these sentiments:
“The great St. Chrysostom says :
O man, you who are so much disquieted because all things do not succeed according to your wishes, are you not ashamed to see that what you want was not to be found in the family of Our Lord ?
Consider, I pray you, the vicissitudes and changes, and alternations of joy and sorrow, which are to be met with there.Our Lady received the tidings that she should conceive of the Holy Ghost a Son, Who should be Our Lord and Saviour.
What joy, what jubilation for her in that sacred hour of the Incarnation of the Eternal Word ! Shortly afterwards St. Joseph seeing that she was with child and knowing that it was not by him, Alas ! into what affliction, into what distress was he not plunged !
And Our Lady,what an extremity of grief and pain did she not feel in her soul, seeing her dear husband on the point of quitting her, her modesty not permitting her to reveal to St. Joseph the honour and the grace wit which God had favoured her ! Then a little later,this storm having passed over, because the angel had discovered to St. Joseph ‘ the secret of this mystery, what consolation did they not receive !”
Source Conferences of St Francis de Sales, Conference 3