As we continue to quote St Francis de Sales’ perspective on religious life in Part 3 of this series, we suggest you pay close attention to this segment from his Spiritual Conferences, Chapter 13.
Many individuals in discernment seek community life, but do they really understand what it means? Let St Francis share some of his thoughts to Visitandines with us.
“We must never believe or think that by doing nothing more than others, and following the ways of the Community, we acquire less merit. Oh no ! for perfection does not consist in austerities. Although they are excellent means to attain it, and are good in themselves, for us they are not so, because they are not in conformity with our Rules or with their spirit; it being of far greater perfection to keep to the simple observance of those Rules, and to follow the ways of the Community, than to wish to exceed that limit.
I assure you she who keeps within these bounds will in a short time make great progress, and will by her example do much for her sisters . For — we do not become perfect, neither are we more pleasing to God, by the multiplication of exercises, penances, and austerities , but rather by the purity of love with which we do them
Finally, when we are rowing we must do so in time ; those who are out at sea in a rowing-boat, are not beaten so readily on account of sluggish rowing, as they are when they do not all row together in time. We must try to train up the novices to do, all of them, the same things, so that they may keep time together; and although all may not do this with equal perfection, that cannot be helped — it is the same in all communities.
But you may say, that it is as a mortification that you remain in the Chapel on Feast-days a little longer than the others, on account of your having felt impatient and weary during the two or three consecutive hours, when you were all there together. To that I reply that there is no general rule that we must do everything that is repugnant to ourselves, any more than abstain from everything for which we feel an inclination.
If a sister greatly loves saying the Divine Office, she must not stay away from it under the pretext of wishing to mortify herself. With regard to the time on Feast – days when you are at liberty to do what you please, it may be spent by each of you as her devotion suggests. It is,however, true that after having been for three hours, or perhaps more, in the Chapel with the Community, there is great fear that the extra quarter of an hour you impose upon yourself may be a morsel thrown to your self-love.”