We Must Bid the World a Calm and Deliberate Farewell
The following article is taken from Selected Letters of St. Francis de Sales.To prepare for our chat on Sunday, please read the article, which is reproduced below, and review the questions at the end.Click for Living Jesus Chatroom  Saint Bernard preaching the second crusade in Vézelay in 1146.(Public Domain)
To President Benigne Fremyot, written from Sales, 7 October 1604. Sir,I know that your life has been long and most honourable, distinguished by absolute faithfulness to the Holy Catholic Church; but all the same it has been spent in the world, in the management of worldly affairs. It is a strange thing, but one confirmed by experience and by various authors, that when ahorse, however fine and strong, follows in the trail and tracks of a wolf, it becomes torpid and stumbles. It is not possible for us who live in the world to avoid being soiled with its dust, even though we may only be in contact with it by the soles of our feet in passing. Our fathers of old, Abraham and his children, used to offer their guests water to wash their feet; I think, Sir, that the first thing to do is to cleanse the affections of our soul so as to look forward to our dear Lord’s hospitality in paradise.
It seems to me that it is always a matter of great reproach to mortals that they should die without having thought about death; but it is doubly wrong for those whom Our Lord has favoured with the blessing of old age. Those who get their armour ready before the alarm sounds are always better pre-pared than people who rush round collecting their breastplate, thigh pieces and helmet when the alert has actually been given. We must bid the world a calm and deliberate farewell and withdraw our affections from created things little by little. Trees uprooted by the wind are not fit for transplanting because their roots are left behind in the soil; but if they are to be moved to another plot of ground their roots must be deftly and gradually disengaged one by one. And because we are to be transplanted from this miserable earth to the land of the living we must loosen our affections one by one from this world. I amnot saying that we should roughly sever all the ties we have formed (for indeed that would cost very great effort); but we must disentangle ourselves from them and loosen their hold upon us.
When people have to leave a place unexpectedly, they may be excused if they have not said good-bye to their friends and set off ill equipped; but not so those who have been able toforesee the probable time of their departure. We must be ready, not as if to set out before we are due to leave but so as to await the time of our leave-taking more peacefully. To this end, I believe, Sir, that it would bring you unbelievably great comfort to set aside a space of time every day, and putting yourself in the presence of God and of your guardian angel, to turn over in your mind what you need to do so as to have a happy death. How would you arrange your affairs if theend were to be soon? I know that such thoughts will not be new to you; but you should let them pass through your mind in a new way, in the presence of God, with calm attention, seeking to engage your affections rather than to enlighten your intellect.For the benefit of old people St. Jerome often told the story of Abishag, the Shunammite, who slept in David’s bosom but only so as to give him warmth.
Young people often frequent the study of philosophy and wisdom but in order to recreate their minds rather than to move their affections; but in the arms of old people wisdom should only serve to provide the true warmth of devotion. I have seen and had the privilege of enjoying your fine library: for your spiritual instruction on this point I suggest that you should read De Bono Mortis by St. Ambrose, De Interiori Domo by St. Bernard, and several scattered homilies of St. Chrysostom.Your St. Bernard says that the soul which wants to reach God should begin by kissing the feet of the crucifix, purge its affections and firmly resolve to withdraw gradually from the world and its vanities. Then the new element which enters the soul after its affections are purged and changed makes it kiss Our Lord’s hands; and finally, as the soul unites itself to this supreme goodness by a burning love, it kisses his mouth. This is how we gradually proceed to a right and happy death.It is said that Alexander the Great, sailing on the high seas, was the first man to discover Felix Arabia by the scent of the aromatic trees there; he alone found it because he alone was seeking it. People who are sailing on the broad ocean of worldly affairs and yet striving to reach the land of eternity have a certain presentiment of heaven which cheers and encourages them in a marvelous way; but they should keep on the look-out in the prow of the ship and have their nose turned in the right direction.We owe ourselves to God, to our country, our relations, our friends. God comes first, then our home; but our heavenly home takes precedence over our home on earth. Then our relations; ‘but who is more closely related to us than we are to ourselves?’ asks our Christian Seneca. Finally, our friends; but are you not your own closest friend?
I notice that St. Paul said to his dear Timothy: ‘Attende tibi et gregi,‘ that is, see to yourself first, then to your flock.That is quite enough, Sir, if not too much, for this year which is fast running out and in two months’ time will prove to us the vanity of its existence like all the other years which have gone before. You commanded me to write you a letter of this kind year by year; now I have finished my task for the present year, in the course of which I entreat you to withdraw from the world as much as you can, uprooting your affections in so far as you are able, and transplanting them to heaven. And I implore you by your own humility to forgive me for taking you quite simply at your word in writing to you at such length and o freely.
I am fully aware that you are very well able to face thesituation which you are in and this ought either to have silenced me or made me measure my words with exact moderation. Here is water, Sir; even if it comes out of the jawbone of an ass, Samson will not refuse to drink.I beg God to fill your years to overflowing with his blessings, and I remain with all filial affection,
Sir, Your most humble and obedient servant,
Francis, Bishop of Geneva.
Reflections:
How do we cleanse the affections of our soul?Discuss this line: “We must bid the world a calm and deliberate farewell and withdraw our affections from created things little by little.”St. Francis says we need to disentangle ourselves from this world like a tree being uprooted where each root needs to be freed. It is a beautiful thing to reflect on. However, does it make it unfair of God to place us in a world that entangles us?What is the value of thinking about our deaths?Is this reflection an example of why it is better for people to become celibate and live a cloistered life away from the world? And if it is better, shouldn’t we all simply make that decicions?If a preparation for death is a good thing, why don’t we see this topic dealt with in publications such as the AARP, and others?
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