| May the Spirit of Christ Reign Over Our Difficulties |
At our Living Jesus Chat Room this Sunday we will be talking about a letter written by Francis de Sales to Madame des Gouffiers, written from Annecy on August 2, 1621, taken from Selected Letters of St. Francis de Sales.To prepare for our chat, please read the article, which is reproduced below, and review the questions at the end.Click for Living Jesus Chatroom  Photo by Debby Hudson on UnsplashI am afraid that if we go on like this, my very dear daughter, without either of us saying a word, your heart might learn to cease to love me, and indeed I would not like this, for as your dear friendship for me was the result of God’s will and nothing else, we must not let it die. And my friendship in God for you is ever alive and undying in my heart.Well now, as it seems to be the fashion these days for fathers to make the first move in friendship — say what you like, my dear daughter, but the fact is you are in the wrong. My letter was surely not so bitter that a sweet-tempered daughter could not have sweetened it; it was full of fatherly confidence. And I am quite prepared to admit that it was not without a certain rustic forthrightness, but need you take offence at this? You know very well the kind of country which produced me: can you expect delicate fruit from a mountain tree, and such a poor tree at that? Oh, so be it, then, think of me as you please in future, but I for my part will always be yours, I repeat, wholly yours; and if I can do nothing else for you, I shall not cease to prove this before God in the holy sacrifice I offer to his Goodness. O my daughter, my daughter, may God make the spirit of Jesus Christ crucified reign over us both, so that we may live according to that sovereign spirit which made me and keeps me eternally yours. And believe me that this heart of mine which lives in the midst of the snow-covered mountains and ice of my own infirmities never felt any coldness for my very dear daughter’s heart; my own misfortune is robbing me of this heart, but I prefer to lose it, provided God is not angered, rather than be found lacking in that holy sincerity which I vowed in the service of her soul, a soul which I could not flatter without betraying it, nor betray without causing its perdition; and this loss would be my affliction, for I love this daughter because I am, Her very humble Father and servant,Francis, Bishop of Geneva. Reflections: Why is failing to address an issue able make a problem worse between people?Are relationships only true when they have no issues, or based on how they resolve issues?What is wrong about being forthright? What is good about it?Do you think that St. Francis is deflecting in this letter and not taking seriously enough Madame de Gouffier’s concerns?How can we continually reconcile our relationship with God?This letter speaks of a certain unnamed disagreement between the two persons, and an attempt on the bishop’s part to make amends. Does it seem that he is going overboard in expressing his feelings to this woman? How would a bishop of today write to a woman about an issue like this?Does this letter sound a little like St. Paul writing to various Christian communities who were guilty of sins, but whom Paul wanted to win again for Christ? Is this a “carrot and stick” approach?We all know about family members who have a squabble and cease to speak to one another for years on end. How does this letter help us repair relationships between family and friends, or prevent these breakups from getting worse? Sign up for our Living Jesus Chat Room:Come to our Living Jesus Chat Room, 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM Eastern Time U.S. |