The Introduction to the Devout Life is now a spiritual classic and a “must-read” for Catholics wanting to grow in their faith and devotion. How could it be, then, that St. Francis is surprised by its rising “success”?What do you think about the fact that the book originally started out as just a compilation of notes and reflections instead of something meticulously planned and organized?Related to that, when we read great works from saints, we tend to view them in a vacuum, and we forget about the process they had to go through to produce those works. It helps make the saints more human, so to speak. How can knowing this make the works more meaningful?Saint Francis was clearly writing his books for the spiritual edification of his readers. Today, especially, it is easy to focus on how successful a book will be and how much revenue it’ll generate, sometimes that determines whether a book will see the light of day. How can an author today strike the balance between writing something meaningful and simultaneously desiring/expecting some “success” from it?Saint Francis expresses gratitude to the Monseigneur for his feedback, constructive criticism, etc. What is it like seeing a saint talk about their need for growth and us realizing their saintliness was a process and not just a state of being they inherited?If you have read the Introduction to the Devout Life, how does it strike you? Do you find it helpful and relevant to your life today? What do you think about his frequent use of metaphors from nature, such as bees and honey, and his profound understanding of biblical texts?
q he Introduction to the Devout Life is now a spiritual classic and a “must-read” for Catholics wanting to grow in their faith and devotion. How could it be, then, that St. Francis is surprised by its rising “success”?
Feb 2, 4:33 PM
Rhodylyn (Guest): I think for him he was merely giving counsels to people who needed them.
Feb 2, 4:34 PMRuth (Guest): It was just disconnected notes written for a sister he met with quite often at the time.
eb 2, 4:35 PMSrSusan (Guest): It was actually written to a married woman Mrs Charmoisy I think is her name, sort of a relative of his, letters that was turned into a book
eb 2, 4:36 PM
Ruth (Guest): Oh yes.
Feb 2, 4:36 PM
Rhodylyn (Guest): This book is timeless.
Feb 2, 4:37 PM
Ruth (Guest): But then he was urged to put it together as a book.
Feb 2, 4:37 PM
SrSusan (Guest): Yes that’s right, by a priest I think
eb 2, 4:39 PM
SrSusan (Guest): q when we read great works from saints, we tend to view them in a vacuum, and we forget about the process they had to go through to produce those works. It helps make the saints more human, so to speak. How can knowing this make the works more meaningful?
Feb 2, 4:42 PM
Rhodylyn (Guest): We get to realize how God can really move in us inour own journey.
eb 2, 4:42 PM
Ruth (Guest): The circumstances under which any book is written always contributes to its meaningfullness
Feb 2, 4:43 PM
Ruth (Guest): It also helps us, in this case, to understand why many details could be left out.
Feb 2, 4:43 PM
SrSusan (Guest): Interesting points. I have never written a book but I did have one article published many years ago Those circumstances in its development seemed almost supernatural to me
Feb 2, 4:44 PMRhodylyn (Guest): Yes. We are surprised by the outcome.
eb 2, 4:44 PMRuth (Guest): He knew that clarification could be left to a face to face time with the woman
eb 2, 4:46 PM
Ruth (Guest): Tell us about your article, Sister. I thought you had many articles written, including on this website.
Feb 2, 4:46 PM
Ruth (Guest): Hi Dawn.
Feb 2, 4:47 PM
SrSusan (Guest): I am taking about one published in All About Issues a pro life mag in 1991 or so. It was on the Visitation as being the best example of pro life in the Bible. I was reading Luke and it is as if the words turned golden and this insight came.
Feb 2, 4:46 PM
Ruth (Guest): Tell us about your article, Sister. I thought you had many articles written, including on this website.
Feb 2, 4:46 PM
Ruth (Guest): Hi Dawn.
Feb 2, 4:47 PM
SrSusan (Guest): I am taking about one published in All About Issues a pro life mag in 1991 or so. It was on the Visitation as being the best example of pro life in the Bible. I was reading Luke and it is as if the words turned golden and this insight came.
Feb 2, 4:47 PM
SrSusan (Guest): I did adapt it for this website It was called When Does Life Begin?
Feb 2, 4:49 PM
SrSusan (Guest): https://visitationspirit.org/2019/01/the-visitation-proclaims-life-in-the-womb-2/
The Visitation Proclaims Life in the Womb! | Visitation Spirit
Feb 2, 4:49 PM
Dawn (Guest): oh thank you
Feb 2, 4:49 PM
Ruth (Guest): Which passage, sister, turned golden?
eb 2, 4:50 PMSrSusan (Guest): Chapter 1, Verses 39 to 45
eb 2, 4:50 PMSrSusan (Guest): I was a novice at the time. Nothing like that ever happened again
Feb 2, 4:52 PMSrSusan (Guest): q Saint Francis was clearly writing his books for the spiritual edification of his readers. Today, especially, it is easy to focus on how successful a book will be and how much revenue it’ll generate, sometimes that determines whether a book will see the light of day. How can an author today strike the balance between writing something meaningful and simultaneously desiring/expecting some “success” from it?
Feb 2, 4:53 PMRuth (Guest): Yes, sister, good observation, or gift from God. I wonder if we have any idea how long it took Mary to go to Elizabeth’s house. It’s interesting that St. Thomas Aquinas didn’t make this connection himself as far as I know since he thought that human life began around the time of quickening that is when the mother feels the child in her womb. And he even thought that that timing was a little different between boys and girls
Feb 2, 4:55 PM
Dawn (Guest): interesting, Ruth
Feb 2, 4:55 PM
Rhodylyn (Guest): One priest says it must have taken her days.
Feb 2, 4:56 PM
SrSusan (Guest): I was just reading about a Greek Orthodox set of brothers making an iconography documentary for religious purposes yet hoping for success
Feb 2, 4:57 PM
SrSusan (Guest): So any kind of works may have both goals, I think
eb 2, 4:58 PMRhodylyn (Guest): Success in such a way you were able to reach your target audience. Not just monetary.
eb 2, 4:59 PM
Ruth (Guest): I think it is important to have a clear idea of what you mean by success. Evidently Saint Francis sales wrote out of his own life experience and prayer life and what he Hegleaned from his Bible studies and reflections. Nowadays, there are even people making money by “writing” books about things they know nothing at all about, just using AI and a template, able to gather information from the internet without it even passing through there own minds! And they make money with it!
Feb 2, 5:01 PM
Dawn (Guest): something lacking in that process!
eb 2, 5:01 PMRhodylyn (Guest): It boils down to your purpose
Feb 2, 5:02 PM
Ruth (Guest): Yes, Rhodylyn.
Feb 2, 5:02 PM
SrSusan (Guest): Ruth’s example seems like to point to a monetary goal or one that is favorable to the writers reputation
Feb 2, 5:03 PM
SrSusan (Guest): sounds like cheating for success
Feb 2, 5:03 PM
Rhodylyn (Guest): Yes. That seems to be the way of the world nowadays.
Feb 2, 5:04 PM
Ruth (Guest): For financial success. the programs and temples even “know” what is likely to sell.
Feb 2, 5:05 PM
Ruth (Guest): It is interesting that reputable ,
Feb 2, 5:05 PM
Dawn (Guest): they can not re create with Al and templates a work that is infused by the Holy Spirit
Feb 2, 5:05 PM
Ruth (Guest): respected people encouraged SFdS.
eb 2, 5:06 PM
SrSusan (Guest): Yes to both
Feb 2, 5:06 PM
SrSusan (Guest): q Saint Francis expresses gratitude to the Monseigneur for his feedback, constructive criticism, etc. What is it like seeing a saint talk about their need for growth and us realizing their saintliness was a process and not just a state of being they inherited?
Feb 2, 5:06 PM
Rhodylyn (Guest): Something spiritual can only be understood by that of the Spirit.
Feb 2, 5:06 PM
SrSusan (Guest): q Saint Francis expresses gratitude to the Monseigneur for his feedback, constructive criticism, etc. What is it like seeing a saint talk about their need for growth and us realizing their saintliness was a process and not just a state of being they inherited?
Feb 2, 5:06 PM
Rhodylyn (Guest): Something spiritual can only be understood by that of the Spirit.
Feb 2, 5:07 PM
Rhodylyn (Guest): You just admire such humility.
Feb 2, 5:07 PM
Ruth (Guest): Dawn, I seriously doubt it. But look at how the Holy Spirit manages to reach us now through good Catholic online programs, preachers and even these chats.
Feb 2, 5:08 PM
Dawn (Guest): Yes, he moves where he will!
Feb 2, 5:09 PM
Rhodylyn (Guest): He becomes an inspiration to us who are striving to live holy.
eb 2, 5:10 PM
Dawn (Guest): a true treasure we can read things all the Saints wrote. a
Feb 2, 5:10 PM
SrSusan (Guest): It shows it is possible to grow to holiness yes each one of us
eb 2, 5:11 PM
Rhodylyn (Guest): The Introduction to the Devout Life is the road map to holiness.
Feb 2, 5:12 PM
SrSusan (Guest): and like you say, humility is a virtue not only to admire but strive for
Feb 2, 5:13 PM
Rhodylyn (Guest): It’s a book you have to read again and again. He makes practical suggestions on how to conduct our daily lives.
Feb 2, 5:14 PM
Ruth (Guest): What is humility? I am inclined to think that it is being face to face with reality, seeing oneself as nearly as possible as God does.
Feb 2, 5:14 PM
SrSusan (Guest): yes and that flows into the question you are answering: If you have read the Introduction to the Devout Life, how does it strike you? Do you find it helpful and relevant to your life today?
Feb 2, 5:15 PM
Ruth (Guest): Very much so!
Feb 2, 5:16 PM
Rhodylyn (Guest): Very relevant because it is for any state of life you are in.
Feb 2, 5:16 PM
Ruth (Guest): BUT it is important to realize that the more you strive for holiness in this present age, the more likely you may be to find yourself standing alone.
Feb 2, 5:17 PM
SrSusan (Guest): and for an “introduction” it is more advanced than many Catholics are ready for today
eb 2, 5:17 PM
Rhodylyn (Guest): He advices to pray for a Spiritual Director too. Someone who will walk with you.
Feb 2, 5:19 PM
Rhodylyn (Guest): Not everyone finds one but I think a good faith community is also helpful.
eb 2, 5:19 PMRuth (Guest): Yes, that is so important, and since Sr. Charlotte Keith died I have not found another physically close enough to sit and chat with although this site, and the friends/sisters we make here help a lot.
eb 2, 5:20 PM
SrSusan (Guest): was Sister your director then
Feb 2, 5:21 PM
SrSusan (Guest): Sometimes one is given one main director in life and sometimes more
Feb 2, 5:22 PM
Ruth (Guest): Yes. For a few years. she had taken a couple of courses in SpiritItual Direction at a place in Clearwater Florida.
Feb 2, 5:22 PM
Ruth (Guest): She had several directees.
Feb 2, 5:24 PMRuth (Guest): She was a Sister of Mercy, grew up right around here. Her whole extended family became sort of a family to me.
eb 2, 5:24 PM
SrSusan (Guest): that’s a beautiful gift
Feb 2, 5:26 PM
Dawn (Guest): yes it is ….
eb 2, 5:26 PM
SrSusan (Guest): last q What do you think about his frequent use of metaphors from nature, such as bees and honey, and his profound understanding of biblical texts?
Feb 2, 5:28 PM
Dawn (Guest): it teaches us we can see and learn much just beig in nature often. it encouraged me
Feb 2, 5:28 PMRhodylyn (Guest): I find his language so sweet. Very pure and profound. I loved the way he used Jacob’s ladder to explain the Devout life.
Feb 2, 5:29 PMSrSusan (Guest): creative too
Feb 2, 5:29 PMRhodylyn (Guest): Totally inspired.