St Francis de Sales on “detachment”

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A good virtue to have during COVID lockdown! From St Francis de Sales in “Treatise on the Love of God”:

That Holy Indifference Extends To All Things

Indifference is to be practised in things belonging to the natural life, as in health, sickness, beauty, deformity, weakness, strength: in the affairs of the spiritual life, as in dryness, consolations, relish, aridity; in actions, in sufferings, briefly, in all sorts of events.

Job, in his natural life was struck with the most horrible sores that ever eye beheld, in his civil life he was scorned, reviled, contemned, and that by his nearest friends; in his spiritual life he was oppressed with languors, oppression, convulsions, anguish, darkness, and with all kinds of intolerable interior griefs, as his complaints and lamentations bear witness.

The great Apostle proclaims to us a general Indifference; to show ourselves the true servants of God, in much patience, in tribulation, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in prisons, in seditions, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; in chastity; in knowledge, in long-suffering, in sweetness, in the Holy Ghost, in charity unfeigned, in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armour of justice on the right hand and on the left, through honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown and yet known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastised and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as needy, yet enriching many; as having nothing, and possessing all things. (2 Cor. 6:4-10)

Take notice, I pray you, Theotimus, how the life of the Apostles was filled with afflictions: in the body by wounds, in the heart by anguish, according to the world by infamy and prisons, and in all these, - O God! what Indifference they had! Their sorrow is joyous, their poverty rich, their death life-giving, their dishonour honourable, that is, they are joyful for being sad, content to be poor, strengthened with life amid the dangers of death, and glorious in being made vile, because - such was the will of God. And whereas the will of God was more recognized in sufferings than in the actions of virtues, he ranks the exercise of patience first, saying: But in all things let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in tribulation, in necessities, in distresses: and then, towards the end, in chastity, in knowledge, in long-suffering.

In like manner our divine Saviour was incomparably afflicted in his civil life, being condemned as guilty of treason against God and man; beaten, scourged, reviled, and tormented with extraordinary ignominy; in his natural life, dying in the most cruel and sensible torments that heart could conceive; in his spiritual life enduring sorrows, fears, terrors, anguish, abandonment, interior oppressions, such as never had, nor shall have, their like. For though the supreme portion of his soul did sovereignly enjoy eternal glory, yet love hindered this glory from spreading its delicious influence into the feelings, or the imagination, or the inferior reason, leaving thus his whole heart at the mercy of sorrow and distress.
 
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Im a novice when it comes to developing the interior spiritual life, but wanted to share this quote:

"In creating the world in which God has placed us He has endowed it with a beauty, perceived through our various senses, which is but a meager reflection of His own infinite Beauty.

He intends that we enjoy this beauty as a way of leading us to Him, not to seek it for itself.

If we are attached to what is finite we will be unable to enter into the transforming union of the infinite – Divine Beauty."

Sister Mary Colombiere, O.C.D. https://carmelitesistersocd.com/2012/spiritual-detachment/

I take it then, that we are to put to death or mortify our attachemnts to the things of this world, yet he placed beauty all around us, and I look to created beauty to reflect God to me.

Shall I love no other person either, as that would keep me from being free to fly to God?

Is my mother, my father, my sister, my brother all forms of hinderence to being one with God?

Can you possibly actually love one another while being detatched?

Just an add on to the concept of detatchemnt from the OP…
 
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Yes, having good detachment is certainly a very subtle business, especially because sin is a misuse of good things! It certainly isn’t “apathy”! I have always admired the story I heard about St. Ignatius of Loyola which quotes him as having said that should the Society of Jesuits be disbanded he would need 15 minutes of prayer in order to reconcile himself to it.
 
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St Ignatius also makes basically the same points on detachment as St Francis de Sales did in his “Spiritual Exercises” at number 23:

Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul. The other things on the face of the earth are created for man to help him in attaining the end for which he is created. Hence, man is to make use of them in as far as they help him in the attainment of his end, and he must rid himself of them in as far as they prove a hindrance to him. Therefore, we must make ourselves indifferent to all created things, as far as we are allowed free choice and are not under any prohibition. Consequently, as far as we are concerned, we should not prefer health to sickness, riches to poverty, honor to dishonor, a long life to a short life. The same holds for all other things. Our one desire and choice should be what is more conducive to the end for which we are created.
 
Thanks Tom for sharing. Its nice to read what you have posted.
 
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Recently, my spiritual director talked to me about how he allows himself to be a little bit hungry or tired if its necessary to further the Gospel.

He mentioned that the chair he was sitting in was uncomfortable, but declined my offer to find a more suitable chair for him.

He wanted to continue onwards with our discussion because he felt that a little bit of discomfort was worth the sacrifice, as his discussion with me was furthering the Gospel.

His true desire is to see me spiritually grow.

He said to me that he has learned to accept these little sacrifices, and this seemed to be indicative of his wanting me to learn this.

I expect that the annoyance of hunger pains which he had as well, these can be dealt with by detatching?
 
How much do you mortify or deny the flesh though?

When is it too much, and one is not learning to be free from attachments so as to fly to God, but is ruining one’s chance of being successful due to ailing health?

At what point have you given up all sensory desires, even your eyes, so as to not be disturbed from total unification with God?
 
Yes, God certainly doesn’t ask us to perform works of penance and acts of self-denial to the point of ruining our health and not being able to carry out our duties of state worthily. Although having said that, God still asks us to keep great watchfulness over ourselves as 1 Peter 1:17 says: “you must be scrupulously careful as long as you are living away from your home.” Stories about Purgatory and What They Reveal makes a similar point:

The habitual remembrance of Purgatory keeps up the fervor of the just, rendering them more watchful over themselves, more attentive in the fulfillment of all their duties toward God, their neighbor, and themselves, more careful in the performance of the most trifling actions, in purifying their intention, and always acting for the greater glory of God.

The famous works on progressing in the spiritual life I have read (The Spiritual Life: A Treatise on Ascetical and Mystical Theology by Fr Adolphe Tanqueray; The Theology of Christian Perfection by Fr Antonio Royo Marín; The Ways of Mental Prayer by Dom Vitalis Lehodey) ask the Christian to not only avoid all mortal sin and deliberate venial sin but also all deliberate imperfections. The spiritual writers call for mortification/purification of the whole person:
  • purification of the body and the exterior senses (modesty of the body (dress, deportment etc) and mortification of all 5 senses (sight, hearing, taste and speech, touch and smell (including not wearing too much perfume for women (or cologne for men) as Fr Tanqueray notes!))
  • purification of the interior senses (imagination and memory)
  • purification of the passions (love, hatred, desire, aversion, joy and sadness, courage, fear, hope, despair, and anger)
  • purification of the higher faculties (the intellect and will)
  • purification involving victory over the 7 deadly sins, plus sanctification of our social relations (friendships etc)
  • progressing in the virtues of faith, hope, love, prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance etc
Obviously, how this is carried out in real life is finding a good spiritual director and following his advice, or if a good spiritual director cannot be found, asking (or should I say begging) God for His wisdom, and making prudential judgments based on prayer, reflection and study. Doing these things, plus the other means the Church most recommends for sanctification (regular or even daily attendance at Mass, daily examination of conscience and monthly Confession, daily rosary, spiritual communions and aspirations, morning and evening prayer, spiritual reading, mental prayer and lectio divina, grace before and after meals, devotion to Mary (including total consecration to Mary) and devotion to the Sacred Heart and Divine Mercy, devotion to the poor souls in Purgatory, praying the Liturgy of the Hours, practising the first Friday and first Saturday Devotions, being invested with the Brown Scapular as Mary requested in the Fatima apparitions, wearing the Miraculous Medal, monthly periods of recollection and yearly retreats, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, bearing wrongs patiently etc) I think would lead to excellent progress in prayer!
 
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This is what Fr Michael Gaitley says about spiritual directors in Consoling the Heart of Jesus: (A Do-It-Yourself Retreat):

Regarding spiritual directors, I don’t think having one is absolutely necessary for spiritual growth. (If I were of that opinion, I probably wouldn’t have written a do-it-yourself retreat.) I don’t think they’re absolutely necessary, because I know many people who want a spiritual director but who, after a reasonable amount of prayer and effort to find one, still haven’t been able to. I don’t believe the Lord abandons them. For, while it’s a great, great gift to have a good spiritual director — a gift for which we should earnestly pray — the Lord can still lead souls to the heights of holiness without one if they strive to remain humble and confident in the Lord (if they stay on the Little Way). Saint Faustina surely strove for humility and trusted the Lord. Thus, she could write:

During those times I had no spiritual director; I was without any kind of guidance whatever. I begged the Lord, but He did not give me a director. Jesus Himself has been my Master from the days of my infancy up to the present moment. He accompanied me across all the deserts and through all dangers. I see clearly that God alone could have led me through such great perils unharmed. … Later on, the Lord did give me a director. (Diary of St Faustina, 108)
 
mary15 said:
He said to me that he has learned to accept these little sacrifices, and this seemed to be indicative of his wanting me to learn this.
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During the Fatima apparitions, Mary asked the 3 children (and all Christians through them) to pray and make sacrifices for sinners, as Francis Johnston notes in his book “Fatima, The Great Sign”:

“Pray, pray a great deal and make many sacrifices,” she said with a tender earnestness, “for many souls go to Hell because they have no one to make sacrifices and to pray for them.”

The Angel of Portugal also made the same request:

During the summer of that same year, while the children were resting from the heat one day under the shade of some fig trees by a well in Lucia’s garden, the angel suddenly stood by them a second time. “What are you doing?” he exclaimed in a tone of gentle admonition, “you must pray. You must pray a great deal. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary have designs of mercy on you. Offer up prayers and sacrifices constantly to the Most High.” Lucia asked him how they were to make sacrifices and the angel answered: “Make everything you do a sacrifice and offer it to God in reparation for the countless sins by which He is offended and in supplication for the conversion of sinners. In this way, you will bring peace to your country. I am its Guardian Angel, the Angel of Portugal. Above all, accept and bear with submission all the sufferings which the Lord may send you.”

The words of the angel illumined the souls of the three children “like a light which made us understand who and what God really is, how much He loves us and wishes to be loved,” as Lucia wrote many years later. “The value of sacrifice now, for the first time, became clear to us. Suddenly we knew its appeal to God and its power to convert sinners. From that day on we began to offer to God all that mortified us, all that was difficult or unpleasant. And we also spent hour after hour, prostrate upon the ground, repeating the angel’s prayer over and over again.”
 
The other advantages of progressing in the spiritual life is that the Christian begins to become “passionless” just like God, who doesn’t suffer from fear, anger or sadness, etc but is always in a state of continual joy. So the Christian who has progressed in the spiritual life does not suffer from fear, anger or sadness, etc (except for “first movements” of these passions which can be immediately supressed and are not sins in themselves) but is always in a state of continual joy, just like God! Even pain is sweet to them, as they can say with St Therese of Lisieux on her death bed: “I have reached the point of not being able to suffer any more, because all suffering is sweet to me.” St Alphonsus Liguori in his “Sunday Sermons” makes a similar point:

”Whatsoever shall befall the just man, it shall not make him sad." (Prov. xii. 21.) A soul that loves God is not disturbed by any misfortune that may happen to her. Cesarius relates (lib. x., c. vi.), that a certain monk who did not perform greater austerities than his companions, wrought many miracles. Being astonished at this, the abbot asked him one day what were the works of piety which he practised. He answered, that he was more imperfect than the other monks; but that his sole concern was to conform himself to the divine will. Were you displeased, said the abbot, with the person who injured us so grievously a few days ago? No, father, replied the monk; I, on the contrary, thanked God for it; because I know that he does or permits all things for our good. From this answer the abbot perceived the sanctity of the good religious. We should act in a similar manner under all the crosses that come upon us. Let us always say: ”Yea, Father; for so hath it seemed good in thy sight." (Matt. xi. 26.) Lord, this is pleasing to thee, let it be done.

He that acts in this manner enjoys that peace which the angels announced at the birth of Jesus Christ to men of good will that is, to those whose wills are united to the will of God. These, as the Apostle says, enjoy that peace which exceeds all sensual delights. “The peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding." (Phil. iv. 7.) A great and solid peace, which is not liable to change. “A holy man continueth in wisdom like the sun; but a fool is changing like the moon.” (Eccl. xxvii 12.) Fools that is, sinners are changed like the moon, which increases today, and grows less on tomorrow; Today they are seen to laugh through folly, and tomorrow, to weep through despair; Today they are humble and meek, tomorrow, proud and furious. In a word, sinners change with prosperity and adversity; but the just are like the sun, always the same, always serene in whatever happens to them. In the inferior part of the soul they cannot but feel some pain at the misfortunes which befall them; but, as long as the will remains united to the will of God, nothing can deprive them of that spiritual joy which is not subject to the vicissitudes of this life. “Your joy no man shall take from you." (John xvi. 22.)
 
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mary15 said:
At what point have you given up all sensory desires, even your eyes, so as to not be disturbed from total unification with God?
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I pray the Prayer of Simplicity (also know as the prayer of the “simple gaze”) each day for 25min-30mins which is a silent prayer of a simple look of love with God (ie I’m looking at God with the “eyes of faith” and God is looking at me but there is nothing forced about it) I just sit in silence. Also, in terms of timings for each stage of prayer, I was saying vocal prayers, the Rosary, mental prayer, praying before the Blessed Sacrament and praying the Liturgy of the Hours for around 14 years before I started praying the Prayer of Simplicity. And I would highly recommend these books for mental prayer:

Divine Intimacy by Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen

https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Intim...1587476946&sprefix=divine+inti,aps,375&sr=8-1

The 7 volume set, In Conversation With God by Francis Fernandez Carvajal

https://www.amazon.com/Conversation...-f96e7b0f409c&text=Francis+Fernandez+Carvajal

Also, there is a gradual progression in prayer which starts with vocal prayer and ends in the higher forms of contemplation. This is the article on contemplation from the Catholic Encylopedia (CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Contemplation):

First of all, a word as to ordinary prayer, which comprises these four degrees:
  • vocal prayer;
  • meditation, also called methodical prayer, or prayer of reflection, in which may be included meditative reading;
  • affective prayer;
  • prayer of simplicity, or of simple gaze.
Higher contemplation

There are four degrees or stages of mystical union. They are here taken just as St. Teresa has described them with the greatest clearness in her “Life” and principally in her “Interior Castle”:
  • incomplete mystical union, or the prayer of quiet (from the Latin quies, quiet; which expresses the impression experienced in this state);
  • the full, or semi-ecstatic, union, which St. Teresa sometimes calls the prayer of union (in her “Life” she also makes use of the term entire union, entera unión, ch. xvii);
  • ecstatic union, or ecstasy; and
  • transforming or deifying union, or spiritual marriage (properly) of the soul with God.
 
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Hi TominAdelaide,

I’ve been enjoying your posts! Very informative! Thank you! I was wondering, in all your reading, have you read the answer to this question–

I know purgatory is for the purification of sins and attachments but, if we die without reaching these degrees of mystical union, do we have to go through them step by step in purgatory? Or is it more a case of–

–the stage of spiritual maturity and closeness to union with God that we reach at death, (even if we are still in the purgative or illuminative way) that is where we spend our eternity?

Thanks!
 
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@TominAdelaide what bible version are you using for your quote?

" 1 Peter 1:17 says: “you must be scrupulously careful as long as you are living away from your home.”

I found the same bible verse on the united states conference of catholic bishops, and it does not use the term “scrupulously” at all.

Check their quote for yourself here:

“Now if you invoke as Father him who judges impartially according to each one’s works, conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning realizing that you were ransomed from your futile conduct, handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb.”

In this USCCB, the term on how one should conduct oneself is with reverence, not at all with being scrupulous.

http://www.usccb.org/bible/1peter/1

Again, please list the bible version that you are quoting.
 
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TominAdelaide said:
Divine Intimacy by Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen
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Dear Tom,

I checked the reviews of this book on amazon, and it sounds like a most excellent book!

It would be what I am seeking:

“It is the Carmelite spirituality of St. Theresa of Avila, St. Therese of Liseux, St. John of the Cross, and others. A wonderful book for contemplative prayer”

Others posted that the pages are sewn in and there are 2 sewn in ribbons to mark ones place, and the pages are gold edged.

And the bonded leather is a real bonus for me as well as the above.

this is going on my wish list for sure!!
 
@TominAdelaide What do you mean that you sit without words and love God in your quiet time?

Are you just being alone in front of God, and He is looking at you and you are looking at Him and are you trying to bear it because it’s so hard to be still and not hide from His gaze/presence?

Also:
TominAdelaide said:
Make everything you do a sacrifice
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How does this happen? For example, is washing the dishes or doing the ironing a sacrifice? What is meant by doing everything as a sacrifice?
TominAdelaide said:
Offer up prayers and sacrifices
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What sacrifices are you to offer up to god on a daily basis?

I will get it if you use simple and easy to understand examples of real-life we all experience on a daily basis.

I am only guessing that what is meant is that we offer up all the things we deny ourselves, that we mortify or put to death, such as denying ourselves the pleasure of feeling sorry for ourselves and pushing onwards through physical pain, to achieve the greater good of that day, which for example could be simply praying, or even more, volunteering to help others?!

Help!
 
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Hi Mary15,

I’ve often heard the saints teach that, in addition to offering up things we deny ourselves (as a sacrifice), we can also offer up any work at all, as well as our pains and struggles of course. More recently, I’ve begun to be able to do this a little bit more than I could before. I hate to do the dishes! I mean, I really hate it! It’s my least favorite chore. So lately, I’ve been able to say a short prayer before I start, like, “O God, I offer you this work, for the conversion of souls!” Or something similar. I’ve also been trying to say a short prayer before shaving and doing my wash. I find that it gives the work more meaning and takes away my dislike of it a little. I am trying to trust that this little prayer infuses the act with love, as the saints teach.

Hope this helps!
 
mary15 said:
@TominAdelaide what bible version are you using for your quote?

" 1 Peter 1:17 says: “you must be scrupulously careful as long as you are living away from your home.”
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Hi Mary, I came across this quote in the Liturgy of the Hours from the Universalis app on my iPhone. Universalis also has the Liturgy of the Hours for each day on their website. The quote is the scripture reading for Afternoon Prayer for Monday, week 1 in Ordinary Time, Year: C(I), Psalm week: 1 on 14 January 2019:


At the bottom of the page it says the scripture readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible:

Scripture readings taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers.

From Wikipedia:

The Jerusalem Bible is the basis of the lectionary for mass used in Catholic worship throughout England, Wales, and the majority of the English-speaking world outside the United States and Canada, though the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has approved other translations for conditional liturgical use.

 
mary15 said:
What sacrifices are you to offer up to god on a daily basis?

I will get it if you use simple and easy to understand examples of real-life we all experience on a daily basis.
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Yes, it’s nothing too complicated just offering up our daily life with it’s joys and sorrows and performing acts of charity whatever they may be. These would include the mortifications you and tommy37 mention, doing household chores and cleaning the house. Other things for me include lifting weights, catching a cold or the flu, breaking or losing things. I put my back out last year, another thing to offer up. Offering up bad weather, difficulties at work, having to change plans at the last minute. Having to stay at home because of the COVID lockdown is another mortification! None of my family are Christians (Mum, Dad, 3 sisters and a brother) so that is a trial for me. In terms of bigger trials, I had a drinking problem for 16 years. When I was 24, (I’m 42 now) I had clinical depression, that was truly an immense trial! I have also had 2 suicide attempts (thankfully I wasn’t successful and was able to repent and confess these sins in confession). I also suffered from an anxiety disorder, although thankfully the Lord has shown me the meaning of Philippians 4:6: “Have no anxiety at all.” My eldest sister split up from her partner 4 years ago. They broke up when their child was 5, so having to watch my nephew grow up in a broken home has been a trial (he has just turned 9) (although thankfully I know God is watching over my nephew with His powerful hand so that is a great consolation). The trials I have mentioned are pretty much just the tip of the iceberg! I concur with St Ambrose in the quote below (from St Alphonsus Ligouri, “Sunday Sermons”):

As St. Ambrose remarks, the present life was given to us not for repose or enjoyment, but for labour and suffering, that by toils and pains we may merit Paradise. ”Hæc vita homini non ad quitem data est, sed ad laborem." (Serm. xliii.) Hence the same holy doctor says, that, though death is the punishment of sin, still the miseries of this life are so great, that death appears to be a relief rather than a chastisement: ”Ut mors remediuni videatur esse, non pœna.”

Although, thankfully, I can also say with St James:

Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials. (James 1:2)
 
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