The Devout Life: Easy Sailing

Introduction to the Devout Life by Francis de Sales (Patron Saint of Journalists and Writers)

Translated with introduction by John K. Ryan

Published by Image Books

Reading Introduction to the Devout Life by Francis de Sales is like having your soul read by this fascinating Saint. It is written in letter form, addressed to Philothea, but as I read, I truly felt as though the Saint were addressing me personally. The depths of insight into the human soul that Francis de Sales exhibits strike to the very core of the reader. Not only is his simple style appealing, but his use of distinct imagery and metaphors conveys the truth in a digestible form that even the most novice reader can understand and endeavor to apply to his life. This astute Saint also beckons wisdom from Saints who came before him with meaningful quotes as well as examples of their lives which illustrate his advice in action. Francis has succeeded in putting on paper such indispensable wisdom, which ought to be required reading for RCIA and Confirmation classes. He has a most genius way of articulating universal experiences of the interior life—explicating seemingly ineffable notions that I have never been able to put into words myself. And it’s all here in this 333-page book, written 400 years ago, but how many today are remiss in never having heard of this tremendous, life-changing spiritual work. I hope to make more people aware of just how impactful this book can be in one’s life.

A first edition of Francis’ book appeared in 1609, with the final edition being printed in 1619. By 1656, the translator cites, the Introduction had been translated into seventeen different languages. This is a rare case where the Saint’s writings were indeed popular among his contemporaries. Keep in mind, this was also not long after the Reformation had begun, so a need for Catholic spiritual renewal was paramount. The conception for the book arose from his correspondence with one of his penitents, Mme. de Charmoisy, who was married to a relative of his. She shared his letters of spiritual direction with a Jesuit father, who suggested his advice be made available to the public. Francis got on board and minimally edited three editions to make them more applicable to a general audience. He is extremely humble throughout, but particularly in his Preface where he claims not to be devout and to only be sharing the collected wisdom of others. Also, it is interesting to note that his choice of name for his addressee is fittingly Philothea, whose Greek root means love (philo-) of God (theo- feminized to thea-). It is a general term for any soul who reads the book, since pursuing the devout life entails a deep love and desire for God. The translator, John K. Ryan, notes that the power of this book is attested to by the fact that King Charles I ordered all the copies in England to be seized and burned in 1637. 

As far as the structure of the book is concerned, it made my soul sing. A well-ordered book can go a long way in helping the reader comprehend the subject matter. It is divided into 5 parts, with 119 short chapters with felicitous headings. Actually, the order is somewhat reminiscent of the current Catechism of the Catholic Church, especially due to the frequent references to Scripture and to the words and lives of the Saints. The Introduction is extremely easy to navigate, especially when returning after an initial reading, as one will, to refresh on a certain difficulty. As Ryan writes in his introduction to the Introduction, Francis clearly lays out for the soul both “the theory and practice of the purgative way, the illuminative way, and the unitive way, the three levels of thought and conduct that are required for a completely moral and religious life.” 

Francis’ book was also quite the game-changer for his time because in large part, spiritual direction was reserved for clergy and religious. One could say the Introduction has served as a restoration of the universal call to holiness because he highlights the diversity of gifts which require Christians in various states of life to pursue the road to holiness in different, but equally meritorious ways. Francis’ tone throughout the book is that of a loving father, who draws the soul toward beauty, truth and goodness (especially with his poetic use of metaphor). Also, he is quick to express the undiluted Truth in admonishing bad tendencies and motives within the soul, which constitute the stagnant pool that breeds sin. But, it is always leveled with love and care. In some ways, this method recalls Dante’s use of the whip and the reign in the Purgatorio—urging souls onward with the beauty of virtue and keeping souls reigned in by sharing those bad qualities that prevent virtue and lead to spiritual death.

It is difficult to adequately give any type of summary of this treasury due to it’s surpassing comprehensiveness. The more fruitful route may be to simply give a taste of the sweetness of Francis’ writing so people will desire to read more for themselves. I would like to give some examples of Francis’ metaphors because they are far too beautiful and powerful to simply paraphrase or allude to. First of all, I found the most striking example to be when he gives a whole new meaning to the Biblical laboring in the vineyard: 

“Amid the difficulties you meet in the exercise of devotion, remember the words of our Lord: ‘A woman about to give birth has great sorrow, but when she has brought forth her child, she no longer remembers the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world.’ Within your soul you have Jesus Christ, the most precious child in the world, and until he is entirely brought forth and born you cannot help suffering from your labor. But be of good heart for these sorrows will pass and everlasting joy will remain with you for having brought forth such a man into the world. He will be wholly brought forth for you when you have wholly formed him in your heart and deeds by imitating his life.”

Furthermore, Francis gives a lovely idea of a Spiritual Bouquet that differs from the common use of the term today, which infers prayers we offer God as a spiritual gift to someone else. He writes about this spiritual bouquet which we ought to gather from the garden of spiritual meditation and prayer:

“You must gather a little devotion bouquet . . . People who have been walking about in a beautiful garden do not like to leave without gathering in their hands four or five flowers to smell and keep for the rest of the day. In the same way, when our soul has carefully considered by meditation a certain mystery we should select one, two, or three points that we liked best and that are most adapted to our improvement, think frequently about them, and smell them spiritually during the rest of the fay. This is done in the place where we meditated, either remaining there alone or walking by ourselves for some time.”

All in all, this book is a brilliant window into the workings of the soul, which are often neglected in the hustle and bustle of today’s world. St. Francis adamantly tells all his readers, we Philothea’s that no matter the level of external activity required of us in life, it is possible and indeed vital that we embark on this journey of spiritual growth. St. Francis himself had many duties to fulfill, and he tells us of St. Catherine of Siena who lived a very busy life, but she learned to create an inner prayer cell in her heart, which was simply a constant awareness of the presence of God. This cell can be a source of strength that is necessary to fulfill our earthly duties, and we must remember that all our duties on earth need to be oriented toward God, even if it seems to be simple housework or the meanest of occupations. Everything in life can be offered to Jesus, who was a carpenter Himself for the majority of His life. Francis writes that we must seek grace in prayer, both communal and private, and the Sacraments if we are to make any attempts at living life in God. Perseverance in prayer and continual repentance are key to Francis’ entreaty  for us to practice the universal Christian call to holiness. I will leave you will some of his final words to Philothea in the Introduction:

“Perform these exercises confidently . . . and God will give you sufficient leisure and strength to perform all your other duties. Yes, even though he should have to make the sun stand still for you, as he did for Joshua. We always do enough when God works with us.”