A Review of St. Francis de Sales' Introduction to the Devout Life

Introduction to the Devout Life was written by St. Francis de Sales in 1609 AD, a bishop in France, as a guide for the laity to grow in holiness, regardless of vocation.¹ This spiritual classic has remained a popular handbook for anyone wishing to attain Heaven. It is easy to read, with short chapters. The writing style is clear, authoritative, and pastoral, with a tendency to eloquent analogies. St. Francis was a man who believed that holiness was for everyone, not just those in Holy Orders.

“It is an error, a heresy even, to want to banish the devout life from the company of soldiers, the shops of artisans, the courts of princes, and the homes of married people.”²

The book is addressed to Philothea, a person desiring to live a devout life. His advice covers everything from nurturing the first desire to love God, to becoming confirmed in our practice of devotion. This work has five parts:

• Part I: Attaining a firm resolution to the devout life
• Part II: Prayer and the sacraments
• Part III: The practice of virtue (patience, meekness, humility, obedience, chastity, and poverty)
• Part IV: Some ordinary temptations and how to overcome them
• Part V: Renewing and confirming the soul in devotion

In Introduction to the Devout Life, he leads one through steps to orient oneself towards God. The goal is to help one be free of sin and the inclinations to sin. Some of the cautions given may find resistance in the current culture. For instance, in his suggestion that as we engage in dancing, we would do well to remember the souls groaning in Hell and our own death drawing near.³ Overall, however, he promotes an optimistic spirituality that looks to the inherent goodness of people, while recognizing our tendency to sin because of our fallen nature. He is compassionate in his encouragements and clear in his admonishments.

De Sales’ brilliance is in his ability to distill all of the foundational spiritual teachings of the Church and make it accessible for lay people desiring to grow in personal holiness. Modern readers will find appeal in De Sales’s insistence that a life of prayer “finds its ideal in the ordinary”. His instructions are clear and easily adapted to any walk of life. This timeless wisdom is immediately applicable to everyone, no matter where they may be in their spiritual journey.

“And when the road of holiness seems difficult to you, repeat after St. Francis of Assisi: ‘All the troubles and all the sufferings of this earth are as nothing compared to the blessings to come.’”⁴

 

¹ de Sales, Francis, _Introduction to the Devout Life_; (Rockford, IL, Tan Books and Publishers, Inc. 1990); xv.
² _Introduction to the Devout Life_; 12.
³ _Introduction to the Devout Life_; 242.
⁴ _Introduction to the Devout Life_; 354.