An Introduction To The Devout Life

Written over 400 years ago, Introduction to the Devout Life is still one of the most popular books for those pursuing holiness. St. Francis de Sales explains how to turn that desire for sanctity into resolutions that yield grace-filled results. Themes include: Pursuing a devout life whole-heartedly Incorporating prayer and sacraments into a busy schedule Growing in virtue Battling wisely against temptation Making spiritual progress through daily, monthly, and yearly exercises Whether you are just beginning your spiritual journey or are more advanced in the spiritual life, you’ll be able to apply this timeless wisdom immediately. Let St. Francis de Sales illumine the path to holiness and strengthen your desire to walk that road with the Lord. St. Francis de Sales (1567–1622) was the Bishop of Geneva and a renowned spiritual director. Preaching during the Counter-Reformation, he is estimated to have converted 70,000 Calvinists in his short lifetime. He was a fervent proponent of the universal call to holiness and spent much of his time guiding lay people on the road to sanctity. Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX in 1877, St. Francis is still helping to form saints through his many writings, of which Introduction to the Devout Life is the most famous.

De Sales’ classic has been described as “a masterpiece of psychology, practical morality, and common sense” and, after The Bible and The Imitation of Christ, is the widest read spiritual book of all time. Unlike many others, Devout Life was written specifically for lay persons and it demonstrates a rare sensitivity to the demands of life in a world that is often antagonistic to spirituality. In this first-of-its-kind edition, Fr. John-Julian offers a fresh translation, a most thorough historical introduction, and notes explaining points of language and theology along the way.

A masterful updating of a classic work.St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622), bishop of Geneva and founder of the Visitation Order of nuns, was renowned for his teachings on spirituality. His masterpiece in the field of spiritual literature was "The Introduction to the Devout Life." Revolutionary in its day and noted for its charm, warmth, and clarity of language, it set forth a spirituality oriented toward life in the world, an approach quite different from that of St. Francis de Sales's contemporaries,who saw spiritual perfection as possible only in religious life.While the message of "The Introduction to Devout Life" is still valid today, the fact is that its expression is quite dated. In this book, as in "Bringing 'The Imitation of Christ' Into the 21st Cemtury," Father Meninger is not offering a new translation or paraphrase of a spiritual classic. Rather, he is attempting to express the teachings of the original in a wholly contemporary idiom. Father Meninger has not hesitated to change, omit, or add to the original where necessary, the better to highlight the heart and charisma of St. Francis de Sales's teachings.

Winner of a 2018 Catholic Press Association Award: First-Time Author, Spirituality Softcover (First Place) and a 2018 Association of Catholic Publishers Award: Inspirational (Second Place). For more than four-hundred years, Introduction to the Devout Life by Doctor of the Church St. Francis de Sales has been regarded as the essential guide to holiness and loving God. This spiritual classic takes on new life in Lift Up Your Heart, where Rev. John Burns has interpreted ten meditations for the modern reader and distilled them into a ten-day mini-retreat that can easily be completed in the midst of a busy life. This practical book goes right to the heart of helping you kick the habit of floating along on your spiritual journey to start actively pursuing holiness and devotion to God. During the course of the retreat, you'll learn the basics of forming a daily prayer routine, including how to offer yourself to God, meditate on his love, and maintain peace in the face of suffering and clarity in the midst of temptation. The meditations will help you: Adopt gratitude as a daily prayer practice. Examine and reorder your priorities and relationships to better reflect your love for God. Discern between good and evil in your life. Desire to love and serve as Jesus did. In a very real sense, Burns helps you take St. Francis de Sales as your spiritual director for ten days. As you do so, you’ll feel God’s fatherly love and restart your faith life, equipped with the tools to connect with God and live for heaven now.

Centuries ago, Francis de Sales–bishop of Geneva during the lifetime of many first generation Protestant Calvinists–wrote about the importance of having a spiritual director. Yet he later told his biographer such a person “would be difficult to find,” suggesting that in these circumstances, “We can look for guidance among the books of authors who are no longer living. Devotional books are our best Directors.” Today, de Sales serves as such a spiritual director to countless modern day believers, and his Introduction to the Devout Life is recognized as one of the truly great works of devotional literature. Originally written as a series of letters of religious guidance, this enduring book is filled with thoughtful spiritual illustrations and radiates with a warm humanity that touches people of all religious backgrounds. A classic masterpiece of spiritual writing, de Sales’ book is acknowledged to be among the top handful of guides to Christian living. No matter where readers are in their spiritual development–whether they are beginners or skilled theologians–this modern interpretation, an “honest paraphrase” of de Sales’ work, will gently guide them down the clearest path imaginable into a deeper and more authentic religious life.

St. Francis de Sales is famous in the Catholic world for his personality, as well as for his writings and other accomplishments. When he was being considered for beatification, 5,000 witnesses testified to his heroic virtues and miracles. The Calvinist minister of Geneva said of St. Francis de Sales: "If we honored any man as a Saint, I know none more worthy than this man since the days of the Apostles." Impr.

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Francis de Sales's Introduction to the Devout Life has remained a uniquely accessible and relevant treasure of devotion for nearly four hundred years. As Bishop of Geneva in the first quarter of the sevenjteenth century, Francis de Sales saw to the spiritual needs of everyone from the poorest peasants to court ladies. The desire to be closer to God that he found in people from all levels of society led him to compile these instructions on how to live in Christ. Francis's compassionate Introduction leads the reader through practical ways of attaining a devout life without renouncing the world and offers prayers and meditations to strengthen devotion in the face of temptation and hardship.