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Roses Among Thorns: Simple Advice for Renewing Your Spiritual Journey
St. Francis de Sales is widely regarded as one of the greatest spiritual advisors in the history of the Church, and we have drawn from his letters the wisest advice for those prepared to take the next step on their spiritual journey.
111 pages, Paperback
First published April 9, 2014
98 people are currently reading
460 people want to read
About the author
Francis de Sales
724 books242 followersFrancis de Sales, C.O., T.O.M., A.O.F.M. Cap. (French: François de Sales; Italian: Francesco di Sales) was a Bishop of Geneva and is honored as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. His father sent him to a good school when he was young, and he received spiritual formation from the Jesuits. After a disturbing spiritual fear of being condemned, he eventually resolved his problem and decided to dedicate his life to God in 1587. He became a doctor of law at the age of 24 at the Jesuit College of Clermont, Paris, and was ordained a priest by Bishop Claude de Granier and stationed in Geneva in 1593. He became bishop of Geneva in 1602.
Francis de Sales is the author of various collections of sermons on Mary, Lent, prayer and Christmastide. He was known as a spiritually understanding man as well as a friend of the poor. Though known for his great intellect and theological wisdom, he spoke with simplicity and earnestness, so that all could understand. An Introduction to the Devout Life, his best-loved work, is based on notes he wrote for a cousin for marriage, stressing that sanctity is possible in everyday life. He was canonized by Pope Alexander VII in 1665. His feast is celebrated on January 24.
Francis de Sales is the author of various collections of sermons on Mary, Lent, prayer and Christmastide. He was known as a spiritually understanding man as well as a friend of the poor. Though known for his great intellect and theological wisdom, he spoke with simplicity and earnestness, so that all could understand. An Introduction to the Devout Life, his best-loved work, is based on notes he wrote for a cousin for marriage, stressing that sanctity is possible in everyday life. He was canonized by Pope Alexander VII in 1665. His feast is celebrated on January 24.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
December 11, 2015
Profound little book. Great wisdom in short reflection-sized chapters covering everything from patience with oneself, depression, confidence amidst tribulation, dying, death of a loved one, fear, suffering, perseverance in prayer, pain, etc. Nice because you could read it one a day or just flip through it and read what you most need when you need it.
Sept 5, 2015: I am totally loving this little book and this GREAT ‘little’ saint for the profound simplicity of his wisdom. I just need to take one nugget of wisdom from this book each day to “chew on” and it is sufficient to keep my mind from falling back to worry or silliness. A true blessing!
Sept 5, 2015: I am totally loving this little book and this GREAT ‘little’ saint for the profound simplicity of his wisdom. I just need to take one nugget of wisdom from this book each day to “chew on” and it is sufficient to keep my mind from falling back to worry or silliness. A true blessing!
January 7, 2020
This book is gorgeous. St. Francis de Sales puts things in words I've never understood more plainly. Such a comforting and inspiring read. I plan to buy a physical copy.
September 1, 2015
Lovely book
Great book that teaches you to speak to God with your heart and not your lips. Loaded with methods and strategies
Great book that teaches you to speak to God with your heart and not your lips. Loaded with methods and strategies
March 7, 2015
Excellent short meditations on the spiritual life and growing closer to God. Reminded me of The Way and Proverbs, only longer meditations.
December 16, 2022
This was one of two books I was reading by Saint Francis de Sales in parallel. The other was along with the Ascension Catholic Classics Podcast and was Introduction to the Devout Life. This one I was reading as part of Father Mark Goring’s Saint Mark’s School or Reading. Both were excellent reads. It was also an exercise in patience reading only 1 or 2 of the reflections in this volume per day. The description of this book is:
“From the thousands of personal letters by St. Francis de Sales comes this short, practical guide that will develop in you the soul-nourishing habits that lead to sanctity.
St. Francis de Sales is widely regarded as one of the greatest spiritual advisors in the history of the Church, and we have drawn from his letters the wisest advice for those prepared to take the next step on their spiritual journey.”
The chapters in this volume are:
Foreword
Seasons of Life
Jesus the Gardener
Roses Among Thorns
Choosing Virtue
A Pattern of Devotion
Jesus in Our Heart
Peace of Soul and Humility
Christian Maturity
Oppressed in Conscience
Accepting God’s Will
The Visitation
Maintaining Peace of Soul
Loving God
Bearing Jesus
Bearing Our Crosses
Facing Temptation
The Burden of Work
Too Busy to Pray
Perseverance in Worship
Parents and Teachers
A Devout Life
Blessed Joseph
Imperfection
Confidence amid Tribulation
A Strong Heart
John the Baptist
Ordered Desires
Impatience or Self-Love
In the Desert
Christian Liberty
Perseverance in Prayer
Judge Your Feelings
Be Patient
Pardon Your Heart
A Time of Depression
Our Daily Bread
Oppressed by Pain
The Envy of the Angels
A Quiet Life
The Ascension
Not into Temptation
St. Peter in Chains
A Time of Fear
The Baptist amid the Thorns
God’s Vigilance
The Assumption
A Spiritual Vintage
Complaining
Beautiful Devotion
The Imagination in Prayer
The Peace of God
A Time of Illness
The Presence of God
A Time of Separation
The Death of a Loved One
Interior Desolation
Last Things
Prepare for Death
Dying
The Passage of Time
In the forward the Most Rev. James D. Conley, Bishop of Lincoln sates:
“I became a Catholic in 1975, and shortly after my conversion, I was given a copy of St. Francis de Sales’s Introduction to the Devout Life. The wisdom of this saint formed my spirituality and my early practice of the Faith. I still return to St. Francis de Sales and recommend his writings regularly to those beginning the path of discipleship.”
And also:
“Today, more than ever, Catholic men and women need clear instruction in the path of Christian discipleship. We have, unfortunately, lost many of the great practices of piety and devotion that form Catholic culture and Catholic conscience. There is beauty in mortification, in order, and in piety; and the work of St. Francis captures that beauty.
St. Francis de Sales gives direction in prayer, devotion, discernment, and mortification, in a way that can be understood and implemented in the midst of ordinary life. He understands clearly the movements of the soul, the affectations and temptations that draw us from Jesus Christ. He also understands the antidote. His work is a guidebook for anyone who seeks a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.
Roses Among Thorns offers newly translated meditations from the works of St. Francis de Sales that Catholic men and women — lay, clerical, or religious — can reflect on prayerfully. This book can be used as a devotional or in spiritual direction or in the sacrament of penance.
St. Francis de Sales understood that Christ is revealed as one heart speaks to another. I pray that the heart of the great saint, reflected in these meditations, will reflect to you the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ.”
A sample reflection is:
“Our Daily Bread
You say that you do nothing when you pray. Yet what do you desire beyond what you are doing, which is presenting to God your nothingness and misery?
The most effective appeal that beggars make is simply to place their open wounds and needs before us. Yet, you say, sometimes you do not even accomplish that, and you remain like a phantom or a statue. But even this is no small thing. In the palaces of princes and kings, statues are placed for no other purpose than for the prince to look upon them. Content yourself to be in God’s presence in that way; he will bring the statue to life when it pleases him to do so.
Trees require sunlight to bear fruit. Some do so earlier, others later, some annually, others only every third year, and none of them bears the same way as the others. We should be happy to be able to remain in the presence of God and be content that he will make us bear fruit sooner or later, either daily or now and then, according to his good pleasure.”
I highlighted over thirty passages my first time through this volume. A sampling of them are:
“Only in heaven will everything be springtime in its beauty, autumn in its fruitfulness, and summer in its ardor. There will be no winter there; but here winter is necessary for the work of abnegation and for the thousand minor but beautiful virtues that we exercise in a fallow time.”
“Do not be anxious. Rouse yourself to serve the Lord with steadfastness, attentiveness, and meekness. That is the true way to serve him. If you can refrain from trying to do all things, but instead attempt to do only some one thing, then you will do much.”
“Our task is to let our hearts be ever united to his, and our wills to his pleasure.”
“If you were able to stir your heart a little more deeply to the practice of meekness and true humility, you would be courageous. But you must frequently think of it. Prepare yourself to do so first thing each morning, and God will send you a thousand consolations.”
“There are three things we must do to be at peace: have a pure intention to desire the honor and glory of God in all things; do the little that we can unto that end, following the advice of our spiritual father; and leave all the rest to God’s care.”
“Humility makes us accept pains with meekness, knowing that we deserve them, and good things with gratitude, knowing that we do not.”
“It will surely come, that hour for which you long, on the day that sovereign providence has named in the secret of his mercy, and then it will come with thousands of secret consolations.”
“After having made this exercise two or three times, you can shorten or vary it as you find best, but you should frequently recall it by short aspirations.”
“It is better for you to assist at Mass every day than not to do so on the pretext of having more time to pray at home. It is better not only because the real presence of the humanity of our Lord cannot be replaced by his presence in our minds, but also because the Church strongly desires that we attend Mass. We can consider this desire as advice that to follow is a kind of obedience when we can do so rightly and, by our good example, be of use to others.”
“You must before all things observe the general commandments of God and of the Church, which are established for all faithful Christians, and without which it is not possible to have any devotion.”
“God desires from us more fidelity to the little things that he places in our power than ardor for great things that do not depend upon us.”
“Be patient with all, but especially with yourself. Do not trouble yourself about your imperfections. Always have the courage to pick yourself back up and begin again every day, for there is no better path to success in the spiritual life than always to begin again and never to think that you have done enough.”
“In order to be devout, not only must we want to do the will of God, we must do it joyfully.”
I hope those few quotes and sample meditation give you a feel for this volume. It is an excellent little read. It can be read through from beginning to end or flipped to random pages to read that specific reflection. Or used the list and pick and choose as they apply to your life at the moment. It is easy to see why this is a classic. It is a book that can be read again and again and each time the reader would benefit in a new way. A great read that I can easily recommend.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2022 Catholic Reading Plan!
“From the thousands of personal letters by St. Francis de Sales comes this short, practical guide that will develop in you the soul-nourishing habits that lead to sanctity.
St. Francis de Sales is widely regarded as one of the greatest spiritual advisors in the history of the Church, and we have drawn from his letters the wisest advice for those prepared to take the next step on their spiritual journey.”
The chapters in this volume are:
Foreword
Seasons of Life
Jesus the Gardener
Roses Among Thorns
Choosing Virtue
A Pattern of Devotion
Jesus in Our Heart
Peace of Soul and Humility
Christian Maturity
Oppressed in Conscience
Accepting God’s Will
The Visitation
Maintaining Peace of Soul
Loving God
Bearing Jesus
Bearing Our Crosses
Facing Temptation
The Burden of Work
Too Busy to Pray
Perseverance in Worship
Parents and Teachers
A Devout Life
Blessed Joseph
Imperfection
Confidence amid Tribulation
A Strong Heart
John the Baptist
Ordered Desires
Impatience or Self-Love
In the Desert
Christian Liberty
Perseverance in Prayer
Judge Your Feelings
Be Patient
Pardon Your Heart
A Time of Depression
Our Daily Bread
Oppressed by Pain
The Envy of the Angels
A Quiet Life
The Ascension
Not into Temptation
St. Peter in Chains
A Time of Fear
The Baptist amid the Thorns
God’s Vigilance
The Assumption
A Spiritual Vintage
Complaining
Beautiful Devotion
The Imagination in Prayer
The Peace of God
A Time of Illness
The Presence of God
A Time of Separation
The Death of a Loved One
Interior Desolation
Last Things
Prepare for Death
Dying
The Passage of Time
In the forward the Most Rev. James D. Conley, Bishop of Lincoln sates:
“I became a Catholic in 1975, and shortly after my conversion, I was given a copy of St. Francis de Sales’s Introduction to the Devout Life. The wisdom of this saint formed my spirituality and my early practice of the Faith. I still return to St. Francis de Sales and recommend his writings regularly to those beginning the path of discipleship.”
And also:
“Today, more than ever, Catholic men and women need clear instruction in the path of Christian discipleship. We have, unfortunately, lost many of the great practices of piety and devotion that form Catholic culture and Catholic conscience. There is beauty in mortification, in order, and in piety; and the work of St. Francis captures that beauty.
St. Francis de Sales gives direction in prayer, devotion, discernment, and mortification, in a way that can be understood and implemented in the midst of ordinary life. He understands clearly the movements of the soul, the affectations and temptations that draw us from Jesus Christ. He also understands the antidote. His work is a guidebook for anyone who seeks a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.
Roses Among Thorns offers newly translated meditations from the works of St. Francis de Sales that Catholic men and women — lay, clerical, or religious — can reflect on prayerfully. This book can be used as a devotional or in spiritual direction or in the sacrament of penance.
St. Francis de Sales understood that Christ is revealed as one heart speaks to another. I pray that the heart of the great saint, reflected in these meditations, will reflect to you the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ.”
A sample reflection is:
“Our Daily Bread
You say that you do nothing when you pray. Yet what do you desire beyond what you are doing, which is presenting to God your nothingness and misery?
The most effective appeal that beggars make is simply to place their open wounds and needs before us. Yet, you say, sometimes you do not even accomplish that, and you remain like a phantom or a statue. But even this is no small thing. In the palaces of princes and kings, statues are placed for no other purpose than for the prince to look upon them. Content yourself to be in God’s presence in that way; he will bring the statue to life when it pleases him to do so.
Trees require sunlight to bear fruit. Some do so earlier, others later, some annually, others only every third year, and none of them bears the same way as the others. We should be happy to be able to remain in the presence of God and be content that he will make us bear fruit sooner or later, either daily or now and then, according to his good pleasure.”
I highlighted over thirty passages my first time through this volume. A sampling of them are:
“Only in heaven will everything be springtime in its beauty, autumn in its fruitfulness, and summer in its ardor. There will be no winter there; but here winter is necessary for the work of abnegation and for the thousand minor but beautiful virtues that we exercise in a fallow time.”
“Do not be anxious. Rouse yourself to serve the Lord with steadfastness, attentiveness, and meekness. That is the true way to serve him. If you can refrain from trying to do all things, but instead attempt to do only some one thing, then you will do much.”
“Our task is to let our hearts be ever united to his, and our wills to his pleasure.”
“If you were able to stir your heart a little more deeply to the practice of meekness and true humility, you would be courageous. But you must frequently think of it. Prepare yourself to do so first thing each morning, and God will send you a thousand consolations.”
“There are three things we must do to be at peace: have a pure intention to desire the honor and glory of God in all things; do the little that we can unto that end, following the advice of our spiritual father; and leave all the rest to God’s care.”
“Humility makes us accept pains with meekness, knowing that we deserve them, and good things with gratitude, knowing that we do not.”
“It will surely come, that hour for which you long, on the day that sovereign providence has named in the secret of his mercy, and then it will come with thousands of secret consolations.”
“After having made this exercise two or three times, you can shorten or vary it as you find best, but you should frequently recall it by short aspirations.”
“It is better for you to assist at Mass every day than not to do so on the pretext of having more time to pray at home. It is better not only because the real presence of the humanity of our Lord cannot be replaced by his presence in our minds, but also because the Church strongly desires that we attend Mass. We can consider this desire as advice that to follow is a kind of obedience when we can do so rightly and, by our good example, be of use to others.”
“You must before all things observe the general commandments of God and of the Church, which are established for all faithful Christians, and without which it is not possible to have any devotion.”
“God desires from us more fidelity to the little things that he places in our power than ardor for great things that do not depend upon us.”
“Be patient with all, but especially with yourself. Do not trouble yourself about your imperfections. Always have the courage to pick yourself back up and begin again every day, for there is no better path to success in the spiritual life than always to begin again and never to think that you have done enough.”
“In order to be devout, not only must we want to do the will of God, we must do it joyfully.”
I hope those few quotes and sample meditation give you a feel for this volume. It is an excellent little read. It can be read through from beginning to end or flipped to random pages to read that specific reflection. Or used the list and pick and choose as they apply to your life at the moment. It is easy to see why this is a classic. It is a book that can be read again and again and each time the reader would benefit in a new way. A great read that I can easily recommend.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2022 Catholic Reading Plan!
July 7, 2014
Roses Among Thorns is the second book from St. Francis de Sales that has been recently released by Sophia Institute Press. The first was The Sign of the Cross. In this 100ish page book, the reader will find a series of 60 reflections drawn from the personal letters of St. Francis de Sales. Each reflection is 1-3 pages long, making this a quick read that you could tackle in a couple of hours. However, just because one can read a book in a few hours doesn't mean one should.
The premise of this book, as the title suggests, is that we Christians are supposed to be the roses among the thorns (the world). That phrase is repeated several times in his letter, along with other nature metaphors. It was hard to pick a favorite reflection of the 60 in this book, but the one that spoke to me at this point in my life was the sixteenth, "Facing Temptations." In this two page meditation St. Francis de Sales says, "Your temptations have returned, and although you have not said a word of consent to them, still they oppress you. You do not consent to them, and that is good, but you fear them too much. They would not be able to harm you if you did not fear them." He then uses an analogy of bees landing on his face, and instead of shooing them away, he left them alone (at the beekeeper's advice) and was not stung. For most sinners, especially ones who had habitual sins, St. Francis de Sales, encourages people to not be afraid of the temptation that will always be there, but to stand strong with God's help and resist the sin!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I have enough thick and deep books that look great on the shelf, but sometimes go over my head. It was nice to read a small book that still packed a punch. I know I will reference this again many times in the future, so it will have a special place on the bookshelf next to my bed. If you decide to buy this book, which I highly recommend, then take the time to read it slowly and let the wisdom permeate your mind. I wouldn't read more than one reflection a day. It will take you two months this way, but you'll feel richer doing so.
The premise of this book, as the title suggests, is that we Christians are supposed to be the roses among the thorns (the world). That phrase is repeated several times in his letter, along with other nature metaphors. It was hard to pick a favorite reflection of the 60 in this book, but the one that spoke to me at this point in my life was the sixteenth, "Facing Temptations." In this two page meditation St. Francis de Sales says, "Your temptations have returned, and although you have not said a word of consent to them, still they oppress you. You do not consent to them, and that is good, but you fear them too much. They would not be able to harm you if you did not fear them." He then uses an analogy of bees landing on his face, and instead of shooing them away, he left them alone (at the beekeeper's advice) and was not stung. For most sinners, especially ones who had habitual sins, St. Francis de Sales, encourages people to not be afraid of the temptation that will always be there, but to stand strong with God's help and resist the sin!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I have enough thick and deep books that look great on the shelf, but sometimes go over my head. It was nice to read a small book that still packed a punch. I know I will reference this again many times in the future, so it will have a special place on the bookshelf next to my bed. If you decide to buy this book, which I highly recommend, then take the time to read it slowly and let the wisdom permeate your mind. I wouldn't read more than one reflection a day. It will take you two months this way, but you'll feel richer doing so.
April 16, 2017
Excellent spiritual wisdom in a compact form.
This book reads more like a daily devotional of sorts, but I enjoyed the little nuggets of wisdom so much that I couldn't put it down.
St. Francis de Sales tackles various topics such as: life, death, suffering and temptation (and more) all while showing us the means to handle them in ways that bring us even closer to God.
I must say that one day in a time of great temptation, I opened the book and happened upon the page to his section called "Facing Temptation" and received great consolation. St. Francis de Sales said here:
As a hobby beekeeper myself, this made total sense and helped me with my day. Now I have this in my mind for future days.
This will become an important piece of my religious collection. I highly recommend this to anyone looking to fit some wisdom into their day in smaller doses.
This book reads more like a daily devotional of sorts, but I enjoyed the little nuggets of wisdom so much that I couldn't put it down.
St. Francis de Sales tackles various topics such as: life, death, suffering and temptation (and more) all while showing us the means to handle them in ways that bring us even closer to God.
I must say that one day in a time of great temptation, I opened the book and happened upon the page to his section called "Facing Temptation" and received great consolation. St. Francis de Sales said here:
"I was recently near some beehives, and some of the bees landed on my face. I wanted to shoo them away with my hand. 'No,' said the beekeeper, 'have no fear, and do not touch them; then they will not sting you. But should you touch them, you will indeed be stung.' I believed him and was not stung by a single one.
Believe me in turn: do not fear temptations, and do not touch them, and they will not offend you. Pass them by, and take no interest in them. In the end, no human remedy has proven capable of healing this injury, which causes you a pain that you must wisely transmute into a perpetual penance."
As a hobby beekeeper myself, this made total sense and helped me with my day. Now I have this in my mind for future days.
This will become an important piece of my religious collection. I highly recommend this to anyone looking to fit some wisdom into their day in smaller doses.
February 12, 2015
St Francis de Sales in my opinion is one of the greatest Doctors of the Church. This book is a good example. One passage the caught my attention most is section 38 The Envy of the Angels. He says "Why do the angels envy us? Truly, it is for no other reason than that we are able to suffer for out Lord, while they have never suffered anything for him.... Suffering borne well will carry you closer to heaven than if you were the healthiest person in the world! Paradise is a mountain up which we climb better with a body broken and injured that with one healthy and whole."
September 3, 2018
Everything that St. Francis de Sales wrote is a salve for the soul. The publisher did a great service by combing some of his lesser known writings for even more great spiritual insights from this doctor of mercy.
The book itself is easy to read, with each "chapter" being only a few hundred words.
The book itself is easy to read, with each "chapter" being only a few hundred words.
July 25, 2014
Sixty short meditations to keep one's perspectives in a godly mode. I'm going to leave it on the coffee table for an occasional spiritual reorientation.
April 26, 2015
This set of 60 short reflections was surprisingly useful. It was easy to fit into a busy day, and despite the short length, they were thought provoking.
March 26, 2015
An excellent little devotional book. Each chapter is a small, stand-alone meditation on living the Christian life. Definitely worth multiple read throughs!
November 24, 2015
The pearls of wisdom in this book are amazing. One of my favorites: Let us leave our children to the mercy of God, who left his son to our mercy. Boom!
July 28, 2022
“Be patient with all, but especially with yourself. Do not trouble yourself about your imperfections. Always have the courage to pick yourself back up and begin again every day, for there is no better path to success in the spiritual life than always to begin again and never to think that you have done enough.”
First time reading St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of writers! It is easy to see why, too—so many beautiful metaphors! (I especially loved the one about humans as trees needing to disentangle our roots from this world to achieve heaven.) “Roses Among Thorns” is a little treasure I will keep close to reference again and again. Thank you, St. Francis de Sales!
First time reading St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of writers! It is easy to see why, too—so many beautiful metaphors! (I especially loved the one about humans as trees needing to disentangle our roots from this world to achieve heaven.) “Roses Among Thorns” is a little treasure I will keep close to reference again and again. Thank you, St. Francis de Sales!
September 5, 2020
Great spiritual nuggets! I enjoyed reading this with my book club.
This is a great book to keep on my nightstand and read over and over.
Short meditations on 60 topics from seasons of life to last things. These simple pages of advice really did renew my spiritual journey!
One that really got me was this one "the household duties are fundamental, and failure in them renders every other work suspect". I better change my habits!
How happy you will be if you keep yourself humbly in God's hand.
This is a great book to keep on my nightstand and read over and over.
Short meditations on 60 topics from seasons of life to last things. These simple pages of advice really did renew my spiritual journey!
One that really got me was this one "the household duties are fundamental, and failure in them renders every other work suspect". I better change my habits!
How happy you will be if you keep yourself humbly in God's hand.
February 17, 2023
The Introduction to the Devout Life was a literal life changing book for me. I was very excited to pick up this book as a consequence. Well, this one I feel wasn't as good as the former, that may just be my place in life right now. There were lots of good small pieces to pull out of this that you can apply to your own theology and to your own life. I feel St. Francis de Sales is a more optimistic theologian than others, as he always focuses on the positive and God's mercy, and the joy we can have through Him.
February 19, 2023
Simply a beautiful, inspiring little book! St. Francis de Sales' insights are as fresh today as they were in the 16th century when he was writing them. This is a beautiful compilation of easy-to-digest 1 to 2-page passages that cover many topics in our lives and the book conclude with passages on aging, end of life, and dying that the faithful shpuld not miss.
June 14, 2019
Words of Wisdom
This is one of those books that should be read and reread many times throughout one's life. Saint Francis de Sales has much prudent advice to offer to those seeking a closer union with God, and also for those seeking to find the true meaning of life.
This is one of those books that should be read and reread many times throughout one's life. Saint Francis de Sales has much prudent advice to offer to those seeking a closer union with God, and also for those seeking to find the true meaning of life.
March 23, 2019
Simply beautiful.
As always, I am blessed by this humble, wise saint's words, and I found this book to be uplifting, encouraging, comforting, challenging... beautiful.
As always, I am blessed by this humble, wise saint's words, and I found this book to be uplifting, encouraging, comforting, challenging... beautiful.
June 28, 2023
A beautiful, short read with meditations that are simple yet powerful.
November 18, 2023
I enjoyed reading Roses Among Thorns with its super short chapters, inviting the reader to think on certain topics regarding their spiritual life. Thought-provoking.
November 8, 2020
Series of brief meditations based on the writings of Saint Francis DeSales. I used them as part of my daily devotions and found them very helpful/
Read
June 2, 2023a cute little book to meditate on! i read it on retreat, all in one go, but it covers a variety of subjects that can be read when needed. altogether, just what i needed to kickstart Lent and reawaken my spirit.
August 30, 2024
This is hands down one of the best “devotional” books I’ve ever read. It’s not a traditional devotional, but a collection of very short readings that you can meditate on daily, weekly, or however you want. St. Francis de Sales is Catholic, but I would 100% recommend this little book to any Christian, regardless of denomination. It brought me such an incredible amount of peace and encouragement. This is one of those books that I’ll be gifting to a lot of people because I’m confident in its excellence and its application for basically anybody. It was gifted to me by a dear friend for that same reason!
January 6, 2017
I read this book the first time in October 2014, but it was time for a reread.
December 13, 2017
Excellent! Short daily meditations. one to read over and over
November 10, 2023
I reread this incredible book in 2023. What a gem!
A great little book to read a page each morning. Simple reflections.
A great little book to read a page each morning. Simple reflections.
April 8, 2017
I'm not Catholic, so there are a few things here I disagree with, but mostly Francis de Sales is so unfailing in his gentleness, his practicality, and his love of Jesus, that I don't think anyone could fail to find consolation here. Francis de Sales consistently draws your attention, even when offering practical advice, to the cross and God's grace. This is super short which makes it perfect for a quick attitude adjustment. Some parts seemed vaguely familiar to me; I read Introduction to the Devout Life some years ago, so I'm wondering if some of the selections are taken from there? Regardless, it's a lot easier to access the gems in this format, if someone needs some quick encouragement.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews