The Sermons of St. Francis de Sales: For Advent and Christmas

by Francis de Sales, Lewis S. Fiorelli (Editor)

Steeped as he was in Sacred Scripture, St. Francis de Sales gives totally fresh and surprising insights into the truths of our religion the Sacred Name of Jesus, Our Lady's wisdom at Cana, St. John the Baptist\'s temptation, etc. Nine insightful sermons. Published here for the first time in English. Great wisdom from a great saint and Doctor of the Church; excellent spiritual reading for Advent or any other time of the year!

Genres: Catholic, Religion, Faith, Christmas, Nonfiction

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Francis 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.

Reviews

[Jessica Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

St. Francis de Sales guides and advises with such an ardent love for those he preaches to! His sermons are inspiring and instructive. I particularly love the many instances where he makes the distinction between feelings or emotions and reality. For example, at one point he says that as we work to root out a particular sin we must not get frustrated if an emotion connected to the sin rises up in us. Rather, we should focus on our actions that the emotion proceeds.

“Some people fool themselves into thinking that perfection consists in feeling nothing! So when they experience some stirring of the passions, it seems to them that all is lost. Oh, you poor people, do you not see that this is not the part of you that is most ill nor the part that needs circumcision, for these stirrings are beyond your power?

But what then should I circumcise? Circumcise the consequences of these emotions; cut off the words which result from them. Oh, worldly people! Circumcise those blasphemies, swearings, injurious words and detractions which are born of your anger and which are truly sinful and mortally sick…Probe your heart, carefully scrutinize your passions, inclinations and affections; then root up and cut out all of this forthrightly and completely.”

[Jacob Benne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reflecting on these homilies for Christmas and Advent. St. Francis does it again, love all of his analogies. Also, he just loves using bees in all his stuff which is great.

[Jeannette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of sermons based on Advent and Christmas that I found helpful and inspiring. I learned a lot and I think that I'll revisit it again.

[Lori Hatch · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite saints for spiritual reading! Easy to read even when sleep-deprived, but not at all shallow or surface level. So many connections and ideas to ponder.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially disappointed that there was no sermon for the first Sunday of Advent, this volume is not nearly as robust as The Sermons of St. Francis de Sales for Lent. However, I enjoyed his reflection on the humility of St. John the Baptist and marked a huge passage from his homily on the 4th Sunday of Advent on the "...two reasons why people do not profit by the word of God...they postpone it's accomplishmet until tomorrow...[and by] 'spiritual avarice' by which we seek to obtain a great deal of knowledge and to amass a huge stock of devotional exercises...who nevertheless do not put any of it into practice!"

There are three Christmas Eve homilies and one that was preached at a Midnight Mass.

Finally, I read, a bit early, the sermons for the Feast of the Circumcision and on the Wedding at Cana (second Sunday after Epiphany). From Jan 1: "This, then, is what spiritual circumcision means: to search into one's passions, affections, humors and inclinations in order to root out and cut off any excess in them."

[Paul Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Profound truths, simply expressed

St. Francis de Sales has a marvelous ability to express deep thoughts in a beautifully direct manner, giving us new perspectives on the various parts of the Christmas story. Perfect spiritual reading during Advent (or any season).

[Rose Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful insight into the Nativity gospels. Definitely a reread often!

[Susan Molloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

🖍️ Excellent reading and mandatory for Advent. I enjoyed this.

જ⁀📕From my private library.
✴︎🎄✴︎🎄✴︎🎄✴︎

[Jamie Goss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I REALLY love me some St. Francis de Sales. I highly recommend that any Christian read his works, whether you're Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox. He has the most beautiful faith: it's humble, strong, and generous. This particular book is a collection of sermons he gave during Advent and Christmas from 1613-1622, right up until his death. It's a great option if you're looking for an Advent devotional-ish book and want something a bit deeper and older than a lot of our modern options. (Actually, this book could be read any time of year; St. Francis uses the Advent and Christmas scripture readings in very generally applicable lessons.) Modern devotionals are definitely not a bad option, but sometimes I find myself craving writing that has stood the test of time, and that comes from a completely different perspective than my own and that of my peers. Rather than giving a detailed review of the sermons, I'll share a few of my favorite quotes:

"All I mean is that it is not enough to be called a Christian if we do not perform the works of a Christian. After all, what are we? A little dust and ashes."

"...how dare we put off doing what we have heard to be useful for our conversion, since our whole life really depends on each present moment when we hear what must be done."

"Fear and hope ought never to be without one another, since fear without hope is despair and hope without fear is presumption."

"He willed to suffer a thousand pains and labors, paying in full rigor of justice for our faults and iniquities, teaching us by His example spiritual sobriety, detachment from all consolations, so as to live according to reason and not according to our appetites and affections."

"For do you not see that you do not really desire humility, but only the feeling of humility? You wish to feel that you are humble, and, with that feeling, to know you have it. This must not be done, for to have this virtue it is not necessary to have its feeling. You can be very humble and love God very much without feeling so. O God, wait a little, my dear souls. Here below is not the places for tastes and feelings. Wait till you are in Heaven above, where you will experience humility and enjoy its sweetness. You will see then how much you love God, and will taste the consoling sweetness of His love. But in this life the Lord wills us to live between fear and hope, to be humble and love Him without necessarily feeling either."

"Do carefully what is at hand today, and tomorrow you will be ordered to do something else."

[Zachary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful sermons from St. Francis - and a bit of a balm for me after reading a lot of theology.