Do
you like reading books? Are there a few books that you keep reading and still
don’t get tired or bored of reading them? Oh Yes! One of my favourite classics
is ‘Introduction to the Devout Life’. A book that I never get tired of
reading because every time I read, it only brings along newness and a
strengthening of convictions.
One
may say that every book has a lifetime and many a times the book seems to get
obsolete as time passes by. Some have even said that the author of a book loses
his authority over his own writings with time. However, this one has a unique
characteristic, it can appeal to you also today even though it was written many
years ago. Even if the interpretation and the revisiting of the ideas might
change, the original and prophetic views are as appealing and novel as they
were when St. Francis de Sales originally wrote it.
Can
you be a Saint? According to St. Francis de Sales the answer is ‘YES’. No
matter who you are and what your job seems to be like, you are still called by
a loving God to be Holy! I suppose this would have been a really debated
statement to make in the past.
Love
Jesus Live Jesus, are those beautiful words that
echo in my mind every time I hear the name of St. Francis. This is exactly what
Francis; this wonderful grandfather of the Salesians calls us to
do. He invites us to live Jesus and to love him dearly. The lover of
this great and merciful God can be nothing else, but a saint. Philothea
– reminds us that God calls each one of us to love him. This loving of
God can be done by anyone belonging to any profession, not just religious or
priests. Are you shocked by this? If you are not, at least I was.
Hey!
Good news for all you people out there and more especially for young people who
think that the call to holiness is only for those who go up the altar. No guys!
it’s for you and me, it’s an invitation for all. But just one
condition, Let God be the one who guides and directs your life. It does not
mean that God has to control you like a machine or force you like a master does
to a slave rather it means that all your actions are guided by true love and
not fear, compulsion or powerlessness. Most importantly remember that God is
our closest friend, father, brother, sister etc and not someone who is in
competition with his creation.
As
someone told me one day: Love is indeed a decision. Finally, an invitation to
each of you to pick up this beautiful book and try reading it. Make a decision.
I am sure that it will speak you, in the way it spoke to me. Sometimes without
our realization a book speaks to us and gives us answers that we have been
searching for. Are you searching for something or someone? Hello! You might
find it, in here. And if you don’t have questions or are not searching for
anything you might soon begin to do so after reading this book. Let’s remember
that our growth may not always be measured by the answers we have but by the
questions we keep asking about our faith and our life.
A
very happy feast of this wonderful saint. A true model of kindness, gentleness
and holiness.
Can anyone be a Saint!
Do you like reading books? Are there a few books that you keep reading and still don’t get tired or bored of reading them? Oh Yes! One of my favourite classics is ‘Introduction to the Devout Life’. A book that I never get tired of reading because every time I read, it only brings along newness and a strengthening of convictions.
One may say that every book has a lifetime and many a times the book seems to get obsolete as time passes by. Some have even said that the author of a book loses his authority over his own writings with time. However, this one has a unique characteristic, it can appeal to you also today even though it was written many years ago. Even if the interpretation and the revisiting of the ideas might change, the original and prophetic views are as appealing and novel as they were when St. Francis de Sales originally wrote it.
Can you be a Saint? According to St. Francis de Sales the answer is ‘YES’. No matter who you are and what your job seems to be like, you are still called by a loving God to be Holy! I suppose this would have been a really debated statement to make in the past.
Love Jesus Live Jesus, are those beautiful words that echo in my mind every time I hear the name of St. Francis. This is exactly what Francis; this wonderful grandfather of the Salesians calls us to do. He invites us to live Jesus and to love him dearly. The lover of this great and merciful God can be nothing else, but a saint. Philothea – reminds us that God calls each one of us to love him. This loving of God can be done by anyone belonging to any profession, not just religious or priests. Are you shocked by this? If you are not, at least I was.
Hey! Good news for all you people out there and more especially for young people who think that the call to holiness is only for those who go up the altar. No guys! it’s for you and me, it’s an invitation for all. But just one condition, Let God be the one who guides and directs your life. It does not mean that God has to control you like a machine or force you like a master does to a slave rather it means that all your actions are guided by true love and not fear, compulsion or powerlessness. Most importantly remember that God is our closest friend, father, brother, sister etc and not someone who is in competition with his creation.
As someone told me one day: Love is indeed a decision. Finally, an invitation to each of you to pick up this beautiful book and try reading it. Make a decision. I am sure that it will speak you, in the way it spoke to me. Sometimes without our realization a book speaks to us and gives us answers that we have been searching for. Are you searching for something or someone? Hello! You might find it, in here. And if you don’t have questions or are not searching for anything you might soon begin to do so after reading this book. Let’s remember that our growth may not always be measured by the answers we have but by the questions we keep asking about our faith and our life.
A very happy feast of this wonderful saint. A true model of kindness, gentleness and holiness.
LOVE JESUS LIVE JESUS!!