THURSDAY HOMILY: Compassion and the Universal Call to Holiness

1/24/2013

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more concerned than a Capuchin about increasing their income; or for a working man to spend his whole day in church like a religious; or on the other hand for a religious to be constantly exposed like a bishop to all the events and circumstances that bear on the needs of our neighbor.

Is not this sort of devotion ridiculous, unorganized and intolerable? Yet this absurd error occurs very frequently, but in no way does true devotion, my Philothea, destroy anything at all. On the contrary, it perfects and fulfils all things. In fact if it ever works against, or is inimical to, anyone's legitimate station and calling, then it is very definitely false devotion.

The bee collects honey from flowers in such a way as to do the least damage or destruction to them, and he leaves them whole, undamaged and fresh, just as he found them. True devotion does still better. Not only does it not injure any sort of calling or occupation, it even embellishes and enhances it.

Moreover, just as every sort of gem, cast in honey, becomes brighter and more sparkling, each according to its color, so each person becomes more acceptable and fitting in his own vocation when he sets his vocation in the context of devotion.

Through devotion your family cares become more peaceful, mutual love between husband and wife becomes more sincere, the service we owe to the prince becomes more faithful, and our work, no matter what it is, becomes more pleasant and agreeable.

It is therefore an error and even a heresy to wish to exclude the exercise of devotion from military divisions, from the artisans' shops, from the courts of princes, from family households. I acknowledge, my dear Philothea, that the type of devotion which is purely contemplative, monastic and religious can certainly not be exercised in these sorts of stations and occupations, but besides this threefold type of devotion, there are many others fit for perfecting those who live in a secular state.

Therefore, in whatever situations we happen to be, we can and we must aspire to the life of perfection.

- - -

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: holiness, spirituality, Devotion, Devout life, Introduction to the Devout Life, St Francis DeSales, Compassion, universal call to holiness, empathy, Deacon Keith Fournier

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1 - 2 of 2 Comments

Larry
3 months ago
Compassion may be at the heart of Christian practice but for me it is the way you deal with people or situations once you've determined what's happening. We have the 10 commandments to give us outlines of what's what in the world with regards to realationships and obligations. We have stories in the old Testament about God's Justice and judgment and examples in the new Testament of giving to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's - the king giving talents to 3 of his servants when he leaves, and expecting them to have done something with those talents in his absence and getting angry with the one who did nothing but bury them - telling the soldier how to treat those he has power over and the tax collector not to take more than is called for from those he collects from

-- Leading with the structure of society and groups and take personal responsibility for your actions are hallmarks of the gospel as well. What does it profit you to save the world but loose your soul. He told people to go and sin no more - stop breaking the rules or laws. --

The works of mercy are practices that help us keep charity and compassion as part of our lives. There is a compassionate way to deal with others: the murderer, the sick, the downtrodden, those who insult or offend you, etc. Turning the other cheek does not mean don't stand up to evil or wrong but there are ways to do it and calm down your wrath first before you respond and wait until better times in the process. If he meant let them treat you as they will anytime, he wouldn't have gotten so mad at the leaders of Isreal in the temple. The world has its ways and some are brutal (an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth) and we should act justly but as brothers and sisters to each other (the good Samaritan). - By the way, an eye for an eye... was an improvement from what was practiced at the time. People would overkill, do much more than was done to them, not being just but letting their wrath control their reactions --

Lead with what we should be doing (rules, good personal practices, commandments, the law, etc) that direct us to be just in society and let the ways you act be with compassion. It seems that today compassion shapes laws and does not do society much good in getting to the just society. What are we as individuals called to do and what obligations do we have to each other instead of excuses for our behavior and avoiding what is just to be done. Those who focus on compassion can only do so since those who set up the structure and rules of a society and group have worked first. When you break a rule or law, you should pay the price though our tendency is to protect our own and avoid the punishment - but once you must pay, compassion for the person and compassion for those offended (both) should be part of how we apply consequences. Those who were victimized are part of the process too!
Robert Burford
3 months ago
This is the second or third time this quote by Francis De Sales has appeared in the Year of Faith homily . I guess God is trying to tell me something . Thanks Deacon

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