Episode 3231: True Devotion: Holiness in the Everyday

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Book Recommendation of the Day
St. Francis de Sales — Introduction to the Devout Life
• Written in 1609, this spiritual classic was addressed originally to a laywoman under the pseudonym “Philothea” (meaning lover of God).
• St. Francis explains that true devotion is possible in every state of life whether married, single, soldier, merchant, or religious.
• He dismantles the idea that holiness is only for the cloister and shows how to live devotion in the duties of daily life.
• Topics include prayer, confession, Holy Communion, virtues, temptations, and how to grow in charity without leaving one’s ordinary responsibilities.
• Famous line:
“True devotion spoils nothing, but perfects everything.”
This book became one of the most widely read Catholic works of the 17th century and has never gone out of print. It is still recommended in traditional Catholic circles as one of the safest, most practical guides to holiness.

True Devotion: Holiness in the Everyday
The Forgotten Universal Call to Holiness
The Catholic faith has always taught that holiness is not reserved for a chosen few not only for priests, monks, or cloistered nuns. Holiness is the vocation of every baptized soul. Yet this truth is often forgotten.
In the early 17th century, St. Francis de Sales, bishop of Geneva, recognized that many lay Catholics saw devotion as unattainable. They admired the cloistered life, but thought their own station raising children, working in trades, running households was too “ordinary” to be sanctified.
Francis shattered this misconception with his masterpiece Introduction to the Devout Life. There he declared:
“It is an error, even a heresy, to say devotion is incompatible with the life of a soldier, a tradesman, a prince, or a married woman. Wherever we are, we can and must aspire to the devout life.”
This message could not be more relevant for us today. Too many Catholics compartmentalize faith Mass on Sunday, and then “real life” during the week. But Francis insists: every aspect of daily life can become a path to holiness if offered to God in love.
Segment 1: What True Devotion Is
Francis Defines Devotion
St. Francis de Sales distinguishes between mere religious practices and true devotion. Devotion is not about multiplying prayers or disciplines for their own sake. It is the perfection of love for God, expressed through daily duties.
• True devotion is love in action. He wrote:
“Devotion is nothing else than a true love of God; yet it is not enough to love Him, we must also serve Him with fervor and diligence.”
False Views Corrected
Francis dismantled false understandings of devotion:
• Devotion is not harshness. Some thought piety meant sourness or severity. Francis said true devotion should make us more approachable, joyful, and charitable.
• Devotion is not for escape. Some thought devotion was an excuse to neglect responsibilities. He warned: “Do not wish to be what you are not; rather, wish to be very good at what you are, and direct your life wholly to God.”
Examples in Daily Life
Francis gave concrete examples:
• A merchant serves God by conducting business honestly, not cheating customers.
• A soldier serves God by courageously defending the innocent.
• A mother serves God by raising children with patience and love.
• A bishop serves God by shepherding faithfully, not seeking honor.
The measure is not what you do, but how you do it: with charity, humility, and fidelity.
Segment 2: False Devotions Then and Now
Francis warned that the devil is subtle he twists devotion into something counterfeit.
Three Types of False Devotion
1. Prideful Devotion
People who fast, pray, or do penances but become proud, harsh, or uncharitable. Francis said: “The devil does not mind our fasts, if he can make us proud of them.”
2. Selective Devotion
Those who choose only the practices they like, neglecting duties. Example: someone spends hours in prayer but is cruel at home, or fights for Catholic causes but neglects confession.
3. Superficial Devotion
Outward piety without inward conversion. Francis warned that devotion becomes hypocrisy if it does not produce charity and humility.
Modern Applications
• Social Media Piety — Catholics posting pious quotes or devotions online but engaging in gossip, detraction, or prideful debates.
• Activism Without Interior Life — Some fight vigorously for Church or political causes but lack prayer, gentleness, or humility.
• Rigid Externalism — Catholics who cling to forms of devotion but use them as weapons to judge or condemn others.
Francis’ test is simple: does this practice make you more charitable, patient, and humble? If not, it is false devotion.
Segment 3: Living Devotion in Daily Life
Francis’ genius was making holiness practical and accessible:
1. Sanctify Ordinary Duties
• The mother rocking her child at 2 AM, the father laboring honestly to support his family, the student doing his homework well all these are acts of devotion when done with love for God.
• Quote: “Great opportunities to serve God rarely come; but little ones surround us daily. Whoever faithfully makes little sacrifices will find great holiness.”
2. Practice Short Prayers (Aspirations)
Francis recommended “ejaculatory prayers” — simple phrases repeated often:
• “My Jesus, mercy.”
• “Lord, I love Thee.”
• “Jesus, Mary, Joseph.”

These keep the soul recollected amid daily tasks.
3. Fidelity to State in Life
• A layman should not imitate a monk; a monk should not imitate a soldier. Each must fulfill his station with excellence.
• Francis: “Devotion spoils nothing, but perfects everything. It belongs to the soldier, the merchant, the mother, the widow, the maiden, and the married woman it belongs to all.”
4. Joy and Gentleness
• Francis himself was known as the “Gentle Saint.” He insisted that true devotion produces patience, joy, and sweetness of spirit. If devotion makes us harsh or bitter, something has gone wrong.
5. The Sacraments as Anchors
• Francis urged frequent confession and Communion (a bold counsel for his time). These sacraments reorder our loves, heal our weaknesses, and strengthen devotion.

Segment 4: The Fruits of True Devotion
Francis outlined the visible fruits of authentic devotion:
1. Peace of Soul
o The devout person is not easily disturbed by trials, because he trusts in God’s will.
2. Charity Toward Others
o Devotion makes us more patient, merciful, and gentle. Our family should feel the warmth of our prayer life.
3. Joy in God
o Devotion brings a sweetness to life, even in little sacrifices.
4. Holiness in Every Vocation
o Sanctity is not limited to monasteries. The marketplace, the family home, the battlefield, the parish office all can be places of holiness.
5. Perfection in Charity
o Francis taught that devotion leads us to love God above all and neighbor for God’s sake. This is the true goal of the Christian life.
Francis himself modeled this: as bishop, he was burdened with administration, controversies, and challenges, yet he radiated gentleness and holiness. His life is proof that devotion in daily duties leads to sanctity.
Conclusion: Holiness Within Reach
St. Francis de Sales offers us a revolutionary but traditional truth: holiness is not beyond us. It is not about escaping the world, but sanctifying our place in it.
• The mother in the kitchen, the father at work, the young man in his studies, the elderly in their quiet suffering all can become saints if they live with devotion.
• Devotion is not extraordinary it is ordinary duties done with extraordinary love.
Francis sums it up beautifully:
“True devotion spoils nothing, but perfects everything. It adorns your actions, making them more honorable, more beautiful, and more pleasing to God.”
In our restless and distracted age, his wisdom is a lifeline: holiness is not out of reach; it is as close as the duties of the present moment.

Epistle – Hebrews 7:23–27
"But this, for that He continueth for ever, hath an everlasting priesthood: wherefore He is able also to save for ever them that come to God by Him; always living to make intercession for us... For the law maketh men priests, who have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, the Son who is perfected for evermore."
Reflection on the Epistle
Here St. Paul emphasizes the uniqueness and perfection of Christ’s priesthood. Unlike the Levitical priests, whose ministry was limited by death and imperfection, Christ is eternal, holy, undefiled, and made the perfect sacrifice once for all upon the Cross.
This truth is central to the Catholic Faith and to our participation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, where Christ’s one eternal sacrifice is made present to us. It also reminds us of our absolute dependence on Him as Mediator. All grace, all salvation flows through Christ the High Priest.
St. Jerome, in his fiery zeal, defended this truth by returning again and again to the Scriptures. He saw in the written Word the testimony of the Eternal Word made flesh. For Jerome, fidelity to Scripture was fidelity to Christ Himself. This is a lesson for us: to see in every page of Scripture the voice of our High Priest, calling us to holiness, penance, and faith.
Gospel – Matthew 24:42–47
"Watch ye therefore, because you know not what hour your Lord will come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would certainly watch... Blessed is that servant, whom when his Lord shall come, He shall find so doing. Amen I say to you, He shall place him over all His goods."
Reflection on the Gospel
Our Lord’s command is crystal clear: “Watch.” The Christian life is not one of complacency but of vigilance. We do not know the hour of Christ’s coming whether at the end of history or the moment of our death. The wise servant is the one who lives each day in fidelity, performing his duties faithfully, not presuming on mercy nor wasting time in negligence.
This message harmonizes with the life of St. Jerome. He lived with a fiery sense of urgency, often reminding others of the brevity of life and the certainty of judgment. In one of his most famous sayings, he wrote: “The day will come when you will say: ‘I had time, and I did not use it.’” His life of study, prayer, and penance was rooted in this Gospel spirit of watchfulness.
For us today, the temptation is to spiritual sloth to delay conversion, to neglect prayer, to think there will always be more time. But the Gospel warns us: “You know not the day nor the hour.” The faithful servant is always prepared, with his lamp filled and his heart ready.
Feast of St. Jerome
St. Jerome (c. 347–420) was born in Dalmatia and became one of the most learned men of the early Church. His greatest work was the Latin Vulgate, the translation of the Scriptures into the common tongue of the West. He lived as a hermit, a priest, and a scholar, renowned for his sharp tongue but also for his deep devotion to Christ and His Word.
He once wrote: “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” This is his enduring message to us: if we wish to know Christ, we must know His Word. The Church honors him as a Doctor because he gave us the tools to root our faith in the inspired Word of God.
Application for Today
• Live under the eternal priesthood of Christ: See every Mass as participation in His perfect sacrifice.
• Be vigilant: Do not delay conversion or duty; live each day as though the Master could return at any moment.
• Read and love Scripture: Follow St. Jerome’s example. Let God’s Word shape your mind, heart, and daily choices.
• Imitate Jerome’s zeal: Be uncompromising in fidelity to truth, even when the world mocks or resists.
Conclusionary Prayer
O God, who didst grant Thy Church in St. Jerome a zealous defender of Holy Scripture, grant that through his intercession we may love Thy Word, live ever watchful for the coming of Thy Son, and remain faithful servants under the eternal priesthood of Christ.
St. Jerome, pray for us.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, intercede for us.

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