We have arrived at the final episode! In these last chapters, St. Francis de Sales reminds us to be practical in our resolutions, not to be deterred in seeking the Devout Life, and finally, to be bold in our pursuit of Christ. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand highlight that to follow this wisdom, we cannot underestimate the importance of courage in the Christian life. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. Please note...
Dec 05, 2022•23 min
To strengthen our resolve in pursuing the Devout Life, Saint Francis de Sales offers 5 meditations on the excellence of our souls, the greatness of virtues, the example of the saints, and the eternal love that comes from both Jesus and God the Father. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand assure us that God will faithfully give us what we need to continually transform our lives and draw closer to his divine life. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassi...
Dec 04, 2022•24 min
As we approach the end of the book, St. Francis de Sales shows us how to calmly examine our conscience when it comes to the Devout Life, particularly when it comes to ourselves, God, and our neighbors. What are we still attached to? Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertram encourage us to ask God for the grace to unburden ourselves and run yet more quickly to him. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. Please note: Introductio...
Dec 03, 2022•26 min
As we commit to living the devout life, how do we renew our resolutions along the way? St. Francis begins this final part of the book by offering us practical advice for persevering in the spiritual life as we inevitably experience trials, personal failures, and changing seasons. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob remind us to never give up when we fail because God can use our imperfections to perfect us in holiness. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics...
Dec 02, 2022•25 min
In this special bonus episode, Fr. Gregory reads the commentary to Part 5 of Introduction to the Devout Life, the last part of Introduction to the Devout life. In this final part of the book, St. Francis De Sales provides us encouragement when it comes to making progress in the spiritual life. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. Please note: Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis De Sales contains adult theme...
Dec 02, 2022•6 min
In the conclusion of Part 4, St. Francis de Sales draws on the story of a companion of St. Bernard of Clairvaux to convey that we have to be prepared for God to give us moments of consolation to encourage us and moments of desolation to strengthen us. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand assure us that no matter the season, we will be able to see God’s hand in our lives. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. Please note:...
Dec 01, 2022•22 min
Saint Francis de Sales explores common causes of desolation while assuring us that works performed and prayers offered in times of dryness are more precious in the sight of God. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand lead us to find freedom in these seasons by calling it what it is, calling on the name of the Lord, and continuing to show up despite the temptation not to. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. Please note: I...
Nov 30, 2022•26 min
Consolations are good, but they are not ends in themselves. Continuing his discourse on temptation, St. Francis de Sales warns against attaching ourselves to consolations and encourages us to instead attach ourselves to God. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand guide us through discerning which consolations are evil and which consolations are fruitful and how to devote oneself to God in both circumstances. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or ...
Nov 29, 2022•28 min
Anxiety and sorrow can be common obstacles to living the Devout Life well. St. Francis de Sales calls attention to how the Evil One will tempt us to be self-reliant when we only need to place our complete reliance on God. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand stress the importance of getting out of our minds and into our bodies, loving others and letting them love us. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. Please note: Int...
Nov 28, 2022•24 min
The Christian life is not simply about fighting temptations that might knock us off our path; it is about pursuing Christ. These temptations are not to be feared when met with the fidelity of God's grace. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand invite us not to be distracted by the battle of temptations, but to fix our eyes on the one who has already won the battle: Jesus Christ. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. Please...
Nov 27, 2022•23 min
Why does God allow temptation? When does experiencing temptation become sinful? St. Francis de Sales highlights the dangers of inviting temptations while pursuing the Devout Life. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand explore practical ways to help us cling to Christ rather than temptation through setting boundaries and practicing prudence. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. Please note: Introduction to the Devout Life...
Nov 26, 2022•24 min
In this special bonus episode, Fr. Jacob Bertrand reads the commentary to Part 4 of Introduction of the Devout Life, helping us understand the topic of temptation that St. Francis De Sales explores in this part of the book. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. Please note: Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis De Sales contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advise...
Nov 25, 2022•7 min
As we begin Part 4, St. Francis de Sales builds the framework for us of what temptation is and how temptations work, explaining the differences between experiencing them and consenting to them. Father Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand remind us not to be surprised or discouraged when temptation arises but to trust that God gives us the grace to withstand that reality, to choose the good, and be formed in the midst of it. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/cathol...
Nov 25, 2022•27 min
St. Francis De Sales provides encouragement for widows and single people who can often feel left out in society. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertand explain St. Francis de Sales’perspective on these states in life, remining us that being a widow or a single person doesn’t mean God has forgotten about you, rather, it means that God is preparing you in a particular way for himself. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. To ...
Nov 24, 2022•28 min
As we continue our reading on marriage today, St. Francis De Sales helps us understand the role of sex in the context of marriage and how grace and virtue should shape the marital act. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand further elaborate on God’s plan for human sexuality how it contributes to the holiness of married couples To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. To support Ascension's free media, please consider making ...
Nov 23, 2022•25 min
What does it look like to live the devout life in the context of marriage and family? In today’s chapter, we learn about the sacrament of marriage and how spouses sanctify each other through their love and sacrifice. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand highlight the obstacles and challenges of marriage and emphasize the importance of leaning on God to persevere in this life-giving vocation. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to...
Nov 22, 2022•30 min
In these chapters, St. Francis De Sales reminds us that we are called not only to be faithful in big asks and big things, but in small things, too. Using the virtues of faithfulness and perseverance, Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand make practical connections between living a virtuous life and living a life of devotion. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. To support Ascension's free media, please consider making a ...
Nov 21, 2022•29 min
Recognizing the importance of relaxing our minds and bodies, Saint Francis de Sales explores the potential dangers of recreational activities. He leads us to consider our amusements and cautions against excess. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand share principles we can follow to ensure devout and contemplative leisure. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777. To support Ascension's free media, please consider making a fin...
Nov 20, 2022•28 min
In pursuing a Devout Life, Saint Francis de Sales addresses sins of speech and explains how gossip and slander harm the speaker and those spoken of. He likens harmful speech to that of murder and charges us to express ourselves cautiously. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand discuss the gravity of daily, mundane offenses and how these can be more seductive and harmful than larger, rarer sins. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" ...
Nov 19, 2022•31 min
In this episode, Saint Francis de Sales begins exploring judgment and what it means to judge rashly or righteously. He reminds us that God judges wrongdoers. Rather than concerning ourselves with our neighbors, we should turn our judgments to our own lives. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand define what it means to make hasty or poor judgments, and they encourage us to seek nothing but that which leads us to a deeper devotion. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.c...
Nov 18, 2022•26 min
Saint Francis de Sales continues showing us the path to devotion by addressing our overall manner of life. He charges us to recognize the importance of modesty in action, dress, and speech. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand discuss the various messages people can send through their appearances and demeanors. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.
Nov 17, 2022•31 min
In today’s episode, Saint Francis de Sales addresses the importance of external mortifications and, in particular, the practice of fasting and sleeping. He explains that mortification is a tool for purification. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand discuss the importance of putting to death the desires in our lives that have become idols. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.
Nov 16, 2022•27 min
Completing his examination of friendship, Saint Francis de Sales offers advice on companionship for those seeking to live the Devout Life. He discusses the presence of imperfection and sin within friendship. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand encourage us to analyze the good and evil of our own relationships. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.
Nov 15, 2022•27 min
Today we return to the theme of friendship. Saint Francis de Sales describes the necessity and danger of communion, arguing that a true friendship communicates in virtue. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand discuss friendship between men and women, pointing out concrete and practical examples of how to approach such relationships virtuously. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.
Nov 14, 2022•30 min
Today, Saint Francis de Sales completes his consideration of poverty. He reminds us that to live a Devout Life means to embrace poverty as the dear friend of Jesus Christ. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand explain what true friendship looks like and the shared life it entails. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.
Nov 13, 2022•27 min
St. Francis de Sales continues his examination of chastity and poverty. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand help us to understand that St. Francis de Sales is aiming to help us strive for the highest good and not lower goods. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.
Nov 12, 2022•24 min
After covering patience, humility, and meekness, St. Francis de Sales shifts the conversation towards poverty, chastity, and obedience. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand help us to understand why these virtues are not reserved only for religious or clergy, but are important for all pursuing the Devout Life. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.
Nov 11, 2022•30 min
St. Francis de Sales continues to walk us through some of the virtues that he believes are important to cultivate in the Devout Life. In this episode, he shares about the virtue of meekness. He explains what it is and how we can put it into practice towards our neighbors and ourselves. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.
Nov 10, 2022•27 min
Today, St. Francis de Sales treats the ideas of abjection and reputation when it comes to the virtue of humility. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand help us to understand how abjection is not a bad thing and why it is important. They also explain how to appropriately care about your reputation. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.
Nov 09, 2022•30 min
In this episode, St. Francis de Sales continues his examination of humility, but now turns to the more interior aspects of it. Fr. Gregory and Fr. Jacob-Bertrand discuss how to understand humility and also how to work through some of the difficulties in practicing it. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text "INTRO" to 33-777.
Nov 08, 2022•24 min
