Introduction to the Devout Life
Saint Francis de Sales
120 chapters · 10 h 11 min · English
Read by Phil Chenevert, Beth Thomas (1974-2020), Dylan P. Straub, Sam Isaacson, royalcrowncola, J A Carter and others
Miscellaneous
Play ☆ Favorite
First published in the early 17th century, it has proven its value as a daily spiritual guide and helpful reference for living an authentic Christian life. Written specifically for laymen, it began as letters from Saint Francis to a married woman who was seeking holiness amidst the distractions of her life of wealth and status. It contains treasures of wisdom for every reader, from eager beginner to lifelong Christian. Summary by Wikipedia and Phil Chenevert.
Chapters
1 Preface by the Author 13 min 2 Part I COUNSELS FOR THE SOUL'S GUIDANCE Ch 1: What True Devotion is 6 min 3 Part 1 Ch 2. The Nature and Excellence of Devotion. 5 min 4 Part 1 Ch 3 Devotion is suitable to every Vocation and Profession 5 min 5 Part 1 Ch 4.The Need of a Guide for those who would enter upon and advance in the Devout Life 6 min 6 Part 1 Ch 5. The First Step must be Purifying the Soul 5 min 7 Part 1 Ch 6. The First Purification, namely, from Mortal Sin 3 min 8 Part 1 Ch 7. The Second Purification, from all Sinful Affections 4 min 9 Part 1 Ch 8. How to effect this Second Purification 4 min 10 Part 1 Ch 9. First Meditation Of the End for which we were Created 4 min 11 Part 1 Ch 10. Second Meditation-Of the End for which we were Created 4 min 12 Part 1 Ch 11. Third Meditation - On the Gifts of God 4 min 13 Part 1 Ch 12. Fourth Meditation.- On Sin 5 min 14 Part 1 Ch 13. Fifth Meditation - Of Death 6 min 15 Part 1 Ch 14 - Sixth Meditation - Of Judgment 5 min 16 Part 1 Ch. 15 - Seventh Meditation - Of Hell 4 min 17 Part 1 Ch. 16 - Eighth Meditation - On Paradise 4 min 18 Part 1 Ch. 17 - Ninth Meditation - On the Choice Between Heaven and Hell 4 min 19 Part 1 Ch 18 - Tenth Meditation - How the Soul chooses the Devout Life 4 min 20 Part 1 Ch 19 - How to make a General Confession 3 min 21 Part 1 Ch 20 - A hearty Protest made with the object of confirming the Soul's resolution to serve God, as a conclusion to its acts of Penitence 5 min 22 Part 1 Ch 21 - Conclusion of this First Purification 3 min 23 Part 1 Ch 22 - The Necessity of Purging away all tendency to Venial Sins 5 min 24 Part 1 Ch 23 - It is needful to put away all Inclination for Useless and Dangerous Things 3 min 25 Part 1 Ch 24 - All Evil Inclinations must be purged away 2 min 26 Part 2 COUNCILS ON THE NECESSITY OF UPLIFTING THE SOUL TO GOD - Ch 1 - The Necessity of Prayer 6 min 27 Part 2 Ch 2 - A short Method of Meditation. And first, the Presence of God, the First Point of Preparation 5 min 28 Part 2 Ch 3 - Invocation, the Second Point of Preparation 2 min 29 Part 2 Ch 4 - the Third Point of Preparation, representing the Mystery to be meditated to Your Imagination 2 min 30 Part 2 Ch 5 - Considerations, the Second Part of Meditation 2 min 31 Part 2 Ch 6 - The Third Part of Meditation, Affections and Resolutions 2 min 32 Part 2 Ch 7 - The Conclusion and Spiritual Bouquet 2 min 33 Part 2 Ch 8 - Some Useful Hints as to Meditation 5 min 34 Part 2 Ch 9 - Concerning Dryness in Meditation 3 min 35 Part 2 Ch 10 - Morning Prayer 3 min 36 Part 2 Ch 11 - Evening Prayer and Examination of Conscience 2 min 37 Part 2 Ch 12 - On Spiritual Retirement 4 min 38 Part 2 Ch 13 - Aspirations, Ejaculatory Prayer and Holy Thoughts 10 min 39 Part 2 Ch 14 - Of Holy Communion, and how to join in it 4 min 40 Part 2 Ch 15 - Of the other Public Offices of the Church 2 min 41 Part 2 Ch 16 - How the Saints are united to us 3 min 42 Part 2 Ch 17 - How to Hear and Read God's Word 2 min 43 Part 2 Ch 18 - How to receive Inspirations 5 min 44 Part 2 Ch 19 - On Confession 7 min 45 Part 2 Ch 20 - Of Frequent Communion 6 min 46 Part 2 Ch 21 - How to Communicate 4 min 47 Part 3 THE PRACTICE OF VIRTUE - Ch 1 - How to select that which we should chiefly Practice 10 min 48 Part 3 Ch 2 - The same Subject continued 8 min 49 Part 3 Ch 3 - On Patience 11 min 50 Part 3 Ch 4 - On Greater Humility 7 min 51 Part 3 Ch 5 - On Interior Humility 11 min 52 Part 3 Ch 6 - Humility makes us rejoice in our own Abjection 8 min 53 Part 3 Ch 7 - How to combine due care for a Good Reputation with Humility 9 min 54 Part 3 Ch 8 - Gentleness towards others and Remedies against Anger 9 min 55 Part 3 Ch 9 - On Gentleness towards Ourselves 5 min 56 Part 3 Ch 10 - We must attend to the Business of Life carefully, but without Eagerness or Over-anxiety 6 min 57 Part 3 Ch 11 - On Obedience 7 min 58 Part 3 Ch 12 - On Purity 4 min 59 Part 3 Ch 13 - How to maintain Purity 4 min 60 Part 3 Ch 14 - On Poverty of Spirit amid Riches 6 min 61 Part 3 Ch 15 - How to exercise real Poverty, although actually Rich 8 min 62 Part 3 Ch 16 - How to possess a rich Spirit amid real Poverty 4 min 63 Part 3 Ch 17 - On Friendship: Evil and Frivolous Friendship 5 min 64 Part 3 Ch 18 - On Frivolous Attachments 6 min 65 Part 3 Ch 19 - Of Real Friendship 6 min 66 Part 3 Ch 20 - Of the Difference between True and False Friendship 4 min 67 Part 3 Ch 21 - Remedies against Evil Friendships 7 min 68 Part 3 Ch 22 - Further Advice concerning Intimacies 5 min 69 Part 3 Ch 23 - On The Practice of Bodily Mortification 11 min 70 Part 3 Ch 24 - Of Society and Solitude 7 min 71 Part 3 Ch 25 - On Modesty in Dress 5 min 72 Part 3 Ch 26 - Of Conversation; and, first, how to Speak of God 3 min 73 Part 3 Ch 27 - Of Unseemly Words, and the Respect due to Others 5 min 74 Part 3 Ch 28 - Of Hasty Judgments 12 min 75 Part 3 Ch 29 - On Slander 12 min 76 Part 3 Ch 30 - Further Counsels as to Conversation 5 min 77 Part 3 Ch 31 - Of Amusements and Recreations: what are allowable 4 min 78 Part 3 Ch 32 - Of Forbidden Amusements 3 min 79 Part 3 Ch 33 - Of Balls, and other Lawful but Dangerous Amusements 6 min 80 Part 3 Ch 34 - When to use such Amusements rightly 3 min 81 Part 3 Ch 35 - We must be Faithful in Things Great and Small 6 min 82 Part 3 Ch 36 - Of a Well-Balanced, Reasonable Mind 5 min 83 Part 3 Ch 37 - Of Wishes 5 min 84 Part 3 Ch 38 - Counsels to Married People 14 min 85 Part 3 Ch 39 - The Sanctity of the Marriage Bed 2 min 86 Part 3 Ch 40 - Counsels to Widows 10 min 87 Part 3 Ch 41 - One Word to Maidens 2 min 88 Part 4 CONCERNING ORDINARY TEMPTATIONS - Ch 1 We must not trifle with the Words of Worldly Wisdom 7 min 89 Part 4 Ch 2 - The need of a Good Courage 4 min 90 Part 4 Ch 3 - Of Temptations, and the difference between experiencing them and consenting to them 7 min 91 Part 4 Ch 4 - Two striking Illustrations of the same 4 min 92 Part 4 Ch 5 - Encouragement for the Tempted Soul 3 min 93 Part 4 Ch 6 - When Temptation and Delectation are Sin 5 min 94 Part 4 Ch 7 - Remedies for Great Occasions 5 min 95 Part 4 Ch 8 - How to resist Minor Temptations 3 min 96 Part 4 Ch 9 - How remedy Minor Temptations 3 min 97 Part 4 Ch 10 - How to strengthen the Heart against Temptation 3 min 98 Part 4 Ch 11 - Anxiety of Mind 6 min 99 Part 4 Ch 12 - Of Sadness and Sorrow 5 min 100 Part 4 Ch 13 - Of Spiritual and Sensible Consolations, and how to receive them 15 min 101 Part 4 Ch 14 - Of Dryness and Spiritual Barrenness 10 min 102 Part 4 Ch 15 - An Illustration 7 min 103 Part 5 PRACTICES FOR RENEWING AND CONFIRMING THE SOUL IN DEVOTION. Ch 1 - It is well yearly to renew Good Resolutions by means of the following Exercises 3 min 104 Part 5 Ch 2 - Meditation on the Benefit conferred on us by God in calling us to His Service 5 min 105 Part 5 Ch 3 - Examination of the Soul as to its Progress in the Devout Life 5 min 106 Part 5 Ch 4 - Examination of the Soul's Condition as regards God 7 min 107 Part 5 Ch 5 - Examination of your Condition as regards yourself 3 min 108 Part 5 Ch 6 - Examination of the Soul's Condition as regards our Neighbour 2 min 109 Part 5 Ch 7 - Examination as to the Affectations of the Soul 4 min 110 Part 5 Ch 8 - The Affections to be excited after such Examination 2 min 111 Part 5 Ch 9 - Reflections suitable to the renewal of Good Resolutions 1 min 112 Part 5 Ch 10 - First Consideration, of the Worth of Souls 3 min 113 Part 5 Ch 11 - Second Consideration, on the Excellence of Virtue 2 min 114 Part 5 Ch 12 - The Example of the Saints 2 min 115 Part 5 Ch 13 - The Love which Jesus Christ bears to us 4 min 116 Part 5 Ch 14 - The Eternal Love of God for us 2 min 117 Part 5 Ch 15 - General Affections which should result from these Considerations, and Conclusion of the Exercise 3 min 118 Part 5 Ch 16 - The Impressions which should remain after this Exercise 2 min 119 Part 5 Ch 17 - An Answer to Two Objections which may be made to this Book 4 min 120 Part 5 Ch 18 - Three Important and Final Counsels 4 min
