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Part 1 – Chapter 10 of the Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

This is a Discerning Hearts recording read by Correy Webb

CHAPTER X. SECOND MEDITATION.

Preparation.
1. PLACE yourself in the Presence of God.
2. Ask Him to inspire your heart.

Considerations.
1. God did not bring you into the world because He had any need of you, useless as you are; but solely that He might show His Goodness in you, giving you His Grace and Glory. And to this end He gave you understanding that you might know Him, memory that you might think of Him, a will that you might love Him, imagination that you might realize His mercies, sight that you might behold the marvels of His works, speech that you might praise Him, and so on with all your other faculties.
2. Being created and placed in the world for this intent, all contrary actions should be shunned and rejected, as also you should avoid as idle and superfluous whatever does not promote it.
3. Consider how unhappy they are who do not think of all this,—who live as though they were created only to build and plant, to heap up riches and amuse themselves with trifles.

Affections and Resolutions.
1. Humble yourself in that previously you had so little thought upon all this.
Alas, my God, of what was I thinking when I did not think of You? What did I remember when I forgot You? What did I love when I loved You not? Alas, when I ought to have been feeding on the truth, I was but filling myself with vanity, and serving the world, which was made to serve me.
2. Abhor your past life.
I renounce you, O vain thoughts and useless thoughts, frivolous and hateful memories: I renounce all worthless friendships, all unprofitable efforts, and miserably ungrateful self- indulgence, all pitiful compliances.
3. Turn to God.
You, my God and Savior, will henceforth be the sole object of my thoughts; no more will I give my mind to ideas which are displeasing to You. All the days of my life I will dwell upon the greatness of Your Goodness, so lovingly poured out upon me. You will be from now on the delight of my heart, the resting-place of all my affections. From this time forward, I will forsake and abhor the vain pleasures and amusements, the empty pursuits which have absorbed my time; —the unprofitable ties which have bound my heart I will loosen from this point forward, and to that end I will use such and such remedies.

Conclusion.
1. Thank God, Who has made you for so gracious an end.
You have made me, O Lord, for Yourself, that I may eternally enjoy the immensity of your Glory; when will I be worthy, when will I know how to bless You as I should?

2. Offer.
O Dearest Lord, I offer You all my affections and resolutions, with my whole heart and soul.
3. Pray.
I beg you, O God, that You would accept my desires and longings, and give Your Blessing to my soul, to enable me to fulfil them, through the Merits of Your Dear Son’s Precious Blood shed upon the Cross for me.

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Glory Be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

At the end of your meditation linger a while, and gather, so to say, a little spiritual bouquet from the thoughts you have dwelled upon, the sweet perfume that may refresh you through the day.