Introduction to the Devout Life - Philothea

Introduction to the Devout Life - Philothea
Sales, Francis de
$19.95
As no sensible person would make a long road trip without first consulting a map, so the person intent upon gaining Heaven should first resort to a competent guide to reach that Goal of all goals. And no better guide to Heaven exists than An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Doctor of the Church. It is at once easy to read, being laid out in short chapters, yet thorough, authoritative, reliable, kind and gentle a mirror of its author. It is a book, moreover, for all, because all are called to the devout life. True devotion to God, the author points out, adorns every vocation. The devout life, moreover, is a lovely, a pleasant, and a happy life. (p. 5)

Addressed as a personal letter to Philothea, the lover of God which genuinely represents the reader the book covers: our first desire to lead a devout life to our full resolution to do so, how we should approach God in prayer and the Sacraments, the practice of 16 important virtues, remedies against ordinary temptations, and becoming confirmed in our practice of devotion. St. Francis says, Devotion is spiritual agility and vivacity, by means of which charity works in us, or we in her, with love and readiness; and as charity leads us to obey and fulfill all God s Commandments, so devotion leads us to obey them with promptitude and diligence. (p. 3)

An Introduction to the Devout Life is a book to be read with pencil in hand. It is a book to be read again and again. It is a book to make your guide for the rest of your life. It goes to the heart of becoming good. Its aim is to help you be rid of sin and even the inclinations to sin. Alone, its 10 brief meditations in Part I will orient you toward God for the rest of your life. No one will come away without being profoundly impressed and without being motivated to enter upon the devout life . . . which leads ultimately to God and to Heaven.

This is the original TAN edition now with updated typesetting, fresh new cover, new size and quality binding, and the same trusted content.

ISBN/SKU: 
9780895552280
Publication Date: 
1994-07-01
Author: 
Francis de Sales
Publisher: 
Tan Books
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“A devout life,” according to ...

April 2, 2025 - FaithMagazine
5
“A devout life,” according to St. Francis de Sales, “is a lovely, a pleasant, and a happy life.” This wonderful classic of spiritual direction always surprises new readers with its wisdom and accessibility. Based on the holy priest’s letters to a young relative, this book is a guide to discipleship for everyone, penned in an era that was inclined to think that only the clergy and religious need worry about such things. Bishop de Sales’ pastoral heart, however, knew that those who must live in the world needed practical spiritual advice about how to remain on the path to heaven in the midst of the demands and distractions of making a living. Plus ça change! (The more things change, the more they stay the same!) Drawing on Scripture, the lives of the saints, and his own pastoral observation, this compelling saint persuades his readers not only that they are made for holiness, but that this is within their reach. Recommended for anyone seeking solid spiritual direction and for those feeling overwhelmed by the eclipsing of faith in the modern world.