Recommended Book: First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians - Kindle Edition (get Kindle app for phone) (paid link)

(adapted from the writings of St. Francis de Sales)

L\
God has placed us in this world not because he needs us in any way, but only to exercise his goodness in us by giving us his grace and glory. Thus he has given us intellect to know him, memory to be mindful of him, will to love him, imagination to picture to ourselves his benefits, eyes to see his wonderful works, and tongue to praise him.

(Devout Life, Bk 1, Ch 10)

R\
My God and my Savior,
you shall henceforth be the sole object of my thoughts.
Every day of my life
my memory will be filled
with your great mercy
that has been so sweetly shown to me.
You shall be the joy of my heart
and the sweetness of my affections.

(Devout Life, Bk 1, Ch 10)

L\
O how worthy of love is our great God who out of his infinite goodness has given his own Son for the redemption of all. Yes, truly, for all people in general but for each person in particular.

(Treatise on the Love of God, Bk 12, Ch 12)

R\
Ah, Jesus, you have loved me!
I say you have loved even me,
even me myself.
I say, such as I am,
and have delivered yourself
to your passion for me.

(Treatise on the Love of God, Bk 12, Ch 12)

L\
O God, our Creator, what love can we have sufficiently worthy of your infinite goodness, who from all eternity have determined to create, preserve, govern, redeem, save and glorify all people in general and each one in particular?

(Treatise on the Love of God, Bk 12, Ch 12)

R\
Ah, what was I when I was not?
What was I,
I who even now
when I am something
am still only nothing.
Yet from the depths of eternity,
you, O gracious God,
thought thoughts of blessing on my behalf.
You meditated, planned and determined
the hour of my birth,
of my baptism,
of all the inspirations you would give me,
and of all the benefits you would do me and offer me.
Ah, is there kindness like to such kindness as yours,
my Lord and my all?

(Treatise on the Love of God, Bk 12, Ch 12)

L\
Let us turn to him, our Lord Jesus, King of happiness and eternal glory, and embrace him with all the strength of our souls. Let us adore him with our whole hearts. Let us choose him to be our King now and forever. With gratitude and praise, let us together pray:

(Devout Life, Bk 1, Ch 18)

ALL\
O LOVE ETERNAL,
my soul needs
and chooses you eternally!
Ah, come Holy Spirit
and inflame our hearts
with your love!
To love --
or to die!
To die --
and to love!
To die to all other love
in order to live
in Jesus' love,
so that we may not die eternally.
But that we may live
in your eternal love,
O Savior of our souls,
we eternally sing,
"Live, Jesus!
Jesus, I love!
Live, Jesus whom I love!
Jesus, I love,
Jesus
who lives and reigns
forever and ever.
AMEN."

(Treatise on the Love of God, Bk 12, Ch 12)

Assembled in 1995 by Alice Claire Mansfield for the feast of St. Francis de Sales. Submitted on January 30, 1996 by Alice Claire Mansfield. © 1996 by Alice Claire Mansfield, All Rights Reserved.