Memorial of Saint
Francis de Sales, bishop and doctor of the Church
(Hebrews 7:25-8:6; Mark 3:7-12)
St. Francis de Sales lived at a particularly difficult time
in Church history. Protestantism had rent
Western Christianity in pieces. At his
death the Thirty Years War was eviscerating the faith of evangelical love. In the particularly contentious Swiss nation
Francis preached reconciliation. His early
understanding of a universal call to holiness would serve this end. In the
Introduction to the Devout Life he wrote that all Christians are called to sanctity. All Christians without exception have to pray
as well as avoid wrongdoing and love their enemies.
A parallel message is given in today’s first
reading. The Letter to the Hebrews
describes Jesus as “holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners,…” In fact, all Christians are called to
holiness because Jesus is holy. Likewise,
all Christians are priests because they share in Jesus’ high priesthood. Their prayers for others have weight when they
are spiritually conformed to Christ.
In striving for perfection like Christ’s, we should be concerned
with interior disposition. We should seek
and promote the good in every person. We
should as well take note and strive to eliminate selfishness. Pursuing these virtues with a prayerful
spirit, we will attain holiness.
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