St. Francis de Sales
Every now and then someone will tell me that they have a bad temper and are working on it. I tell them to go to Francis de Sales because he is said to have had a quick temper, but no one would have ever suspected this. St. Francis is known for two virtues in particular: gentleness and patience. He is sometimes referred to as the “Gentleman saint.”
Our saint today was born to a noble family near Geneva, Switzerland, on August 21, 1567. St. Francis knew from an early age that he wanted to become a priest, but kept it from his family. He patiently did everything his father asked – he became a soldier, studied at the University of Paris at age 24, and then studied at Padua to get a doctorate in law.
It’s said that during this time, Francis continued his devotion to God by studying theology and saying his daily prayers. There is a story that one day while riding a horse, Francis fell from his horse three times. Each time he fell, the sword came out of the scabbard and the two landed on the ground in the shape of a cross. Francis finally had the discussion with his father and was ordained a priest in 1593.
Once he became a priest, he was not a natural pastor. It’s said that his biggest concern on being ordained was that he had to have his lovely curly gold hair cut off. When he preached, his listeners thought that he was making fun of them. It takes time to grow into a vocation!
Francis was a priest during the time Protestant Reformation. Switzerland was just over the mountains from where Francis lived. This was Calvinist territory. He decided to try to convert the 60,000 Calvinists back to the faith. His expedition consisted of him and his cousin.
For three years, he trudged through the countryside, had doors slammed in his face and rocks thrown at him. He slept in haylofts if he could, and even once slept in a tree to avoid wolves. In the bitter winters, his feet froze so bad that they bled as he tramped through the snow. After three years, his cousin left him alone and he had not made one convert.
Francis, however, was patient. Because people wouldn’t open their doors to him, he began writing out his sermons and slipping them under their doors. Parents wouldn’t talk to him so he began playing with their children. Parents noticed how kind and patient he was and finally began to open up. In time, it’s said that Francis converted 40,000 people back to the Church.
When he was criticized for being too gentle, he replied that he would rather account to God for being to gentle than too severe. He asked, “Is not God all love? God the Father is the Father of mercy; God the Son is a Lamb; God the Holy Ghost is a Dove, that is gentleness itself.” His famous saying is, “You will catch more flies with a spoonful of honey than a hundred barrels of vinegar.”
Our good and patient saint was beautified on January 8, 1661, and canonized on April 9, 1665 by Pope Alexander VII. Francis is often depicted with the Heart of Jesus and a crown of thorns. He is the patron saint of Catholic writers and the Catholic press.
If you struggle with patience or have a bad temper, or know someone who does, pray to St. Francis de Sales. It took him 20 years to master his quick temper, but no one ever suspected he struggled with this problem. Today’s “Gentleman Saint” has a lot to teach us about patience, gentleness, and humility!