Against building castles in Spain

“If I were not a bishop, knowing what I know, I should not wish to be one ; but being one, not only am I obliged to do what this trying vocation requires, but I must do it joyously, and must take pleasure in it and be contented. ”

More from Francis de Sales

Part 1, earlier.

Looking to Lent, one of the perennial posts about St. Francis de Sales and fasting.

Of course, there’s so much helpful and insightful writing from St. Francis de Sales out there. I’m focusing on these letters just because I don’t think they’re as well known as, say, Introduction to the Devout Life.

As you are doubtlessly tired of reading in this space, one of my deep interests is how contemporary western values have impacted popular Christian, especially Catholic, spirituality – most of all the values of choice, mobility, prosperity and personal fulfillment.

Simplistically put, it’s the difference between a spirituality oriented towards helping a person see the presence of God and meaning in their situation – which will probably never change and which they don’t have the freedom to change, and one oriented towards baptizing the values of making choices and changes that will help you find God’s purpose for your life, aka happiness.

Are the two at odds? Not necessarily. But, as I’ve written before, if your Gospel can’t be credibly preached to a woman cradling her malnourished son in the midst of a famine over which she has no control, then your Gospel deserved to be laughed off the planet.

Live your best life! Follow your dreams!

Anyway, take this last bit from St. Francis de Sales in that spirit.

We must consider that there is no vocation which has not its irksomenesses, its bitternesses, and disgusts : and what is more, except those who are fully resigned to the will of God, each one would willingly change his condition for that of others : those who are bishops would like not to be ; those who are married would like not to be, and those who are not would like to be.

Whence this general disquietude of souls, if not from a certain dislike of constraint and a perversity of spirit which makes us think that each one is better off than we ?

But all comes to the same: whoever is not fully resigned, let him turn himself here or there, he will never have rest. Those who have fever find no place comfortable ; they have not stayed a quarter of an hour in one bed when they want to be in another ; it is not the bed which is at fault, but the fever which everywhere torments them. A person who has not the fever of self-will is satisfied with everything, provided that God is served. He cares not in what quality God employs him, provided that he does the Divine will. It is all one to him.

But this is not all : we must not only will to do the will of God : but in order to be devout, we must do it gaily.

If I were not a bishop, knowing what I know, I should not wish to be one ; but being one, not only am I obliged to do what this trying vocation requires, but I must do it joyously, and must take pleasure in it and be contented. It is the saying of St. Paul : Let each one stay in his vocation before God. We have not to carry the cross of others, but our own; and that each may carry his own, our Lord wishes him to renounce himself, that is, his own will. I should like this or that, I should be better here or there : those are temptations. Our Lord knows well what he does, let us do what he wills, let us stay where he has placed us.

For this is the Christian life, isn’t it? That balance between acceptance, finding God in the present moment, but also being willing to follow him to where he calls.

Persevere in thoroughly conquering yourself in these small daily contradictions you receive ; make the bulk of your desires about this ; know that God wishes nothing from you at present but that. Busy not yourself then in doing anything else : do not sow your desires in another’s garden, but cultivate well your own. Do not desire not to be what you are, but desire to be very well what you are ; occupy your thoughts in making that perfect, and in bearing the crosses, little or great, which you will meet. And, believe me, this is the great truth, and the least understood in spiritual conduct.

Every one loves according to his taste ; few love according to their duty and the taste of our Lord. What is the use of building castles in Spain, when we have to live in France ? It is my old lesson, and you know it well ; tell me, my dear child, if you practice it well.