Of the Love of God

Saint Francis de Sales (1567 - 1622)
Translated by H. L. Sidney Lear

Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop of Geneva from 1602, was a renowned spiritual director who produced two classic guidebooks for earthly wayfarers on their spiritual journey to God: Introduction a la vie devote (Introduction to the Devout Life, 1609) and Traite' de l'amour de Dieu (Treatise on the Love of God, or Of the Love of God, 1616). In the Introduction to the Devout Life, Francis shows how anyone, whatever his or her calling or station in life, can strive for and achieve a life a piety and devotion to God. It is filled with commonsense spiritual wisdom. Of the Love of God is a more detailed manual for those who are already somewhat advanced on their spiritual journey and are under the care of a personal spiritual director. In this work, he describes the nature of divine love (Bk. II), the manner in which love is perfected in the lover (Bk. III), and the ways in which love can be diminished or lost (Bk. IV). He explains that divine love operates in the soul by acts of complacency and benevolence (Bk. V) and shows how this love is practiced through prayer and meditation (Bk. VI). Divine love, perfected by prayer, leads to union with God (Bk. VII), conformity of the soul's will with the divine will (Bk. VIII), submission to the will of God (Bk. IX), and love of God above all created things (Bk. X). He illustrates how the virtues operate in a soul that has reached this spiritual plateau (Bk. XI) and concludes by offering practical counsels on how best to journey on the road to eternal union with God (Bk. XII). Because of Saint Francis's keen spiritual insights and theological rectitude, Pope Pius IX in 1877 declared him a doctor of the Catholic Church. (Introduction by dave7)

Genre(s): Christianity - Other

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 00 00 – Author's Preface dave7
00:11:22
Play 01 01 – Bk. I, Introduction, 1-6 dave7
00:35:53
Play 02 02 – Bk. I, Introduction, 7-11 dave7
00:39:37
Play 03 03 – Bk. I, Introduction, 12-18 dave7
00:31:32
Play 04 04 – Bk. II, The Origin of Divine Love, 1-6 dave7
00:32:50
Play 05 05 – Bk. II, The Origin of Divine Love, 7-11 dave7
00:32:07
Play 06 06 – Bk. II, The Origin of Divine Love, 12-16 dave7
00:30:50
Play 07 07 – Bk. II, The Origin of Divine Love, 17-22 dave7
00:35:41
Play 08 08 – Bk. III, The Progress and Perfection of Love, 1-4 dave7
00:31:37
Play 09 09 – Bk. III, The Progress and Perfection of Love, 5-8 dave7
00:21:41
Play 10 10 – Bk. III, The Progress and Perfection of Love, 9-15 dave7
00:26:50
Play 11 11 – Bk. IV, The Decay and Ruin of Charity, 1-6 dave7
00:38:28
Play 12 12 – Bk. IV, The Decay and Ruin of Charity, 7-11 dave7
00:30:43
Play 13 13 – Bk. V, Complacency and Benevolence, 1-6 dave7
00:37:35
Play 14 14 – Bk. V, Complacency and Benevolence, 7-12 dave7
00:34:35
Play 15 15 – Bk. VI, Holy Love in Prayer and Meditation, 1-4 dave7
00:34:19
Play 16 16 – Bk. VI, Holy Love in Prayer and Meditation, 5-8 dave7
00:28:19
Play 17 17 – Bk. VI, Holy Love in Prayer and Meditation, 9-12 dave7
00:24:11
Play 18 18 – Bk. VI, Holy Love in Prayer and Meditation, 13-15 dave7
00:26:54
Play 19 19 – Bk. VII, The Union of the Soul with Its God, 1-4 dave7
00:32:51
Play 20 20 – Bk. VII, The Union of the Soul with Its God, 5-9 dave7
00:32:24
Play 21 21 – Bk. VII, The Union of the Soul with Its God, 10-14 dave7
00:26:42
Play 22 22 – Bk. VIII, The Love of Conformity, 1-5 dave7
00:27:03
Play 23 23 – Bk. VIII, The Love of Conformity, 6-10 dave7
00:33:33
Play 24 24 – Bk. VIII, The Love of Conformity, 11-14 dave7
00:24:24
Play 25 25 – Bk. IX, The Love of Submission, 1-5 dave7
00:26:45
Play 26 26 – Bk. IX, The Love of Submission, 6-10 dave7
00:31:27
Play 27 27 – Bk. IX, The Love of Submission, 11-16 dave7
00:32:52
Play 28 28 – Bk. X, The Command to Love God Above All Things, 1-5 dave7
00:29:18
Play 29 29 – Bk. X, The Command to Love God Above All Things, 6-10 dave7
00:26:45
Play 30 30 – Bk. X, The Command to Love God Above All Things, 11-14 dave7
00:24:59
Play 31 31 – Bk. X, The Command to Love God Above All Things, 15-17 dave7
00:23:01
Play 32 32 – Bk. XI, The Supreme Authority of Love, 1-6 dave7
00:31:25
Play 33 33 – Bk. XI, The Supreme Authority of Love, 7-11 dave7
00:34:28
Play 34 34 – Bk. XI, The Supreme Authority of Love, 12-17 dave7
00:33:42
Play 35 35 – Bk. XI, The Supreme Authority of Love, 18-21 dave7
00:31:27
Play 36 36 – Bk. XII, Counsels, 1-6 dave7
00:18:41
Play 37 37 – Bk. XII, Counsels, 7-13 dave7
00:23:31