Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples. A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea. Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseaseswere pressing upon him to touch him. And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before himand shout, “You are the Son of God.”He warned them sternly not to make him known.
REFLECTION
“A large number of people followed….”
St Francis de Sales is a Doctor of the Church and a patron of writers. Known for his holiness and wisdom, many souls left Calvinism and back to the Catholic Church but not before he suffered humiliation; thrown out of homes and villages and sometimes no one showed up for church, delivering his homily to an empty church.
Known for his kindness, poise, strong faith and the ability to teach, many went to him for spiritual direction. Prolific writer, he once wrote, "holiness is perfectly possible in every state and condition of secular life." Jane Chantal, a widow and mother of 8, sought him for his counselling. She entered a cloistered order and corresponded with St Francis. She likewise wrote many letters to people giving them guidance and advice. A beautiful book entitled, "Wisdom from the Lives and Letters of St Francis de Sales and St Jane Frances de Chantal" is a good read.
In his "Introduction to the Devout Life", St Francis wrote about the goodness of God's Will, pursuance of holiness, always following God's will in decision making, embracing your crosses and not being fearful of failure.
With love we can have the most perfect response to God's Will.
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