Dilexit Nos in a Year - Session 26 - St. Francis de Sales

Pope Francis dives into the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales and St. Jean Francis de Chantal in Chapter 4, paragraphs 114-118, who together established the Order of the Visitation. St. Francis de Sales profound imagery of the Sacred Heart being engraved with the names of each of us to love individually and profoundly is a powerful one, which certainly laid the ground for St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, who was a professed Visitation nun.

Each session of Dilexit Nos in a Year begins by breaking open the scriptures and topics covered in order to outline the themes of Pope Francis, and frame our conversations for the weekly discussion for the year ahead. For the next 50 weeks, we will work through four to five paragraphs reading of the text of Dilexit Nos, with opening prayer, and short reflection based upon the paragraphs covered and the prayerful discussions of the questions to ponder together as we reflect on the work of spiritual and communal formation and mission in this Jubilee Year of Hope.

Prayer

Love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, embrace my heart.
Fire of the Heart of Jesus, inflame my heart.
Charity of the Heart of Jesus, fill my heart.
Strength of the Heart of Jesus, sustain my heart.
Mercy of the Heart of Jesus, pardon my heart.
Patience of the Heart of Jesus, do not forsake my heart.
Reign of the Heart of Jesus, establish Yourself in my heart.
Wisdom of the Heart of Jesus, teach my heart.
Will of the Heart of Jesus, guide my heart.
Zeal of the Heart of Jesus consume my heart.
Jesus, make our hearts more like your own.

Dilexit Nos - Chapter 4, Paragraphs 114 - 118 - St. Francis de Sales.

John Abruzzese article on St. Francis de Sales - meditation about the heart of Jesus the infant in the straw.

The Prayer of St. Francis de Sales

Be at peace.
Do not look forward in fear to the changes of life;
rather look to them with full hope as they arise.
God, whose very own you are, will deliver you from out of them.
He has kept you hitherto, and He will lead you safely through all things;
and when you cannot stand it, God will bury you in his arms.
Do not fear what may happen tomorrow;
the same everlasting Father who cares for you today
will take care of you then and every day.
He will either shield you from suffering, or give you unfailing strength to bear it.
Be at peace, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imagination.
St. Francis de Sales 1567-1622

Office for Evangelization website: www.rcan.org/evangelization
Our original theme music is "Meditation" by Eric Hunter. - www.erichuntermusic.com