9781644135945

The Light of the World
Prayer
O God, who hast taught the whole world by the preaching of blessed Paul the apostle, we
beseech Thee to grant that we who this day celebrate his conversion may advance toward Thee
by following his example.
Sanctified by this saving mystery, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that he under whose patronage
Thou hast vouchsafed to place us may not fail to intercede for us. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen. (Postcommunion.)
January 29, St. Francis de Sales
Today we celebrate with the liturgy the feast of the great St. Francis de Sales, doctor of the
Church, bishop of Geneva, author of An Introduction to the Devout Life and other spiritual works.
He died December 28, 1622.
St. Francis continues to live in the Church: in medio ecclesiae. Even today his voice, filled with
the spirit of wisdom and understanding, is raised in the midst of the congregation of the
Church (Introit). He is the salt of the earth, the light of the world; and his light, his teachings,
and his virtues enlighten us in order that, seeing them, we may praise the Father, who works
such wonders in His saints. With loving zeal he fulfills the commands of the Lord, even the
least and most insignificant ones; and as he teaches, so he lives. “He that shall do and teach,
he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Gospel), both in the Church here on earth
and in heaven. In the Church, the mysterious organism of grace in which Christ, the vine, lives
and nourishes His saints, St. Francis became what he is today. Only in the Church and through
the Church could he have attained his present glory.
St. Francis continues to live in the Church and for the Church. Therefore the liturgy celebrates
the feast of this doctor of the Church who possessed such supernatural wisdom and
understanding. The Church commemorates him as the high priest who, certainly united with
the saints, celebrates with us the Holy Sacrifice and adds to our gifts his own virtues, merits,
and intercession. She commemorates him as a true and wise dispenser of grace whom God has
appointed as a gracious and mighty intercessor for “His family,” the Church.
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt lose its savor, wherewith shall it be salted?
It is good for nothing any more but to be cast out and to be trodden on by men. You are
the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid. Neither do men light
a candle and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that
are in the house. So let your light shine before men that they may see your good works
and glorify God” (Gospel). St. Francis has been placed on a candlestick and enlightens
“all that are in the house” of the Church. We see his good works, his accomplishments
in souls, the thousands who were led back from Calvinism to the truth of Christ, and
many thousands for whom he has become a leader and savior by his writing; we see
the marvelous virtues and the richness of grace which he received from the Lord. We
acknowledge him as an epiphany of the Lord’s wisdom, strength, and grace, and therefore
in the Sacrifice of the Mass we praise and thank our heavenly Father for this manifestation
of His goodness and grace.
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