10 St. Jane Frances De Chantal Things That Caught My Eye Today (August 12)

Happy #FeastDay of St. Jane Frances de Chantal take two! #Pray4Us! pic.twitter.com/TlMSevl8I7

— DC Archdiocese (@WashArchdiocese) August 12, 2015

2. Her New Advent page.

#Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, we ask you to #pray for families, especially those struggling to love one another. #FeastDay

— Preaching Friars (@preachingfriars) August 12, 2015

4. From Bishop-Elect Robert Barron’s Facebook page:

St. Vincent de Paul, who was Jane Frances’ friend and spiritual director, said this about the saint:

“She was full of faith, yet all her life had been tormented by thoughts against it. While apparently enjoying the peace and easiness of mind of souls who have reached a high state of virtue, she suffered such interior trials that she often told me her mind was so filled with all sorts of temptations and abominations that she had to strive not to look within herself…But for all that suffering her face never lost its serenity, nor did she once relax in the fidelity God asked of her. And so I regard her as one of the holiest souls I have ever met on this earth.”

'Follow your own way of speaking to Our Lord, sincerely, lovingly, confidently & simply, as your heart dictates' ~ St. Jane de Chantal #pray

— N. Catholic Register (@NCRegister) August 12, 2015

6. In the Liturgy of the Hours today, from The Memoirs by the secretary of Saint Jane Frances de Chantal

One day Saint Jane spoke the following eloquent words, which listeners took down exactly as spoken:

“My dear daughters, many of our holy fathers in the faith, men who were pillars of the Church, did not die martyrs. Why do you think this was?” Each one present offered an answer; then their mother continued. “Well, I myself think it was because there is another martyrdom: the martyrdom of love. Here God keeps his servants and handmaids in this present life so that they may labor for him, and he makes of them both martyrs and confessors. I know,” she added, “that the Daughters of the Visitation are meant to be martyrs of this kind, and that, by the favor of God, some of them, more fortunate than others in that their desire has been granted, will actually suffer such a martyrdom.”

One sister asked what form this martyrdom took. The saint answered: “Yield yourself fully to God, and you will find out! Divine love takes its sword to the hidden recesses of our inmost soul and divides us from ourselves. I know one person whom love cut off from all that was dearest to her, just as completely and effectively as if a tyrant’s blade had severed spirit from body.”

We realized that she was speaking of herself. When another sister asked how long the martyrdom would continue, the Saint replied: “From the moment when we commit ourselves unreservedly to God, until our last breath. I am speaking, of course, of great-souled individuals who keep nothing back for themselves, but instead are faithful in love. Our Lord does not intend this martyrdom for those who are weak in love and perseverance. Such people he lets continue on their mediocre way, so that they will not be lost to him; he never does violence to our free will.”

Finally, the saint was asked whether this martyrdom of love could be put on the same level as martyrdom of the body. She answered: “We should not worry about equality. I do think, however, that the martyrdom of love cannot be relegated to a second place, for love is as strong as death. For the martyrs of love suffer infinitely more in remaining in this life so as to serve God, than if they died a thousand times over in testimony to their faith and love and fidelity.”

RESPONSORY
See Philippians 4:8-9

There are many things that are true, honorable and just,
many that are pure, worthy of love and deserving of praise:
these you must do.
– And the God of peace will be with you.

If there is anything virtuous, anything worthy of admiration,
think of these things above all else.
– And the God of peace will be with you.

Pax! St. Jane Frances de Chantal, pray for us. Pax! pic.twitter.com/glXoCFJpkX

— Fr. Mario-Ben U. A. (@frmario4pax) August 12, 2015

St Jane Frances de Chantal: a saint to inspire women keen to enter religious life http://t.co/cc3uzY2Cwo pic.twitter.com/jQI7AwleRF

— Catholic Herald (@CatholicHerald) August 12, 2015

Take a look at Jane de Chantal's "get over yourself" spiritual advice: https://t.co/mqHkuclBAT #saints #catholic pic.twitter.com/pBiAPcQ4sJ

— Amy Welborn (@amywelborn2) August 12, 2015

10. St. Jane Frances de Chantal via Magnificat today:

One of the most excellent forms of prayer is the loving desire of our heart towards God and the suffering of things which displease us. Prayer is then united to patience, which is the first of the virtues, and the soul, which thus rises humbly from the midst of its distractions, may believe that it has prayed as well as if it had not suffered from them at all.

PLUS: Homily for today from Fr. Roger J. Landry: Unity in Christ and the Fraternal Correction That Seeks to Restore It

Today’s readings.