Finding God amidst Busyness

FINDING GOD IN THE BUSYNESS OF THE WORLD

In a letter of Francis de Sales to his sister, Mme. de Corneille, he begins by saying "Let us belong to God in the midst of this world's busyness."  He then continues with a description of how life in the desert helped the spiritual life of the early Christians. Some of you may know that when the age of persecutions ended at the beginning of the Christian era, Christianity was accepted as the state religion and Constantinople became a bustling, busy city. It was the center of much political intrigue and religious controversy. So, fearing that relaxation might undermine the religious fervor which had kept Christianity alive during the centuries of persecution, many Christians migrated to the desert around the middle of the fourth century A.D. There, by penance, prayer, recitation of the psalms, and strict observance of an austere life, they hoped to preserve the faith of their predecessors.

Some thirteen centuries later at Padua Francis de Sales, now a young adult attending the university, was surrounded by many profligate students whose questionable morality challenged his Christian values. He was not a monk; he had to create a desert within his heart while he pursued his scholarly program as a layman.  So from early on he learned what life in the world was like and the experience was invaluable when he later assumed pastoral duties. After all, did not the majority of Christians dwell in the world?  You may have heard about the Christian privilege of being a co-creator with God in whatever vocation you pursue as a response to your call from the Father; at times you may feel pulled in many directions.  Francis de Sales taught his directees to find God in the midst of their busyness.  He would develop in the statesman, the soldier, the merchant, the courtier, the wife, the mother, and the student an appreciation for the distinct call of God within His signified will as well as within His permissive will.  Each person could find Jesus in the heart open to Him, and on the lips of the housewife, the sailor, the grocer, or the advisor of kings. It was clearly of little importance who one was, or where one happened to be, or even what was being done. So we say that Salesian spirituality is both contextual, within the context of the environment in which one finds oneself, and relational. 

In the little chapter entitled "Affairs" in the Introduction to a Devout Life, Francis counsels Mme de Charmoisy how to preserve the practices of the spiritual life she had recently begun even while she was embroiled in a lawsuit that required her absence from Annecy,. Her director, Francis, a good psychologist, emphasizes that much depends on the attitude a person takes. This attitude may be affirmative or negative. While approaching a job with industry and care in the realm of charity and service, the work must be performed calmly and peacefully. As Francis says, "That the angels may look after us."  After all, has not the Lord entrusted this particular work to you here and now?  On the other hand, an atmosphere of worry, hurry, strife, and dissension prevents us from doing well the work at hand. Francis obviously never had to get the youngsters off to school on a rainy day.  Francis de Sales had several similes to illustrate his point.  Broad smooth rivers bear barges laden with rich merchandise as opposed to the torrents gushing through the Alps.  Drones which make much noise but produce no honey, flies which annoy us by their quantity, and a small child taking a walk with a parent who holds her hand while she gathers berries -- that is the way he thought of us as we went about our work.  He counsels Philothea the reader to prioritize her activities when he said, "In things of moderate importance your mind may be free to rise to God. In important business which requires concentration raise your mind to God now and then."  Then he adds, "Depend on the providence of God by Whom all your projects will succeed.  On your part, take care to cooperate with it.  Let us trust in God whether the outcome may be good or bad.  This will always lead to your profit."

Some years later when de Sales founded the Sisters of the Visitation, he inserted this advice in the Third Article or the third chapter of the Little Directory which the Sisters had received as novices. First, we ask for the grace to perform this action for God's greater honor and glory. Next, we prepare ourselves to accept whatever may occur as coming from His fatherly hand. If we meet with difficulty, this is a test of our fidelity to Him which allows us to grow in virtue and inspire others.  From this union will flow that peace and joy which is the mark of every Christian and will be a witness to His presence in the world.  Following the admonition of St. Paul to the early Christians everything in the family is essential in the Salesian spiritual scheme, every activity, rest, recreation and even money are all stepping stones to union with God.  In the first part of this paper we have seen how Salesian spirituality is contextual. Who we are, where we are, what we do, God's call and our response become the very matrix of our lives.

The second facet of Salesian spirituality is that it is relational. Like Jane and Francis we are aware of the presence of God during Holy Communion. We become related to God and by extension to all of creation that is charged with the grandeur of God. Jane discovered this in the relationship that she as a woman found first in de Sales, next in her family, then in the sisters of the convent and finally in a wide circle of friends both as a laywoman and as a religious.  In the little manual called the Introduction Francis developed the idea of friendship.  It begins with a certain attraction and attachment between equals.  A dog in de Sales' view cannot really be man's best friend because the dog is of a different species.  Since human beings are rational and dogs are not, true friendship cannot exist between them.  Secondly love develops, and is transformed into friendship. People need to be conscious of being mutually loved; some common activity, goal, or need pulls them together.

True friendship becomes benevolent by wishing the well-being of another. Sometimes friendship may become self-interested when people are used for personal profit. It is questionable whether such a relationship is friendship.  However, in true friendship there is attraction, similarity of interests, and then correspondence.  For example, friendship does not exist between a person who loves but is not loved in return.  Next, Francis de Sales emphasizes the timely rule of communication, the key word being "communication."  At this stage familiarity and intimacy grow.  Friendship stands or falls by what each communicates and you know how important friends are for young people.  Lastly there are spiritual friendships. These encompass not only the rational aspects of intellect and will but the spirit itself.  De Sales says that if their mutual communication is one of charity, devotion and christian perfection, then precious indeed is such a friendship. It is excellent because it comes from God, excellent because it leads to God, and excellent because it will endure eternally with God.  This way of relationship is of central importance to the art of letting Jesus live, and the enduring friendship between Jane and Francis eventually blossomed and bore fruit in the foundation of the Visitation Order.  It is a great privilege to be able to share the most intimate thoughts of a saint.  Some months after Francis and Jane had met in Dijon, Francis writes, "Madam, this letter will assure you all the more that I shall carefully keep the promise I made to you of writing as often as I can."  Jane was keen to understand the role of his priesthood especially as he made his difficult journeys through the Alps on diocesan visitations.  As their friendship grew, Francis speaks of "our hearts", "our loves", "our souls."  Each of them desired to be absorbed in and united with our Lord. Francis describes his love for Jane, 

He assures her that his affection for her is brighter than snow and purer than the sun.  As for meditating on Our Lady, he writes, "How much she loves us.  I said to her, "Here is your daughter whose heart is utterly given to you."  Wendy Wright concludes this chapter in her Bond of Perfection by saying that it was Francis' love for Jane that gave her the eagle's wings she needed to span the psychological and spiritual chasm that separated her old self from the new.  They were friends and spiritual companions.  A rather chaste and mutual love spelled their ability to relate exceptionally and expansively with others.

In this section with St. Jane de Chantal as our guide, we first will see how she practiced her spirituality within the context of her own life and next how her friendship with Francis broadened her appreciation of other people and formed what our authors call a relational spirituality.  This will be a hodge-podge of people and place.  We all remember that it took seven years before Jane finally managed to forgive the man who had shot her husband and to become the godmother of one of his children.  But we will learn much more about Jane's spirituality as we look at her relationship with her daughter, Francon.  After spending some years at the convent, Francon decided to leave her mother and the bishop to take up residence in town.  We get a view of Francon who was now free to adorn herself with rather elegant clothing and jewelry.  The gentle bishop of Geneva did not approve of her new appearance.  Some years later after the foundation at Annecy we find Jane establishing a house in Paris and concerned over her daughter's suitors.  One of these, the Count Antoine de Toulonjon, stepped into the convent parlor to ask for Francon's hand.  Was Jane ever a happy Mom!  The stranger immediately raised Jane's thoughts to God, of His presence and providence.  In her letter she paints a portrait of this mature suitor and his fine qualities.  He has a good background and refinement, a sine qua non requirement of the French nobility.  He also is intelligent and has a pleasant disposition.  He is sincere and possesses sound judgment, integrity, and a good reputation.  All these qualities are reasons for Francon to thank God and to continue being faithful to the spiritual exercises found in the Introduction to a Devout Life.  She urges her daughter to receive the gentleman graciously, trying to be humble and gentle.  Were these qualities opposed to the temperament of Francon who could be rather trying and impetuous?  Jane shares with her daughter the spiritual insights into the constant presence of God by her estimation of created things and exhorts her to live honorably, modestly, and sensibly.  Francon is about to enter a new phase of life.  Nor was she to remain ignorant of the family efforts to find Francon a suitable husband.  Jane wrote on April 7, 1620, "Indeed I am grateful that your relatives and I have arranged this marriage without you. . . Your brother, who has good judgment is charmed with the alliance."  Toulonjon actually may have been an acquaintance of Celse Benigne since the count lived not too far from Monthelon.  Toulonjon had been brave in battle and had received high appointments from the king.  Francon was to receive him cordially and thank God for such a gift.

A second letter written April 13th reveals Jane's experience in the material order.  The restoration of her husband's estate at Bourbilly and the establishment of nine new convents had molded her values.  She is delighted with Antoine (de Toulonjon) but cautions Francon to curb the happy suitor's generosity.  Pearls are necessary but he also was buying her earrings and a locket covered with diamonds.  Here I noted that in the original Jane writes all the jewels in Paris.  Jane was quite aware of the Parisian fashions of the day - not an excessive display of jewelry, no bridal dress - not fashionable.  We wonder how Francon must have reacted to this.  There is also an oblique reference to the veneration Mother de Chantal was beginning to experience at large.  Since you are my daughter, you are expected to be circumspect and conduct your affairs wisely and prudently.  Francon is a bit stunned by so much attention.  She does not want to be married in May because of some local bad-luck superstition.  There seems to be no record of their quiet wedding in June.  You may be sure that Francis de Sales presided over the ceremony together with Jane's brother, the Bishop of Bourges, Jane's son Celse Benigne, as well as relatives and family of the groom.  Then the couple must have left for Autun, not far from Monthelon where Jane had suffered so much.

Some five years later we learn that Francon was disappointed that her uncle did not include her in his will.  After all, it seemed that the young prelate was comfortably fixed. Jane responded that the Bishop of Bourges owned very little besides his furniture, but that her motherly heart would put in a good word for Francon.  Again and again Jane inculcates in her daughter complete trust in God's providence concerning the welfare of her children.  They are to be brought up as befitting God's glory and their salvation and not for their social background and ambition.  Naturally Jane hopes that Francon and her husband are getting along nicely and that her daughter is managing her household well.  How many memories of Bourbilly must have gone through Jane's mind as she penned these words.  The following year Jane is once more in Annecy when she hears of the death of Francon's little son.  Having experienced the death of two babies shortly after her marriage Mother de Chantal can understand her daughter's grief.  This letter alludes to how Jane may have handled this situation before she had met Francis de Sales.  Now she hopes that Francon had been patient and had accepted this visitation from God in loving submission to God's good pleasure.  Seven years later Francon was pregnant once more.  Jane is concerned about her daughter's health as well as her daughter's wealth and position and hopes she will accept all these gifts as coming from God.  At this point Mother de Chantal begins to dwell on the passage of time and on the happiness and stability of eternity.  The countess must learn to instill these in her little daughter Gabrielle.  A little later, Francon loses both husband and baby on the same day.  Again, Jane's sympathy is intense and affectionate.  She herself had grieved deeply over her own husband's death.  But now, spiritually matured under the guidance of Francis, Jane passes on to Francon a deep awareness of the hand of God in both good and ill.  She wrote to her daughter in December of 1633,

Francon eased her mother's fears when she requested Jane to put into writing some of her advice.  This was written in the fall of 1634.  What does she counsel Francon?  First she warns her about the company she is to keep.  Avoid frivolous young men.  You may remember that when the Baron de Chantal was away, a man visited Jane at Bourbilly and refused to leave as night drew on.  So Jane slipped away and left him to his own devices.  Again, her relatives sought a brilliant match for her but Jane absolutely refused to entertain the thought and carved the name of Jesus over her heart.  She showed balance and understanding of Francon's position in the world.  Passions should be subdued; enjoyment of this world's goods must be tempered with the knowledge of eternity.  Curb your inclinations and offer them to God for His glory dwelling within you, for the respect and love you owe to the memory of your beloved husband, the preservation of your good name, and the benefit of your daughter who, undoubtedly, will model herself after you.

You will remember that when Francis de Sales had written to Jane in the fall after they had become friends, he wrote her a long letter.  In substance the memorandum that Jane writes to Francon is an abridgement of that letter and a revelation of Jane herself.  She emphasizes the importance of giving to God the very first moments of the day, advises attending Mass if possible, and describes a method for profiting from it.  During the morning she hopes Francon will draw to mind her Heavenly Father, Our Lady and the saints.  Spiritual reading and examination of conscience become the evening exercises.  Finally Francon's happiness would depend on the way she fulfills the duties of her state in accepting all things from God's hand and in obeying both His signified will and that of His good pleasure.  Unfortunately little may be found of Francon's later life and what may have become of her daughter Gabrielle and of the young Count de Toulonjon, her son who inherited his father's estate and defrayed some of the expenses incurred when the process of canonization was opened for St. Jane.  Did Francon know her famous cousin, Madame de Sevigne?  Did she remain in Annecy?  It was her destiny to model Jane's life as she moved from the impetuous willful teenager to the calm young bride of the Count de Toulonjon to the happy mother and finally to the gentle widow.  Thus she followed in her own life much of the path of her famous mother.

Finally, lest I have given you the impression that all Jane de Chantal did was to think of her daughter, I remind you that the major portion of her time was spent on a multitude of activities; such as, foundations, business letters, conferences with Parisian society and so on.  Our translator included some letters from Jane to the first three sisters of the Visitation.  Letters in a vacuum acquire more meaning once we know to whom they are addressed.  The introduction to this section fills us in with a sketch of these three sisters - Marie Jacqueline Favre, Peronne Marie de Chatel, and Jeanne Charlotte de Brechard.  Marie Jacqueline was the daughter of a lawyer who was Francis de Sales' best friend. She danced beautifully and was courted by Louis de Sales, Francis' brother.  However in the middle of a party she suddenly realized that all of this was past and that Jesus was calling her.  Louis was disappointed but he yielded.  Jacqueline joined Madame de Chantal the first evening previous to the foundation.  She was just eighteen at the time.  Judging from her later achievements as a foundress and superior she was holy, prudent and intelligent.  At the age of twenty-five, Jane felt she could entrust the first offshoot of the Annecy foundation to Jacqueline who seemed to have taken the place of Marie Aimee in Jane's heart.  She always called her my eldest daughter. 

The young superior was in the difficult position of being between two bishops who could not agree at first on the character that the Visitation should take.  De Marquemont wanted the sisters to take solemn vows and to become cloistered.  Francis did not want this; still less did Jane.  At this time the two bishops were still friends, but it was only because Francis de Sales yielded that their friendship could continue.  Jane's method was transparent in this letter.  First she takes advantage of an opportunity to write before dawn.  She then assures her eldest daughter that she is under God's protection.  She is to train and form the new applicants to respect and to be set at liberty to be with them as often as possible.  She is specific about which sisters need most attention.  In the first place is Marie-Aimee de Blonay, the protegee of St. Francis de Sales.  She has a good mind, she doesn't say much, but what she does say is worth listening to.  She is also rather lazy.  Another sister seems to be rather nervous and fidgety; for her, Jane recommends plenty of rest and good food as a remedy against temptations.  There are also two widows who seem to have a hard time adjusting.  So here is Jacqueline at twenty-five trying to handle all of this.  Lastly, Jane sees that Marie Jacqueline has the affection of both Francis de Sales and the Bishop de Marquemont.  As the night skies become grey with the dawn, Jane closes the letter with an affectionate remonstrance, Don't say to the President, your father, that you never receive letters from me.  I never fail to write to you whenever I can.  We find another letter written to Marie Jacqueline, Jane's eldest daughter, in 1634.  She had been left in charge of the Paris foundation where she became quite ill and was recalled to Annecy.  The sister who cared for her must have written a beautiful letter to Jane telling her how Jacqueline had inspired her during her illness.

The second sister to whom a letter was addressed, written on February 9, 1616, was to Peronne Marie de Chatel who was the daughter of the French ambassador to Germany.  She loved music and poetry and was still rather sensitive and immature at the time of the foundation in Lyons.  One day when she was particularly miserable she took a holy card and cut out the Infant Jesus from Mary's lap.  Well, she told our Lady, see how you feel when your Son is not around. She held the office of business manager for the new convent and helped with the fruit harvesting of their farm.  I suppose it was a little too much for her because Jane counsels her to rest.  Peronne matured into capable womanhood, was superior of several convents, and admitted her own mother, now eighty, into the novitiate.  That good lady pronounced her vows on her deathbed.  The relationship between Jane and Peronne Marie seems to have been very candid for the latter tells Jane bluntly that she has an aversion to her and is reluctant to speak to her.  Rather than sympathizing, Jane exhorts her to fight these feelings and to ask our Lord to help her.  As a protection against discouragement Jane advises her to turn to our Lord for help, to be patient with herself, and to continue without too much reflection and introspection.  Since Peronne is in charge of the household, Jane reminds her that a well-ordered exterior is a sign of God's presence.  Lastly, she recommends that Peronne look after Marie Jacqueline both physically and spiritually.

Before discussing the letter to the third recipient, Jeanne Charlotte de Brechard, some biographical comments may be helpful.  Jeanne's mother had died in childbirth and her father really didn't want her.  She was entrusted to the care of two aunts, one of whom let her fall into a moat.  When the plague broke out, the adults fled the castle and Jeanne was forced to take refuge in a nearby village.  She dwelt with two grave diggers who went about at dawn gathering the corpses of the plague stricken.  One night they took in a patient and Jeanne was forced to eat and sleep with the victim.  When the person died, the grave diggers found Jeanne Charlotte in tears.  She would not stay in the house so they put her on the cart with the corpse.  Eventually the plague abated and the adults returned to their homes.  But Jeanne was scarcely noticed.  When the Carmelites made a foundation at Dijon, Jeanne joined them but her wretched childhood had undermined her health and she could not stay.  She also tried to join the Ursulines with the same consequences.  Jeanne had long been a friend of Jane de Chantal and was the godmother of her third daughter, Charlotte.  In fact, Jeanne met Francis de Sales at Monthelon and immediately placed herself under his direction. She would accompany Jane to Annecy to become one of the first members of the Visitation.  Jeanne was older than Marie Jacqueline and Peronne Marie. 

Laater she headed the foundation at Moulins.  The civil authorities had invited Jane to guide the little community but since she could not go, she sent Jeanne Charlotte instead.  Well the sisters were very coolly received and of course the superior had to take the brunt of everyday abuse.  However in time the sisters' gentleness, poverty and kindness impressed the townspeople and the foundation took root.  Many years later it was at Moulins that Jane died.  The letter mentions that Jeanne was to accept humiliations and contradictions as suited to our littleness.  It may be that these contradictions concerned the foundation.  At any rate Jane told Jeanne to become truly humble, gentle, and simple.

Jane had her bad days also.  She wrote that her arm and her hand were starting to tire and hurt.  Jane advises that spiritual formation given at Annecy is sufficient for the sisters.  By 1617 the Rules had been approved by Rome; the Office was not yet approved however for the sisters were to recite only the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin.  Jane continued in her letter to Jeanne, "When I said it would be enough if you wrote to me once a month or every six weeks, I still had you here with me and hadn't felt the pain of not hearing from you for a long time for you are greatly loved. But since you are asking, the weeks and months seem very long."  There are also several references to conventual customs, and Jane adds, "No one should go poking around the house."  The closing of this letter is truly Salesian.  She writes, "I beg the sisters of your monastery to serve God lovingly, zealously, joyously and humbly." 

In conclusion, the way of life Francis de Sales worked out for himself and shared with Jane de Chantal and then later with the first sisters of the Visitation was indeed conceptual.  The Visitation was beginning to spread throughout the country.  Jane followed her daughters in spirit wherever they might go and supported them with her motherly interest and love, encouraged them in their difficulties, and gave them sound spiritual comfort tailored to their needs.  In this aspect they were her friends and her daughters, and her love was indeed relational.  Isn't this the mind of Jesus?  He lived in the context of the Palestine of his day.  He too had good friends with whom He shared all that the Father had given Him.