"Today we celebrate St. Francis de Sales, a saint known for his incredible patience. He famously said, 'You can catch more flies wi...
"Today we celebrate St. Francis de Sales, a saint known for his incredible patience. He famously said, 'You can catch more flies with a spoonful of honey than with a barrel of vinegar.' His life perfectly reflects the Gentleness we see in today’s readings.
Let’s reflect on Grief, Guilelessness, and Gentleness.
First, Grief. King Saul hunted David for years. When David hears Saul is dead, we expect him to throw a party. Instead, he tears his clothes and weeps. He composes a beautiful song honoring Saul. This is the heart of a man after God's own heart. He did not rejoice in the death of the wicked. His Grief shows that he never hated Saul; he only hated Saul’s sin.
Second, Guilelessness. In the Gospel, Jesus is working so hard for the Kingdom that He can’t even eat. His family thinks He is out of His mind. They don’t understand His Guilelessness—His complete, unfiltered dedication to God. Sometimes, when we really follow Jesus, people close to us will say, 'You’re too religious' or 'You’re crazy.'
This is where St. Francis de Sales teaches us Gentleness. When people misunderstand us, or when we deal with difficult people (like Saul), we shouldn't react with anger. We should react with honey.
Let us ask for the grace to mourn the tragedy of sin rather than gloat over it, to accept being misunderstood for God’s sake, and to treat everyone with the Gentleness of Christ."
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