Oblates of St. Francis de Sales

New DeSales World Newsletter - Summer Edition

4th Sunday of Advent (December 23, 2007)

Suggested Emphasis

“The virgin will give birth to a son, and they shall call him Emmanuel, a name which means, “God is with us.”

Salesian Perspective

St. Francis de Sales wrote in his Introduction to the Devout Life: “God is in all things and in all places. There is no place or thing in this world where God is not truly present. Just as wherever birds fly they always encounter the air, so, too, wherever we go or wherever we are we find God present.” (Part II, Chapter 2)

God is with us. When we are at our best, we know –– and act in ways –– that proclaim the truth that God is with us indeed: always, and in all ways.

Unfortunately, we are not always at our best. We do not always act in ways that convince others of the ongoing presence of a God who loves us always and in all ways. Francis de Sales observed: “Everyone knows this truth (that God is always present) but not everyone brings it home to oneself. Blind men do not see a prince who is present among them, and therefore do not show him the respect they do display after being informed of his presence. However, because they do not actually see him they easily forget his presence, and having forgotten it, they still more easily lose respect and reverence owed to the prince. Unfortunately, we often forget about God and behave as if God were far distant from us. We really know that God is present in all things, but because we fail to reflect on this we act as if we did not know it.” (Ibid)

As they say, ‘out of sight, out of mind’……and heart.

In theory it is such a simple thing to take the time to remind ourselves of the presence of the God who is always with us, “not only in the place where you are but also present, in a most particular way, in your heart and in the very center of your spirit.” (Ibid) When we more frequently remind ourselves of God’s presence, we more faithfully afford our God the respect and reverence that God deserves.

However, as we know all too well, this is far more challenging in practice.

Still, there is more. Insofar as we remember the presence of a God who is in all things and people, we are more likely to likewise relate to ourselves and one another with this same respect and reverence. When we remember that God is with us, we are more likely to become convincing signs of the ongoing saving and loving activity of Emmanuel…of the God-who-is-with-us.

Still searching for a Christmas gift? Look no further than remembering the presence of the God-who-is-always-with-you and who loves you always…the same God who calls you to be a powerful reminder of God’s presence and love in the lives of others.

Rev. Michael S. Murray, OSFS, is the Executive Director of the De Sales Spirituality Center.