The renovation of our hearts
“I cannot approve of those who in reforming a man would begin with external things – his face, his hair, or his dress. On the contrary, we must begin from within. (…) for truly whoever has Jesus Christ in his heart will soon show it in all his outward actions. Wherefore I would have you above all things inscribe and engrave on your heart that blessed Name, being persuaded that if you do so, all the actions of your future life (which spring from your heart as the tree from its kernel) will be stamped with that saving Name of Jesus. And inasmuch as He will be in your heart, He will also be in all your gestures, in your eyes, your mouth, your hands, and all your members; so that you may say with St. Paul, ‘I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.‘ (Gal 2: 20). In short, whoever commands a man‘s heart, commands him wholly.“
Saint Francis de Sales, Philothea or An Introduction to the Devout Life, TAN Classics, p. 189
These are some of the very first lines we read in Philothea under the section “The Practice of External Mortification“, reminding us that in all things it is ultimately about our heart, the seat and source of our will and actions: Who rules and reigns there and to whom does our heart yield? “Rend your hearts and not your garments“ (Joel 2: 13).
Nevertheless, the practice of external mortification is necessary, tells us Saint Francis de Sales, because “this same heart (…) requires to be trained in its outward demeanor, in order that it may not only display holy devotion, but be wise and discreet“ (p. 189). Our sick and torn hearts, where the cancer of sin never ceases in its attempt to run rampant and where the war of conflicting wills never seems to end, cannot heal and unify themselves. They need help – first of all God‘s grace, filling our hearts with the faith, hope, and charity which we do not have apart from Him. A second help are means cooperating with God‘s grace. Fasting is one of these practices meant to help with the renovation of our hearts.
Fasting as a spiritual weapon against Satan and his demons
“If you are able to fast, you will do well to observe some abstinence beyond what is enjoined by the Church, for in addition to the ordinary benefits of fasting, namely, lifting up the mind, subduing the flesh, strengthening virtue, and an earning an eternal recompense, it is a great matter to be able to command our tastes and inclinations, and to keep the body and its appetites subject to the law of the spirit: and even if we do not fast to any great extent, Satan is the more afraid of those who, he is aware, know how to fast.“
Saint Francis de Sales, Philothea or An Introduction to the Devout Life, TAN Classics, p. 189
Fasting and praying combined are a very powerful weapon in the spiritual battle we all fight, as this little story from the gospel of Saint Matthew indicates:
“And when he was come to the multitude, there came to him a man falling down on his knees before him, saying: Lord, have pity on my son, for he is a lunatic, and suffereth much: for he falleth often into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said: O unbelieving and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked him, and the devil went out of him, and the child was cured from that hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus secretly, and said: Why could not we cast him out? Jesus said to them: Because of your unbelief. For, amen I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Remove from hence hither, and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you. But this kind is not cast out but by prayer and fasting.“
Matthew 17: 14-20
Collective salvation and the mortification of charity
This story recorded in the gospel of Saint Matthew also reminds us of the fact that all our devotions are supposed to be acts of charity meant to serve others: It is not only about our own soul‘s well-being – it is about helping the whole Church and all people through our prayer and fasting, just like in this story it is about liberating the boy who suffers under the reign of a demonic spirit.
We are never isolated individuals, but members of the Body of Christ, wherefore everything we do – good or bad – has ramifications for the whole Body, and even for the whole world. Therefore nothing we do should be viewed from a solely individualistic point of view. I guess it would be truly unhealthy for us and detrimental to the renovation of our hearts, if in praying, and fasting, and all our various practices of devotion we would only think of ourselves, only care about the “well-being“ of our own hearts and souls and our own “personal“ salvation. How can self-absorption ever be good?
The Catholic faith does not really know of such a thing as a “personal“ – “individual“ – faith and salvation. Religious lonesome rider-ness is a Protestant and harmful fabrication… Like with the nation of Israel, our faith and our salvation are collective. If we only read the books of the Old Testament often enough, we will be able to see this same pattern in the stories of the New Testament as well and stop reading them through the distorted lens of our modern individualism: God saves households, families, nations – not “individuals“. He saves one through and along with another one. And how could it be otherwise if heaven is the perfect community of souls in perfect charity? The Saints are saintly on account of all their love and intercession for their brothers and sisters – their stepping into the breach for us. Maybe we could indeed be saved, if we only started to care about other‘s salvation and bliss much more than about our own… laboring for them more than for ourselves, meriting graces for them – always thankfully remembering that others have been meriting graces for us, the very graces that were and are necessary to snatch us from the fire (Jude 1: 23).
“As we enter heaven we will see them, so many of them coming towards us and thanking us. We will ask who they are, and they will say, ‘a poor soul you prayed for in purgatory‘.“
Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen
Reading Saint Francis de Sales‘ counsel on external mortification, it seems to me that he wants to remind us exactly of this: that all things done in humble, self-forgetful and submissive charity are the most perfect labor and mortification there is.
“Fasting and labor weary and exhaust the flesh. If your labor is necessary or serviceable to the glory of God, I should select for you the discipline of labor in preference to that of fasting. It is in this spirit that the Church dispenses those who are engaged in useful service for God and their neighbors, even from her prescribed fasts. One finds his labor in fasting, another in nursing the sick, visiting prisoners, hearing Confessions, preaching, comforting the afflicted, in prayer and similar exercises. And these labors are of more avail than that, for whilst they subdue the flesh, they bring forth more excellent fruit. (…) We should do well to remember our Blessed Lord‘s command to His disciples, ‘Eat such things as are set before you.‘ (Luke 10: 8). I think that there is more profit in eating whatsoever is offered you, whether it suits your taste or not, than in always choosing the worst. For although the latter practice appears more austere, the former is more submissive, for by it you not only renounce your tastes but your choice, and there is considerable mortification in entirely subduing all tastes and subjecting them wholly to circumstances; besides which, this kind of mortification makes no display, gives no offense, and is especially suitable for one living in society, for nothing more strongly indicates a luxurious, gluttonous habit, than rejecting one dish for another, examining everything, never being satisfied with anything. (…) It is in this indifference as to what we eat and drink that we shall follow the spirit of that precept, ‘Eat such things as are set before you.‘“
Saint Francis de Sales, Philothea or An Introduction to the Devout Life, TAN Classics, p. 191
As we read in the letter Saint Paul the Apostle sent to the Church at Rome:
“And he that eateth, eateth to the Lord: for he giveth thanks to God. And he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth thanks to God. For none of us liveth to himself; and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord. Therefore, whether we live, or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. (…) Let us not therefore judge one another any more. But judge this rather, that you put not a stumblingblock or a scandal in your brother’s way. I know, and am confident in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself; but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. For if, because of thy meat, thy brother be grieved, thou walkest not now according to charity. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. Let not then our good be evil spoken of. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but justice, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.“
Romans 14: 6-17
Our Lord Jesus Christ on almsgiving, praying, and fasting
“Take heed that you do not your justice before men, to be seen by them: otherwise you shall not have a reward of your Father who is in heaven. Therefore when thou dost an almsdeed, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honoured by men. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But when thou dost alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth. That thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret will repay thee. And when ye pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, that love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men: Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But thou when thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber, and having shut the door, pray to thy Father in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret will repay thee. And when you are praying, speak not much, as the heathens. For they think that in their much speaking they may be heard. Be not you therefore like to them, for your Father knoweth what is needful for you, before you ask him. Thus therefore shall you pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our supersubstantial bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen. For if you will forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father will forgive you also your offences. But if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offences. And when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But thou, when thou fastest anoint thy head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret, will repay thee.“
Matthew 6: 1-18
Saint Francis de Sales, pray for us!