Another Francis

I don't think I need to apologize if I write about this other Francis, Francis de Sales, for after all I am a Salesian. Today is his feast.
What I find most fascinating about Francis de Sales is his very positive vision of God and of the human person. No grandstanding, no threats of going to hell, no use of violent force for this pastor. As he said, "a spoonful of honey catches more flies than a barrel of vinegar".
I think Francis de Sales ought to be rediscovered by bishops, priests, and by all of us Christians as we try to live our lives in a way that is worthy of our name. Zeal is important, but it is not a zeal that divides the world between the good and the bad. It is not a passion that instils fear; rather it is a passion that draws, that attracts.
Francis de Sales reminds us that the way we can lead others to Jesus Christ is by us becoming more and more like Jesus Christ, the meek and humble of heart, who leaves everything to search out the lost, who doesn't break the bruised reed.