Four hundred years after his death, does Francis de Sales still have something to say to us? The answer to this question is yes, I am certain. We could mention the Philothea, in which Francis helps us understand that it is possible to be Christian, that is, to belong to Christ, and to be happy through a family, a job, and daily commitments, or his Letters, which guide us in discovering the beauty of friendship.
Francis continues to send us one message above all: to be happy, it is enough to live ordinary life in an extraordinary way, that is, united with Jesus! So, would you like to let God draw you beyond mediocrity and half-hearted choices? Here is Theotimus (= a person in love with God). The fundamental theme of this text is Love, precisely with a capital «L», not its counterfeits. Today this word is understood in a thousand ways, often different, if not contradictory, from one another.
Try stopping for a moment and asking yourself: «Today, in my daily life, do I need to understand better what it means to love?». If you would like some wise words about yourself, your relationship with your wife or husband, or raising your children, Francis will gladly welcome you and, through the pages of Theotimus, continues even today to show you the way. Imagine, for example, being able to meet him while you are so angry with yourself (or with others) and so disappointed by your efforts coming to nothing that you enter his room and slam the door. In response to your plea, «Help me to love!», Francis would simply calmly suggest, «Start by closing the door gently».
