St. Francis de Sales taught that self-distrust and confidence in God are the two mystic wings of the soul which takes its flight and rests in God.
The saint said that distrust of self springs from the knowledge of our own misery, whereas confidence in God springs from the knowledge which faith grants us of his infinite goodness and from our assurance that He is abounding in mercy to all those who call upon him. Daily examination of conscience helps us to grow in knowledge of self and daily meditation deepens our knowledge of God.
According to St. Francis de Sales, vanity of the understanding is to think ourselves more than we really are, and vanity of the will is to aspire to a condition higher than our own. Vanity of the understanding resulted in a false sense of peace. Vanity of the will is far more dangerous and results in a constant state of unrest.
The saint once said, “In our mountain parts a high wind withers the flowers and tears up the trees by their roots. I am situated rather high up and, in my post of Bishop, am consequently more exposed to the wind. O Lord, do help me! Say Thou to the storm of vanity, Be still and there will be a great calm. Stand firm, O my soul, and clasp tightly the foot of our Saviour’s Cross; the rain which falls there in plenteous showers stills the wind, however violent it may be.”
Once a famous bishop was mentioned in a conversation and it was said that he was eagerly seeking the position of cardinal while his diocese was suffering from lack of proper attention.
St. Francis de Sales said, “How much better it would be if he were already a Cardinal!”
Bishop Jean Pierre Camus asked, “But why do you say that?”
Francis replied, “Oh, he would then aim at something better.”
“What! do you imply he is ambitious enough to want to be the Pope?”
“No, I do not mean that. Rather I was thinking of the saving of souls which is really the art of arts and which when practised is the best way to serve God … I mean, though, that when this Bishop is no longer engaged in seeking his position, he might look into his own heart and then give his entire attention to his pastoral duties.”
Eventually the bishop referred to did attain the position he sought, but from then on he ceased to consider it such a great prize and instead found real interest in his pastoral duties to which he was previously indifferent.
St. Francis de Sales believed that one of the best signs of spiritual progress was a prompt willingness to accept criticism and correction. Another sign of spiritual progress is when a person never overlooks an opportunity to exercise humility. Such opportunities can either be active or passive. When we voluntarily humble ourselves in speech or action it is active humiliation, and when we are humbled by another it is passive humiliation.
The saint said, “Is it not true that one ounce of humiliation from another is worth more than a hundred pounds of self-chosen humiliation?”
St. Francis de Sales believed we should guard our reputation for the service of God rather than for our own honour. Good reputation may be useful if used occasionally and moderately, but is harmful when used to excess.
He said, “After all what is a man’s reputation, that so many should sacrifice themselves to this idol? It is really nothing but a mere dream, a shadow, an opinion, empty smoke, praise which is forgotten as soon as spoken. It will not do to be sensitive about slander. It is only a little cross, made of words, which the breeze carries away.”
驕傲和自負的告誡
聖方濟各、沙雷氏教導說，『不信自己』和『信賴天主』是靈魂的兩只翅膀，它讓我們飛向天主並安息於祂內。這聖人說，『不信自己』源於我們自己苦痛的知識，而『信賴天主』則源自信仰給我們的知識，得悉祂的無限美好和祂向呼求祂的人滿懷慈悲的保證。每天作內心的省察幫助我們進一步認識自己，每天默想深化我們對天主的認識。
根據聖方濟各、沙雷氏所說，明瞭的虛榮是認為自己比真正的自己更為了得，意願上的虛榮是渴望達到一個超於我們所能及的地位。明瞭的虛榮帶來虛假的平安。意願上的虛榮的危險是更超遠的，它的後果是一恆久不能休止的狀態。
聖方濟各曾說：『在我們的山區，高處的風摧毀了花朵，根拔樹木。在我職位中，我是處於高的位置，自然是最為受風的地方。我主，請袮幫助我！向虛榮的暴風說，你靜止，一切將趨平靜。我的靈魂，站穩，抱緊我們救主十字聖架的足部；洒下的雨，大量的降雨制止了那可能怎樣強烈的風。』
一次曾經在一會談中提及的，是一位著名的主教，他渴望能夠出任樞機之職，而忽略他的教區。聖方濟各、沙雷氏說：『如果他已是位樞機時，會有什麼改進！』加繆主教問：『但你為何這樣說呢？』方濟各回答：『噢，他會意圖一些更好的事。』『什麼！你是否在說他有足夠的野心去成為教宗？』『不，我沒有這意想。反而我在想救靈的工作是藝術中的藝術，實踐的時候是最好侍奉天主的方法…我意思是，當這位主教不涉及追逐他的位置，他可以深探內心，然後全部專注於他的教區職責。』
最後，這位主教真的得到所渴求的樞機之職，從此他不再認為樞機之職是大的賞報，卻在他牧靈職責中找到真的興趣，跟以前的他不再一樣。
聖方濟各、沙雷氏相信一個最好的靈修進步的標記是，快速願意去接受批評和改正。另一個靈修進步的標記是當一個人永不忽略一個實踐謙遜的機會。這樣的機會會是主動的和被動的。當我們在言在行上自願地去貶抑自己，這是主動的貶抑，當我們為他人所貶抑，這是被動的貶抑。這聖人說：『當一安士的來自他人的貶抑，比自己一百磅的貶抑更有價值』。
聖方濟各、沙雷氏相信我們要守護我們的名譽，去服務天主不是只為自己榮耀。好的名譽如果間中和適當地使用會是好的，但過份的使用是有害的。他說：『畢竟，人的名譽到底是什麼，為這偶像有多少人犧牲了自己？它真是虛無的，只是一個夢，一個評價，空虛的煙霧，讚美過後，一切都立即被忘記。對誹謗不必敏感。它只是一個木製的小十字架，被微風吹送。』
