KISS according to St Francis de Sales
KISS stands for "Keep it simple, stupid" (or some similar variation - this variation's a more obnoxious one...sorry). You hear it all the time in business. When you're preparing a presentation - whether to prospects, clients or bosses - it's a good rule to follow.
St Francis de Sales understood KISS when it comes to examination of conscience. I find it hard to examine my conscience at the end of the day. Why? I'm not sure. My excuse is that the day is so busy, when it's time for bed I'm so exhausted I forget, or lack the concentration to do a serious examination. (So why not just do it a bit earlier, stupid...oops, obnoxious again!).
For me, the difficulty of examining my conscience is an extension of the habits and attitude I easily slip into because of an active business and family life. I simply find it hard to make room for God in the midst of a busy day.
Do you have the same problem? Is so, maybe this simple solution from St Francis de Sales will help. Here's what he wrote about his own examination of conscience at the end of his always busy, exhausting day:
(And don't kid yourself. St Francis, like many saints, led a life that was far more busy and exhausting than anything most of us Catholic men at work do - even we who have larger families!)
"I will remember if I started my journey (meaning the day - ed.) entrusting it to God. If during my occupation I remembered God frequently to offer him my actions, thoughts, words and sufferings. If I did every thing today for love of God. If I treated people well. If in my labors and words today I sought to give pleasure in my self love and pride instead of pleasing God and doing something good for my neighbor. If I was able to do a small sacrifice. If I forced myself to be more fervent in prayer. I will ask forgiveness to the Lord for the offenses of this day with the purpose to be better tomorrow, and I will ask God to grant me the fortitude to always be faithful to God; and after praying three Hail Marys I will offer myself peacefully to sleep."
Leave it to a saint to keep it simple and get right to the heart of the matter.
So now that the New Year's begun, we've got our first great example of KISS. And as we move into the swing of 2010, maybe a good project would be to look for more ways to keep it simple.
The simpler we keep our lives, the more time we have for God; in fact, the more we live like Our Lord and Our Lady.
This KISS thing sounds more appealing the more I think about it.
St Francis de Sales understood KISS when it comes to examination of conscience. I find it hard to examine my conscience at the end of the day. Why? I'm not sure. My excuse is that the day is so busy, when it's time for bed I'm so exhausted I forget, or lack the concentration to do a serious examination. (So why not just do it a bit earlier, stupid...oops, obnoxious again!).
For me, the difficulty of examining my conscience is an extension of the habits and attitude I easily slip into because of an active business and family life. I simply find it hard to make room for God in the midst of a busy day.
Do you have the same problem? Is so, maybe this simple solution from St Francis de Sales will help. Here's what he wrote about his own examination of conscience at the end of his always busy, exhausting day:
(And don't kid yourself. St Francis, like many saints, led a life that was far more busy and exhausting than anything most of us Catholic men at work do - even we who have larger families!)
"I will remember if I started my journey (meaning the day - ed.) entrusting it to God. If during my occupation I remembered God frequently to offer him my actions, thoughts, words and sufferings. If I did every thing today for love of God. If I treated people well. If in my labors and words today I sought to give pleasure in my self love and pride instead of pleasing God and doing something good for my neighbor. If I was able to do a small sacrifice. If I forced myself to be more fervent in prayer. I will ask forgiveness to the Lord for the offenses of this day with the purpose to be better tomorrow, and I will ask God to grant me the fortitude to always be faithful to God; and after praying three Hail Marys I will offer myself peacefully to sleep."
Leave it to a saint to keep it simple and get right to the heart of the matter.
So now that the New Year's begun, we've got our first great example of KISS. And as we move into the swing of 2010, maybe a good project would be to look for more ways to keep it simple.
The simpler we keep our lives, the more time we have for God; in fact, the more we live like Our Lord and Our Lady.
This KISS thing sounds more appealing the more I think about it.
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