Catholic Saints St. Francis de Sales on Courage (Part IV)
Jan 30, 2026
Dr. Christopher O. Blum, scholar and translator of St. Francis de Sales, discusses courage in the Christian life. He explores fortitude in ordinary duties, steady virtue versus flashy behavior, and how small faithful acts can influence others. Conversation covers handling discouragement, building habit-based willpower, focusing on one vice and one virtue, and trusting God to calm fear.
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Courage As The Culmination
- Courage is often undersold but is the culmination of practicing small virtues over time.
- St. Francis de Sales urges determination to put learned spiritual practices into steady action.
A Small Prayer Led To Conversion
- A person visiting a church at a coffee break praying before the Blessed Sacrament caught Edith Stein's attention and sparked her conversion.
- Small, ordinary acts of piety can have profound effects on strangers' spiritual journeys.
Bravery In Ordinary Duties
- Courage is measured by faithfulness in your providentially assigned state in life, not by dramatic feats.
- Patience, perseverance, and constancy are everyday manifestations of true bravery.
