Catholic Saints St. Francis de Sales on Sincerity (Part III)
Jan 29, 2026
Dr. Christopher O. Blum, Scripture scholar and translator who studies saints like St. Francis de Sales, joins to unpack sincerity and humility in the moral life. They discuss virtue as ordered to charity. They contrast self-fashioning with Christ-centered attentiveness. They stress choosing virtues by state of life, avoiding comparison, and interior humility that reorders the soul.
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Look To The Master Not The Mirror
- St. Francis de Sales contrasts Renaissance self-fashioning with looking to the Master rather than the mirror.
- This reframes spiritual growth as imitation of Christ, not self-construction.
Choose Virtues For Your State In Life
- Choose virtues based on your present state in life, not idealized longings.
- Begin with virtues you can practice daily like gentleness, temperance, modesty, and humility.
State Of Life Shapes Moral Duty
- Our objective relationships (son, spouse, employee) shape which duties and virtues matter most.
- De Sales urges realism: accept your role and act faithfully within it.
