Fr. R. Mathias of Immaculate Conception Church in Three Rivers recently examined St. Francis De Sales' Introduction To Devote Life and the meaning of devotion, how along with love it leads to following God's Commandments.

In his article entitled "What True Devotion Is," published in the Sept. 13 parish bulletin, Mathias took excerpts from De Sales' book to highlight "devotion" and "divine love" and how they are intertwined. 

"In short, devotion is simply a spiritual activity and liveliness by means of which Divine Love works in us and causes us to work briskly and lovingly; and just as charity leads us to a general practice of all God’s Commandments, so devotion leads us to practice them readily and diligently," Mathias said in the bulletin, quoting from De Sales' book.  

"The difference between love and devotion is just that which exists between fire and flame— love being a spiritual fire which becomes devotion when it is fanned into a flame— and what devotion adds to the fire of love is that flame which makes it eager, energetic and diligent; not merely in obeying God’s Commandments, but in fulfilling His Divine Counsels and inspirations," Mathias further quoted.