Audiobook

Of the Love of God

Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop of Geneva from 1602, was a renowned spiritual director who produced two classic guidebooks for earthly wayfarers on their spiritual journey to God: Introduction a la vie devote (Introduction to the Devout Life, 1609) and Traite' de l'amour de Dieu (Treatise on the Love of God, or Of the Love of God, 1616). In the Introduction to the Devout Life, Francis shows how anyone, whatever his or her calling or station in life, can strive for and achieve a life a piety and devotion to God. It is filled with commonsense spiritual wisdom. Of the Love of God is a more detailed manual for those who are already somewhat advanced on their spiritual journey and are under the care of a personal spiritual director. In this work, he describes the nature of divine love (Bk. II), the manner in which love is perfected in the lover (Bk. III), and the ways in which love can be diminished or lost (Bk. IV). He explains that divine love operates in the soul by acts of complacency and benevolence (Bk. V) and shows how this love is practiced through prayer and meditation (Bk. VI). Divine love, perfected by prayer, leads to union with God (Bk. VII), conformity of the soul's will with the divine will (Bk. VIII), submission to the will of God (Bk. IX), and love of God above all created things (Bk. X). He illustrates how the virtues operate in a soul that has reached this spiritual plateau (Bk. XI) and concludes by offering practical counsels on how best to journey on the road to eternal union with God (Bk. XII). Because of Saint Francis's keen spiritual insights and theological rectitude, Pope Pius IX in 1877 declared him a doctor of the Catholic Church. (Introduction by dave7)

Year of Publication: 1888Genres: Christianity - Other

Running Time: 18 hours 50 minutes 22 seconds

#	Chapter Name
1	00 – Author's Preface dave7	11:22
2	01 – Bk. I, Introduction, 1-6 dave7	35:53
3	02 – Bk. I, Introduction, 7-11 dave7	39:37
4	03 – Bk. I, Introduction, 12-18 dave7	31:32
5	04 – Bk. II, The Origin of Divine Love, 1-6 dave7	32:50
6	05 – Bk. II, The Origin of Divine Love, 7-11 dave7	32:07
7	06 – Bk. II, The Origin of Divine Love, 12-16 dave7	30:50
8	07 – Bk. II, The Origin of Divine Love, 17-22 dave7	35:41
9	08 – Bk. III, The Progress and Perfection of Love, 1-4 dave7	31:37
10	09 – Bk. III, The Progress and Perfection of Love, 5-8 dave7	21:41
11	10 – Bk. III, The Progress and Perfection of Love, 9-15 dave7	26:50
12	11 – Bk. IV, The Decay and Ruin of Charity, 1-6 dave7	38:28
13	12 – Bk. IV, The Decay and Ruin of Charity, 7-11 dave7	30:43
14	13 – Bk. V, Complacency and Benevolence, 1-6 dave7	37:35
15	14 – Bk. V, Complacency and Benevolence, 7-12 dave7	34:35
16	15 – Bk. VI, Holy Love in Prayer and Meditation, 1-4 dave7	34:19
17	16 – Bk. VI, Holy Love in Prayer and Meditation, 5-8 dave7	28:19
18	17 – Bk. VI, Holy Love in Prayer and Meditation, 9-12 dave7	24:11
19	18 – Bk. VI, Holy Love in Prayer and Meditation, 13-15 dave7	26:54
20	19 – Bk. VII, The Union of the Soul with Its God, 1-4 dave7	32:51
21	20 – Bk. VII, The Union of the Soul with Its God, 5-9 dave7	32:24
22	21 – Bk. VII, The Union of the Soul with Its God, 10-14 dave7	26:42
23	22 – Bk. VIII, The Love of Conformity, 1-5 dave7	27:03
24	23 – Bk. VIII, The Love of Conformity, 6-10 dave7	33:33
25	24 – Bk. VIII, The Love of Conformity, 11-14 dave7	24:24
26	25 – Bk. IX, The Love of Submission, 1-5 dave7	26:45
27	26 – Bk. IX, The Love of Submission, 6-10 dave7	31:27
28	27 – Bk. IX, The Love of Submission, 11-16 dave7	32:52
29	28 – Bk. X, The Command to Love God Above All Things, 1-5 dave7	29:18
30	29 – Bk. X, The Command to Love God Above All Things, 6-10 dave7	26:45
31	30 – Bk. X, The Command to Love God Above All Things, 11-14 dave7	24:59
32	31 – Bk. X, The Command to Love God Above All Things, 15-17 dave7	23:01
33	32 – Bk. XI, The Supreme Authority of Love, 1-6 dave7	31:25
34	33 – Bk. XI, The Supreme Authority of Love, 7-11 dave7	34:28
35	34 – Bk. XI, The Supreme Authority of Love, 12-17 dave7	33:42
36	35 – Bk. XI, The Supreme Authority of Love, 18-21 dave7	31:27
37	36 – Bk. XII, Counsels, 1-6 dave7	18:41
38	37 – Bk. XII, Counsels, 7-13 dave7	23:31