St. Francis de Sales used to say of St. Jane Frances de Chantal, who still retained her peace of soul even when deprived of all sensible devotion: “She is like a good singer stricken with deafness, unable to her her voice which gives such pleasure to others.” Beethoven suffered from deafness in the later years of his life, but he continued to be an outstanding composer… This is symbolical of the aridity of the Saints, who are sometimes deprived of sense consolations and yet retain a most ardent spiritual love of God in the higher faculties of their soul. In this way they resemble Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane…
Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange OP (1877–1964)
A Deaf Singer who Gives Such Pleasure to Others
1–2 minutes
Dark night, Dryness, Francis de Sales, Garden of Gethsemane, Jane Frances de Chantal, Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange
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3 responses to “A Deaf Singer who Gives Such Pleasure to Others”
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[…] even hears words much like those that Saint Francis de Sales applied to Saint Jane Frances de Chantal; she sang beautifully, thought she herself was deaf to it. Of Guite, one person […]
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Wow.
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My first introduction to Saint Jane was this story. I had to know more. =)
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Contemplative in the Mud 