How Good It Is to Love You
My Jesus, from all eternity you were pleased to give yourself to us in love. And you planted within us a deep spiritual desire that can only be satisfied by yourself. I may go from here to the other end of the world, from one country to another, from riches to greater riches, from pleasure to pleasure, and still I shall not be content. All the world cannot satisfy the immortal soul. It would be like trying to feed a starving man with a single grain of wheat. We can only be satisfied by setting our hearts, imperfect as they are, on you. We are made to love you; you created us as your lovers. It sometimes happens that the more we know a neighbor, the less we love him. But with you it is quite the opposite. The more we know you, the more we love you. Knowledge of you kindles such a fire in our souls that we have no energy left for worldly desires. My Jesus, how good it is to love you. Let me be like your disciples on Mount Tabor, seeing nothing else but you. Let us be like two bosom friends, neither of whom can ever bear to offend the other. —St. Jean Vianney
Here is a link to the Saints & Blesseds Page where all of the information about St. Jean Vianney’s relics are detailed.
Era: 1786-1859
St. Jean Vianney
Jean-Marie Vianney was a French parish priest born May 8, 1786 in the village of Dardilly to a family of farmers. He was the fourth of six children whose parents were known for both their generosity and their piety. Vianney’s youth was marked by the French Revolution, which began in 1790 and made the practice of the Catholic faith illegal. Priests offered the sacrifice of the Mass in secret risking their lives to do so. Vianney was inspired by and came to regard these men as heroes. Throughout his preparation for Communion and Confirmation, this secrecy continued until in 1802 it once again became legal to practice the Catholic faith.
Vianney was twenty years old before his father allowed him to leave the farm to pursue his desire to become a priest. He studied at a small school taught by Father Balley in the village of Ecully. Since he had received no formal education until then, all subjects were difficult for him, and in particular, Latin. It was apparent to Father Balley that Vianney’s piety and zeal far surpassed his academic prowess and he worked especially hard with him to help him prepare for the vocation to which he knew Vianney was called.
In 1809, he was drafted into Napoleon’s army, which further hindered Vianney’s studies. A series of events prevented him from joining his unit and Vianney spent at least one year in hiding before amnesty was granted in 1810 to all deserters in 1810. At that point he resumed his studies and after many academic trials and humiliations, Vianney was ordained on August 12, 1815. He was twenty-nine years of age.
Within a short time, Father Vianney was appointed the cure of Ars, a town of 230 people. Their behavior was indicative of the long years of the French Revolution which resulted in and in a lack of religious instruction and devotion to God. The townspeople observed no religious practices. They did not attend Mass or observe the Sabbath. Their language, drinking and dancing were offensive to their pastor and Vianney was inspired to spend himself reforming their lives and caring for them.
