Francis’ reflections on the spiritual life were put down in his book The Introduction to the Devout Life. This book pointed out that holiness was not just for monks or nuns but for all the faithful. The book was also full of practical common sense and wisdom, reflecting the life of Francis himself.

We live in an age where it has become fashionable to attack religion in general and Christianity in particular. Writers and artists sometimes like to show off their ‘radical’ credential by denigrating what we hold dear. In our replies we should imitate Francis who did not descend to his opponents’ rudeness and swagger. Rather we must love them and so gently convince them of their errors. May St Francis de Sales pray for us.

As well as being a very caring bishop Hilary was also engaged in the great controversy of his time. The Arian heretics denied that Jesus was fully God and had tremendous influence at court. Hilary along with other great saints, such as Athanasius, fought against them to defend the teaching of the Church that Jesus is both fully man and fully God. For part of his life Hilary was exiled to the East so effective was his teaching and preaching. He put the time to good use and read up on what the Greek Christian thinkers were arguing. When he came back to the West he put that thought into action.

Hilary represents all that a Christian should be. He was kind and considerate but also uncompromising about the truths of the faith. As we begin our work again we should ask for his prayers that we may be the same.

For most people the celebration of ‘Xmas’ is now well and truly a thing of the past. Perhaps they have some happy memories of it, and for some the credit card bill will be a more unhappy reminder of the season. For Christians however the feast of Christmas draws to its close on Sunday with the feast of the Epiphany, and the conclusion is anything but a damp squib. Try to do something to mark the end of the feast this weekend, celebrate it in Church and at home.

For the Christian, Christmas is still some way off. In fact, this Sunday marks the start of the season of preparation for that feast. Advent is a time when try to make some space to think again about two intertwined ‘comings’: the second coming of Christ at the end of time and his first coming among us as a tiny babe. Both are linked and both shed light on the other. On this first Sunday of Advent we think not so much of the babe but of the man who is both Lord and Saviour coming triumphantly at the end of time to judge all peoples. That reflection gives the context for the celebration of Christ’s birth. The child who is born is none other than the eternal Son of God who has come into our world to save us.

The shops and the celebs and the parties are just distractions. Take part in it all if you want, but try to make some time each day in the next month to remember what really matters.

The values of the world are not the values of the Church. As we look back over the last year, because Advent Sunday in a week’s time is the beginning of a new liturgical round, we see the saints who are ambassadors of Christ’s Kingdom. They are drawn from all classes and colours, places and times, rich and poor, clever and illiterate, kings and paupers. They challenge the world’s view of happiness, power, and importance. They point us towards Christ the King.

Sunday’s is a majestic feast. It shows us Christ in his glory, but also shows us how that glory is shared with the saints and can be ours if we are prepared to open ourselves up to the rule of Christ in our lives.

The feast of All Saints brings to our gaze the countless host of men and women who have lived the spiritual life to the full and now enjoy the life of heaven. The Commemoration of All Souls reminds us that the dead are not to be feared but loved and helped with our prayers. The wonderful things proclaimed in these two days are not to be passed over lightly.

Both tell us of the triumph of Christ over sin, evil and death. Both tell us of the power of his resurrection. Both show us where our real destiny lies. Let us ask the saints to pray for us, and let pray for our loved ones now departed. We can do so because we believe in the communion of saints – a community created by Christ that shares in his risen, healing love.

Teresa of Avila is one of the towering giants of Christian spirituality. Against an atmosphere of almost lax indifference she travelled up and down Spain in the sixteenth century founding convent after convent dedicated to perfection of the Christian life. Her nuns were renowned for a way of life that was austere yet sensible, single minded and yet open. In her own life she combined the qualities of the ‘eagle and the dove’.

Teresa has left us masterpieces of spiritual writing which are still devoured today. She was part of that wonderful, positive tide of reform that swept the church in the wake of Luther’s challenge. And at the centre of all her writings is the solid conviction that God’s love will triumph. Christians are called not to exercise power or demand their rights but rather to serve and in that lays our true authority.

What comes across in Jerome is an ardent desire to serve God and his Church. He put his intellect at the service of the gospel and sought to refute the errors of his day. He was also keen to teach the truth and to help people read the scriptures correctly. We have many of his writings to that effect.

But his intellect was both his strength and his weakness. As with many clever people he did not suffer fools gladly and his letters and writings can sometimes become quite venomous against his opponents. He was aware of this failing in charity and undertook long penances to try to curb his spleen. Despite these failings he is ranked among the saints because of his awareness of his need for God’s grace. May he pray for all who are engaged in education today.