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Nearly all the plants with yellow flowers turn themselves always 
towards the sun, and follow his course. But the Heliotrope turns not only 
its flowers, but even all its leaves, according to the course of this great lumi¬ 
nary. In like manner, says the amiable St. Francis de Sales, all the elect 
turn the flowers of their hearts, which is obedience to the Commandments, 
towards the Divine will. But souls that are greatly possessed by holy love 
do not only keep their gaze fixed on the Divine goodness by obedience to 
the commandments, but also by the union of all their affections, following 
the course of this Divine sun in all that He commands , counsels , or in¬ 
spires, without any reserve or exception whatsoever. 
Religious Life. 
Religious, devout life has untold poiver. Like the forces of nature, 
it is often hidden and obscure, blit it holds and stirs the world. Men may 
refuse to listen to wise counsels and good advice; they are not able to evade 
the argument of a blameless and holy life. 
“The aroma of it/ 7 says a truthful author, “fills all the atmosphere; 
its doctrine distils like the gentle dew, or like the small rain on the mown 
grass, its lines go out through all the earth, its words to the end of the 
world; there is no speech or language where its voice is not heard. 77 
x\nd your own religious life, my dear friend, to be of any worth at 
all, must be such a life! 
Profession is well, but it is only the gateway to life— only the sign 
of the inward substance. 
The Gospel was proclaimed to render, indeed, possible to you a 
-devout life. 
And you will be a power among men, not in proportion to your 
knowledge, or your natural endowments, but in proportion to the real sanc¬ 
tity and fullness of your religious life. 
