St. Louis IX: Holiness Is Not Measured by Success | Prayer Comes First

About this sermon

On the feast of St. Louis IX, King of France, this sermon reflects on one of the greatest Catholic monarchs in history. Crowned king at only twelve years old, Louis took his vocation seriously from the beginning. His mother, Queen Blanche, famously taught him that she would rather see him dead than guilty of mortal sin—a lesson he carried throughout his life. He attended Mass daily, practiced fasting and penance, lived with almost monastic discipline, served the poor personally, washed their feet, cared for lepers, founded hospitals, and governed France with remarkable justice. St. Louis also displayed extraordinary integrity. Even when offered Jerusalem in exchange for violating a treaty, he refused because he would not break his word. His reign helped produce a golden age of Catholic art and architecture, including Sainte-Chapelle, built to house the Crown of Thorns. Yet both Crusades he led failed in their immediate purpose. That becomes the great lesson of the sermon: Virtue is not always rewarded with success in this life. Prayer comes first. Activity comes second. And whatever gifts God has given us—wealth, intelligence, influence, talents—we must return them to Him. You cannot outdo God in generosity. ⚜️ St. Louis IX, pray for us! 00:00 Gospel of the Talents 00:31 Feast of St. Louis IX 00:40 One of the Greatest Catholic Kings 01:05 Born in 1215 01:13 Crowned King at Age 12 01:30 Queen Blanche & His Catholic Formation 01:36 “Rather See You Dead Than Commit Mortal Sin” 01:50 Bodily Death vs. Death of the Soul 02:06 Daily Mass & Devotion 02:20 Criticized for Spending Too Much Time at Mass 02:34 Living Almost Like a Monk 02:56 Marriage to Margaret of Provence 03:18 Governing France With Justice 03:25 Laws Against Usury 03:34 Restitution for Damages During War 03:43 Feeding the Poor From His Own Table 03:59 Washing the Feet of the Poor & Serving Lepers 04:07 The Seventh Crusade 04:23 Disease Devastates the Army 04:32 St. Louis Captured 04:40 His Enemies Admire His Courage 04:56 Threatened With Torture 05:12 Ransomed and Released 05:19 The Integrity of a Catholic King 05:59 Offered Jerusalem 06:07 Refusing to Break His Treaty 06:30 Religion, Civilization & Peace 06:56 The Golden Age of France 07:03 Sainte-Chapelle 07:42 Built for the Crown of Thorns 07:59 Sainte-Chapelle Today 08:22 St. Louis & Kneeling During the Creed 09:19 The Eighth Crusade 09:35 Epidemic and Death 09:52 His Final Thoughts of Jerusalem 10:00 France Mourns Its Saint-King 10:09 Virtue Is Not Always Rewarded With Success 10:35 Two Failed Crusades 10:52 Holiness Is Not Measured by Earthly Results 11:00 Prayer First, Activity Second 11:07 Wealth and Honors Can Become Obstacles 11:23 Give Your Talents Back to God 11:40 God Multiplies What We Return to Him 11:56 You Cannot Outdo God in Generosity 12:04 Do Not Bury Your Talents 12:12 Closing Prayer https://sensusfidelium.us/the-liturgical-year-dom-prosper-gueranger/august/august-25-st-louis-king-of-france-confessor/ https://www.olmcfssp.org/index.php/olmc Please remember to say 3 Hail Marys for the priest 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 ✝️ SUPPORT THE MISSION 🙏 Donate https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 📬 Free Catholic Newsletter https://sensusfidelium.com/newsletter/ 📰 Read on Substack https://sensusfidelium.substack.com/ ──────────────────── 📺 WATCH & READ 📺 Sensus Fidelium App https://sensusfidelium.tv/ 📚 Sensus Fidelium Press https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ 👕 Official Merchandise https://sensusfidelium.com/merchandise/ ──────────────────── 🤝 PARTNER WITH US 📣 Advertise on Sensus Fidelium https://sensusfidelium.com/advertise-with-sensus-fidelium/ 🎤 Invite Steve Cunningham to Speak https://sensusfidelium.com/speaking/ ⛪ Parish Formation & Consultation https://sensusfidelium.com/for-parishes/ ──────────────────── 🌎 CATHOLIC COMMUNITY ✝️ Trusted Catholic Businesses https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 #StLouisIX #CatholicKing #CatholicSaints #PrayerFirst #CatholicFrance #ChristianLeadership #SainteChapelle #CrownOfThorns #CatholicFaith #Holiness #ChristianGenerosity #GospelOfTheTalents #CatholicSermon #SaintKing #SensusFidelium

Topics

• Prayer
• Holiness