When persons of the world wish to praise those whom they love, they always relate their accomplishments, their virtues, and their excellent qualities, giving them all the titles which may render them more honourable, carefully hiding their sins and imperfections, and scrupulously forgetting every thing that might make them appear mean or contemptible; but our holy mother the Church acts in quite a different manner; for, though she singularly loves her children, nevertheless, when she wishes to praise and exalt them, she exactly relates the sins which they committed before their conversion, in order to render more honour and glory to the majesty of Him who sanctified them, showing forth resplendently His infinite mercy by which He has raised them from their miseries and sins, loading them afterwards with His graces, and giving them His holy love, by means of which they arrived at the height of sanctity.
--St. Francis de Sales, Consoling Thoughts
