God Speaks on Humility
Finding a Unifying Principle
The mysteries of our Lord’s life were revealed to us for our sanctification, to show us how we should conduct ourselves before God and our fellow men. Our Lord set before us the example of every virtue, lived in different circumstances.
Compare the charming sincerity and docility of the Child of twelve, in the presence of the learned doctors of the Law, with the majestic calm and manly fortitude of the Man-God, twenty-one years later, before the members of the Jewish Council. The bearing of Jesus on both occasions was perfect, but how dissimilar the perfection in each. Every period of his life was a perfect picture. Thus, “to put on Christ,” we must study and meditate on all these mysteries. As we do so, we learn to imitate –or better, to reproduce in ourselves– his manner of acting.
In the hierarchy of virtues, charity is the first; thus, all the saints have excelled in charity. Yet, as a beautiful landscape differs from another, so does one saint differ from another. Each saint seems to have a moral virtue that he has practiced to a high degree as the unifying principle of his life, as his characteristic. One is remarkable for his apostolic zeal, another for his tenderness toward the suffering, a third for his spirit of contemplation, and so on.
Similarly, we can look for some unifying principle in the life of Jesus, a vantage point from which we can see all his virtues as various manifestations of one unique spirit. Can we trace back these diverse streams and find the source from which they flow forth?
If this were possible, we would be able to understand our Lord’s life as a whole, grasp the essential unity in the rich variety of his life, and acquire a knowledge of our Lord’s human character such as would not be yielded up by the most profound study of the different events of his life taken separately. What is more, we would have found the key to human existence itself.
What is this unifying and fundamental principle in the human life of our Lord? He has not left us without revealing it to us, for he knew that, by ourselves, we would not have discovered it. He knew that even if we did discover it, we would still be astray in our efforts to imitate him, for we would have looked at it as only one principle among many, merely coordinated with the rest, and not one which is the motive and inspiration of, and which gives meaning to, the others.
What characterizes the “spiritual temperament” of our Lord is his humility; a tender, child-like realization of God’s sovereignty and fatherhood. Jesus was the perfect expression of the humble spiritual childhood that he recommended to us.
“Learn of me,” he said, “that I am meek and humble of heart.” It is as if he said: “My words, my works, my virtues, my sufferings, my perfect endurance of shame and humiliations are the direct consequence of my humility. I am all that you see me to be, I have all the perfection that you admire in me, yet I am humble. If you wish to imitate me in everything, in my virtues, in my words, in my actions, in my attitude toward God and toward man, learn of me to be humble of heart.”
The perfection of our Lord’s human virtue is linked to the perfection of his humility. Humility did not take the place of the other virtues; rather, it inspired and guided the mode in which these virtues found expression in his life, in his personal relations with God, and with men.#1
Jesus, Our Archetype
Christian humility takes its root in Christ, in his incarnation and death (Phil 2:8), in his service to all (cf. Mt 11:29; 20:28; Jn 13:15-16), in everything he did. The more a Christian captures the spirit of Christ’s perfect humility, the more Christ-like he becomes. Men will approximate the charity of Christ when they approximate the humility of Christ; he expressly urged us to imitate his humility. He knew that one virtue follows the other, as the edifice rises on its foundations.
“A dispute arose between them about which should be reckoned the greatest, but Jesus said to them, `Among pagans it is the kings who lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are given the title of benefactor. This must not happen with you. No; the greatest among you must behave as if he were the youngest, the leader as if he were the one who serves. For who is the greater, the one at table or the one who serves? The one at table, surely? Yet here am I among you as one who serves!’“ (Lk 22:24-27).
Our Lord was not talking to monks alone, he was talking to ordinary people, who had to live the virtue of humility in the midst of the world. We often have a vague and incorrect notion of humility. Religious asceticism encourages certain practices that help a person acquire and develop humility and curb his pride. We may wrongly think that these are acts of the virtue of humility itself; in that case, the true nature of this virtue would escape us.
What some people are obliged to do to crush and repress their pride is wrongly taken to be the expression of the fundamental Christian virtue of humility. This is a great error. Besides, these practices may not be applicable to the circumstances of some other people. We miss the meaning of our Lord’s life if we consider him humble only on account of the lowly circumstances in which he decided to live. The root of humility is rather a disposition of the soul. Humility does not consist of acts, but it is reflected in them.
The apostles learned humility from Christ; they were humble and encouraged the faithful to be humble before God (cf. Lk 5:8; Act 20:11; Rom 11:20) and to acknowledge their weaknesses (cf. 1 Pet 3:8; Gal 6:1-3). The early Christians were ordinary people, almost all working in different occupations.
This is the new order of things that the Lord brought to the earth: In whatever circumstances, those who serve more are the greatest; those who serve others, out of love of God and their neighbor, are the best; the higher one is, the more should one lower oneself.
And God likes man’s abasement; the parable of the Pharisee and the publican (Lk 18:9-14) shows that God attends to the prayer of the sinner who confesses his unworthiness, and rejects the proud man who does not seek His pardon, thus, blocking the flow of grace into his soul (cf. 1 Pet 5:5). This parable and many other passages of Sacred Scripture listed here will give us a complete picture of the virtue of humility.
The Virtue of Humility in the Old Testament
Your power, O Lord, does not lie in numbers, nor your might in the horses’ strength; since you are the God of the humble, the defender of the little ones, the support of the weak, the refuge of the forsaken, the savior of the despairing (Judith 9:16).
God brings down the proud and saves the downcast (Job 22:29).
Could any man ever think himself innocent before God? Born of a woman, how could he ever be pure? If even the moon lacks brightness and the stars are unclean in his sight, what then man, who is rottenness, a son of man, who is only a worm! (Job 25:4-6).
My sacrifice is a contrite spirit. A contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not despise (Ps 51:17).
He will turn to the prayers of the humble; He will not despise their prayers (Ps 102:18).
From far above, Yahweh sees the humble, from far away he marks down the arrogant! (Ps 138:6).
O Lord, what is man that you care for him, the son of man that you think of him? Man is like a breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow (Ps 144:3-4).
Pride comes first, disgrace comes after; but with humility comes wisdom (Prov 11:2).
The fear of the Lord is a school of wisdom, humility goes before honor (Prov 15:33).
Before its destruction, a man’s heart is proud; before it is exalted, it is humbled (Prov 18:12).
Accept all that happens to you, be patient when you are humbled, for as gold is tested in the fire, so those chosen by God are tested in the furnace of humiliation (Sirach 2:4-5).
The greater you are, the more you should behave humbly, and then you will find grace from the Lord. For great though the power of God is, he accepts the homage of the humble (Sirach 3:20).
The prayer of a humble man pierces the clouds; he does not rest until it reaches its goal, nor will he withdraw till the Most High takes notice of him, acquits the virtuous and delivers judgement (Sirach 35:21).
Other References from the Old Testament
The humility of Gideon (see Judges 6:11-18).
Samuel anoints David; God always chooses humble people (see 1 Samuel 16:1-13).
David and Goliath (see 1 Samuel 17:1-52).
Saul’s jealousy of David (see 1 Samuel 18:5-16).
Cure of Naaman, the servants begged him to obey the prophet (see 2 Kings 5:1-27).
Prayer of Judith (see Judith 9:1-14).
Jeremiah’s complaint (see Jer 20:7-18).
The dream of Nabuchadnezzar: the statue (see Daniel 2:1-45).
The Virtue of Humility in New Testament
John said: I am baptizing you with water for your repentance, but the one who is to come after me is mightier than I; I am not worthy to carry his sandals; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire (Mt 3:11).
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; I am gentle and humble of heart; and you shall find rest for your souls (Mt 11:29).
Jesus called to his side a little child, and set the child in front of them. Then he said, “Believe me, unless you become like little children again, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 18:2-4).
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Mt 23:12).
He has pulled down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the humble (Lk 1:52).
When you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, `Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted (Lk 14:11).
God has chosen what the world considers foolish, to shame the wise; he has chosen what the world considers weak to shame the strong. God has chosen what the world considers common and contemptible –he has chosen what is nothing at all to show up those who are everything; no human creature was to have any ground for boasting, in the presence of God (1 Cor 1:27-29).
If anyone thinks he is something, when in fact he is nothing, he deceives himself (Gal 6:3).
I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you therefore to lead a life worthy of your vocation, with all humility and meekness...(Eph 4:1-2).
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God a prize to be coveted, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a slave, being made in human likeness. Presenting himself to us in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient until death –even death on a cross! (Phil 2:5-8).
You are God’s chosen people, holy and well beloved; clothe yourselves with sincere compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Col 3:12).
Humble yourself before the Lord and he will exalt you (James 4:10).
All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because “God opposes the proud but gives his grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand; he will raise you up, when his time comes to deliver you (1 Pet 5:5-6).
Other References from the New Testament
The Annunciation (see Lk 1:26-38).
The Visitation; the birth of St John the Baptist (see Lk 1:39-80).
St John the Baptist denies being the Christ (see John 1:19-34).
The speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye (see Mt 7:1-5).
Jesus praises St John the Baptist for his humility (see Lk 7:24-35).
Lack of rectitude of intention of the Pharisees (see Mt 15:1-20).
God reveals himself to the little ones (see Mt 11:25-30)>
We are unworthy servants (see Lk 17:7-10).
The Pharisee and the publican (see Lk 18:9-14).
Exhortation to humility (see Lk 22:24-27).
Palm Sunday: triumphal entry riding a colt (see Mt 21:1-16).
The washing of the feet (see John 13:1-11).
Jesus’ humble service (see John 13:12-17).
Jesus predicts Peter’s denials (see Mt 26:30-35).
The vine and the branches (see John 15:1-11).
Pentecost: Peter’s address (see Acts 2:1-36).
The first Christians (see Acts 2:37-40).
FOOTNOTE:
1. Cf. E. Leen, In the Likeness of Christ, 2, 2
The mysteries of our Lord’s life were revealed to us for our sanctification, to show us how we should conduct ourselves before God and our fellow men. Our Lord set before us the example of every virtue, lived in different circumstances.
Compare the charming sincerity and docility of the Child of twelve, in the presence of the learned doctors of the Law, with the majestic calm and manly fortitude of the Man-God, twenty-one years later, before the members of the Jewish Council. The bearing of Jesus on both occasions was perfect, but how dissimilar the perfection in each. Every period of his life was a perfect picture. Thus, “to put on Christ,” we must study and meditate on all these mysteries. As we do so, we learn to imitate –or better, to reproduce in ourselves– his manner of acting.
In the hierarchy of virtues, charity is the first; thus, all the saints have excelled in charity. Yet, as a beautiful landscape differs from another, so does one saint differ from another. Each saint seems to have a moral virtue that he has practiced to a high degree as the unifying principle of his life, as his characteristic. One is remarkable for his apostolic zeal, another for his tenderness toward the suffering, a third for his spirit of contemplation, and so on.
Similarly, we can look for some unifying principle in the life of Jesus, a vantage point from which we can see all his virtues as various manifestations of one unique spirit. Can we trace back these diverse streams and find the source from which they flow forth?
If this were possible, we would be able to understand our Lord’s life as a whole, grasp the essential unity in the rich variety of his life, and acquire a knowledge of our Lord’s human character such as would not be yielded up by the most profound study of the different events of his life taken separately. What is more, we would have found the key to human existence itself.
What is this unifying and fundamental principle in the human life of our Lord? He has not left us without revealing it to us, for he knew that, by ourselves, we would not have discovered it. He knew that even if we did discover it, we would still be astray in our efforts to imitate him, for we would have looked at it as only one principle among many, merely coordinated with the rest, and not one which is the motive and inspiration of, and which gives meaning to, the others.
What characterizes the “spiritual temperament” of our Lord is his humility; a tender, child-like realization of God’s sovereignty and fatherhood. Jesus was the perfect expression of the humble spiritual childhood that he recommended to us.
“Learn of me,” he said, “that I am meek and humble of heart.” It is as if he said: “My words, my works, my virtues, my sufferings, my perfect endurance of shame and humiliations are the direct consequence of my humility. I am all that you see me to be, I have all the perfection that you admire in me, yet I am humble. If you wish to imitate me in everything, in my virtues, in my words, in my actions, in my attitude toward God and toward man, learn of me to be humble of heart.”
The perfection of our Lord’s human virtue is linked to the perfection of his humility. Humility did not take the place of the other virtues; rather, it inspired and guided the mode in which these virtues found expression in his life, in his personal relations with God, and with men.#1
Jesus, Our Archetype
Christian humility takes its root in Christ, in his incarnation and death (Phil 2:8), in his service to all (cf. Mt 11:29; 20:28; Jn 13:15-16), in everything he did. The more a Christian captures the spirit of Christ’s perfect humility, the more Christ-like he becomes. Men will approximate the charity of Christ when they approximate the humility of Christ; he expressly urged us to imitate his humility. He knew that one virtue follows the other, as the edifice rises on its foundations.
“A dispute arose between them about which should be reckoned the greatest, but Jesus said to them, `Among pagans it is the kings who lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are given the title of benefactor. This must not happen with you. No; the greatest among you must behave as if he were the youngest, the leader as if he were the one who serves. For who is the greater, the one at table or the one who serves? The one at table, surely? Yet here am I among you as one who serves!’“ (Lk 22:24-27).
Our Lord was not talking to monks alone, he was talking to ordinary people, who had to live the virtue of humility in the midst of the world. We often have a vague and incorrect notion of humility. Religious asceticism encourages certain practices that help a person acquire and develop humility and curb his pride. We may wrongly think that these are acts of the virtue of humility itself; in that case, the true nature of this virtue would escape us.
What some people are obliged to do to crush and repress their pride is wrongly taken to be the expression of the fundamental Christian virtue of humility. This is a great error. Besides, these practices may not be applicable to the circumstances of some other people. We miss the meaning of our Lord’s life if we consider him humble only on account of the lowly circumstances in which he decided to live. The root of humility is rather a disposition of the soul. Humility does not consist of acts, but it is reflected in them.
The apostles learned humility from Christ; they were humble and encouraged the faithful to be humble before God (cf. Lk 5:8; Act 20:11; Rom 11:20) and to acknowledge their weaknesses (cf. 1 Pet 3:8; Gal 6:1-3). The early Christians were ordinary people, almost all working in different occupations.
This is the new order of things that the Lord brought to the earth: In whatever circumstances, those who serve more are the greatest; those who serve others, out of love of God and their neighbor, are the best; the higher one is, the more should one lower oneself.
And God likes man’s abasement; the parable of the Pharisee and the publican (Lk 18:9-14) shows that God attends to the prayer of the sinner who confesses his unworthiness, and rejects the proud man who does not seek His pardon, thus, blocking the flow of grace into his soul (cf. 1 Pet 5:5). This parable and many other passages of Sacred Scripture listed here will give us a complete picture of the virtue of humility.
The Virtue of Humility in the Old Testament
Your power, O Lord, does not lie in numbers, nor your might in the horses’ strength; since you are the God of the humble, the defender of the little ones, the support of the weak, the refuge of the forsaken, the savior of the despairing (Judith 9:16).
God brings down the proud and saves the downcast (Job 22:29).
Could any man ever think himself innocent before God? Born of a woman, how could he ever be pure? If even the moon lacks brightness and the stars are unclean in his sight, what then man, who is rottenness, a son of man, who is only a worm! (Job 25:4-6).
My sacrifice is a contrite spirit. A contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not despise (Ps 51:17).
He will turn to the prayers of the humble; He will not despise their prayers (Ps 102:18).
From far above, Yahweh sees the humble, from far away he marks down the arrogant! (Ps 138:6).
O Lord, what is man that you care for him, the son of man that you think of him? Man is like a breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow (Ps 144:3-4).
Pride comes first, disgrace comes after; but with humility comes wisdom (Prov 11:2).
The fear of the Lord is a school of wisdom, humility goes before honor (Prov 15:33).
Before its destruction, a man’s heart is proud; before it is exalted, it is humbled (Prov 18:12).
Accept all that happens to you, be patient when you are humbled, for as gold is tested in the fire, so those chosen by God are tested in the furnace of humiliation (Sirach 2:4-5).
The greater you are, the more you should behave humbly, and then you will find grace from the Lord. For great though the power of God is, he accepts the homage of the humble (Sirach 3:20).
The prayer of a humble man pierces the clouds; he does not rest until it reaches its goal, nor will he withdraw till the Most High takes notice of him, acquits the virtuous and delivers judgement (Sirach 35:21).
Other References from the Old Testament
The humility of Gideon (see Judges 6:11-18).
Samuel anoints David; God always chooses humble people (see 1 Samuel 16:1-13).
David and Goliath (see 1 Samuel 17:1-52).
Saul’s jealousy of David (see 1 Samuel 18:5-16).
Cure of Naaman, the servants begged him to obey the prophet (see 2 Kings 5:1-27).
Prayer of Judith (see Judith 9:1-14).
Jeremiah’s complaint (see Jer 20:7-18).
The dream of Nabuchadnezzar: the statue (see Daniel 2:1-45).
The Virtue of Humility in New Testament
John said: I am baptizing you with water for your repentance, but the one who is to come after me is mightier than I; I am not worthy to carry his sandals; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire (Mt 3:11).
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; I am gentle and humble of heart; and you shall find rest for your souls (Mt 11:29).
Jesus called to his side a little child, and set the child in front of them. Then he said, “Believe me, unless you become like little children again, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 18:2-4).
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Mt 23:12).
He has pulled down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the humble (Lk 1:52).
When you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, `Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted (Lk 14:11).
God has chosen what the world considers foolish, to shame the wise; he has chosen what the world considers weak to shame the strong. God has chosen what the world considers common and contemptible –he has chosen what is nothing at all to show up those who are everything; no human creature was to have any ground for boasting, in the presence of God (1 Cor 1:27-29).
If anyone thinks he is something, when in fact he is nothing, he deceives himself (Gal 6:3).
I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you therefore to lead a life worthy of your vocation, with all humility and meekness...(Eph 4:1-2).
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God a prize to be coveted, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a slave, being made in human likeness. Presenting himself to us in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient until death –even death on a cross! (Phil 2:5-8).
You are God’s chosen people, holy and well beloved; clothe yourselves with sincere compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Col 3:12).
Humble yourself before the Lord and he will exalt you (James 4:10).
All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because “God opposes the proud but gives his grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand; he will raise you up, when his time comes to deliver you (1 Pet 5:5-6).
Other References from the New Testament
The Annunciation (see Lk 1:26-38).
The Visitation; the birth of St John the Baptist (see Lk 1:39-80).
St John the Baptist denies being the Christ (see John 1:19-34).
The speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye (see Mt 7:1-5).
Jesus praises St John the Baptist for his humility (see Lk 7:24-35).
Lack of rectitude of intention of the Pharisees (see Mt 15:1-20).
God reveals himself to the little ones (see Mt 11:25-30)>
We are unworthy servants (see Lk 17:7-10).
The Pharisee and the publican (see Lk 18:9-14).
Exhortation to humility (see Lk 22:24-27).
Palm Sunday: triumphal entry riding a colt (see Mt 21:1-16).
The washing of the feet (see John 13:1-11).
Jesus’ humble service (see John 13:12-17).
Jesus predicts Peter’s denials (see Mt 26:30-35).
The vine and the branches (see John 15:1-11).
Pentecost: Peter’s address (see Acts 2:1-36).
The first Christians (see Acts 2:37-40).
FOOTNOTE:
1. Cf. E. Leen, In the Likeness of Christ, 2, 2