Humility toward Ourselves: External Humility
Our acts of external humility must be the outward echo of our interior sentiments. These acts bounce back; they solidify and intensify our dispositions of humility, as well as all other virtues; thus, the soul must be humbled together with the body.
It is one thing to be humiliated, and another to be humble. The proud man receives humiliations with anger, doing all he can to escape from them; he remains proud. The humble man converts all humiliations into humility; he thanks God for having been humbled.
* Reject any ambition for honors. Think instead about your duties, how to do them well, and the instruments you need to accomplish them. Thus, you will not hanker for position, and, if one comes, you will see it for what it is: a burden to bear in the service of souls. (J. Escrivá, Furrow, 976)
* When contemplating the scene of the Incarnation, strengthen in your soul the resolve to be “humble in practice.” See how he abased himself, taking on our poor nature.
That is why, every day, you need to react, right away, with God’s grace, accepting–and wanting–the humiliations the Lord may send you. (J. Escrivá, The Forge, 139)
* You are full of anxieties because you do not love as you ought. Everything annoys you. And the enemy does all he can to make you show your bad temper.
I realize you feel very humiliated. Precisely because of this, you must react earnestly and without delay. (J. Escrivá, The Forge, 392)
* You have been insulted.... Convince yourself that you are made of “poor stuff.” Know yourself and you will react to events supernaturally. Joy and peace will take a firmer root in your soul, in the face of humiliations, calumnies, spite....
In these cases, after saying, “Fiat”–Lord whatever you want–you should think: “Is that all he said? He obviously does not know me, otherwise he wouldn’t have left it at that.”
Being convinced that you deserve worse treatment, you will feel grateful to that person, and rejoice at what might have made everybody else suffer. (J. Escrivá, Furrow, 268)
* Your flesh is tender and raw. That’s how you are. Everything seems to make you suffer in your mind and in your senses. And everything is a temptation to you....
Be humble, I insist. You will see how quickly all this passes. The pain will turn into joy, and the temptation into firm purpose.
But meanwhile, strengthen your faith; fill yourself with hope; and make constant acts of love, even though you think they come only from your lips. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 727)
* One often has to do violence to oneself, to humble oneself, and to say repeatedly to the Lord in earnest: “Serviam!”–I will serve you. (J. Escrivá, Furrow, 280)
* Memento, homo, quia pulvis es ...–remember, man, that you are dust... If you are dust, why should you find it irksome to be trodden upon? (J. Escrivá, Furrow, 281)
* John the Baptist does not hesitate to proclaim that he is of no importance, compared with Jesus. He does not even identify himself according to his priestly parentage; he did not say, “I am John, son of Zechariah, of the priestly tribe of....” On the contrary, when they ask him, “Who are you?,” John says, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness; prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” (Jn 1:22-23).
John is no more than that: the voice, the voice that announces Jesus. That is his mission, his life, his personality. His whole being is defined by Jesus, as should be the case in our own lives, in the life of any Christian. What is important in our lives is Jesus.
A desire to draw attention to oneself would leave no room for Jesus. God asks us to live without ostentation, without wanting to be heroes. He wants us to lead simple, ordinary lives, trying to do good to everyone, and carrying out our duties honestly. Without humility, we could not bring our friends closer to God; our life would then become empty. (F. Fernandez, In Conversation with God, I, 8.2)
* Sincere humility. What can upset a person who delights in being insulted because he knows that he deserves nothing better? (J. Escrivá, The Forge, 593)
* Never give your opinion if you’re not asked for it, even though you may think it is the best one. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 674)
Humility Leads One to Confess One’s Sins
Humility leads to contrition; the soul sees its lack of love and sincerely asks for forgiveness. Yet this sorrow never becomes desperation; it always remains a sorrow born of love, a sorrow full of confidence in God; it leads one to confess one’s sins before God’s tribunal (cf. Mt 16:19).
* Humbly acknowledge your weakness. Then you can say with the Apostle: “Cum enim infirmor, tunc potens sum”–”for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (J. Escrivá, The Way, 604)
* Woe to me, Lord! Have mercy on me! I do not hide my wounds from you. You are a physician, and I am sick; you are compassionate, and I am miserable. (St Augustine, Confessions, 10)
* How good it is to know how to put things right with yourself. And how few learn that art! (J. Escrivá, Furrow, 276)
* To be converted, you must climb via humility, along the path of self‑abasement. (J. Escrivá, Furrow, 278)
* You wrote to me that, at last, you went to confession; and that you tasted the humiliation of having to open the sewer–that is what you say–of your life to “a man.”
When will you get rid of that feeling of vain self‑esteem? You will then go to confession happy to show yourself as you are to “that man,” who, having been anointed, is another Christ–Christ himself–and gives you absolution, God’s forgiveness. (J. Escrivá, Furrow, 45)
* “Father, how can you stand such filth?” you asked me after a contrite confession. I said nothing, thinking that if your humility makes you feel like that–like filth, a heap of filth!–then we may yet turn all your weakness into something really great. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 605)
* Out of humility, holy men always earnestly disclaim their own good deeds–one by one–narrated in their presence. Men without right intention always make others believe–by excusing themselves–that they do not have faults, or that these are small and few. (Origen, Catena Aurea, 3, p. 247)
* “ And a leper came to Jesus, and kneeling down, he pleaded, `If you want, you can make me clean’“ (Mk 1:40).
That man knelt down on the ground–this is a sign of humility and shame–so that each one of us may be ashamed of the stains of our sins. But shame must not impede the confession of sin. The leper bared his wounds and begged to be cured. His confession was full of piety and faith. “If you want,” he said, “you can;” he recognized that the possibility of his cure was in the hands of the Lord. (St Bede, Comment. on St Mark)
* Remember this: Never will we be overcome by our foe more easily than when we imitate him in his pride; never will we beat him down with more force than when we imitate our Lord’s humility; never will our blows be more painful and harder for the devil than when we heal our sins through confession and penance. (St Augustine, Sermon 351, 6)
* Without even a reproach, but with a look full of Love, the Lord converted Peter, who had denied him three times.
Jesus looks at us with those same eyes, after we have fallen. May we also be able to say to him, as Peter did: “Lord, you know all things, you know that I love you,” and amend our lives. (J. Escrivá, Furrow, 964)
* If they have witnessed your weaknesses and faults, does it matter if they witness your penance, too? (J. Escrivá, The Way, 197)
* Do penance; bury your negligences, offenses, and sins in the deep pit dug by your humility. Thus does the farmer bury rotten fruit, dead twigs, and fallen leaves at the foot of the tree that bore them. And what was unfruitful, even harmful, makes a real contribution to a new fertility.
Learn to draw from your falls a new impulse; from death, life. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 211)
Humility and Other Supernatural Virtues
* Humility, the guide of all virtues, is the immovable foundation of the supernatural edifice, the gift par excellence, and the greatest grace we can receive from our Savior. (Cassian, Collationes, 15, 7)
* Humility is the mother and mistress of all virtues. (St Gregory the Great, Moralia, 23, 23)
* True patience and tranquility of soul can only be acquired and consolidated with a profound humility of heart. Virtues flowing from such a spring need not be kept in the retirement of a cell or in the shelter of solitude. In fact, they do not need an external buttress if they are internally supported by humility, the mother and safeguard of all virtues. But if we feel offended when provoked, it is a sign that the foundations of our humility are not stable. (Cassian, Collationes, 18, 13)
* Even good actions lack value if they are not seasoned with the virtue of humility. The greatest virtues, if practiced with pride, debase man, instead of exalting him. A man who accumulates virtues without humility throws dust into the wind; he seems to advance in merit, but he acquires the most pitiful blindness. Thus, my brothers, maintain humility in all you do. (St Gregory the Great, Hom. 7 on the Gospels)
* If obedience doesn’t give you peace, it’s because you’re proud. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 620)
* God grants holy purity when it is asked for with humility. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 118)
* Holy purity is the humility of the flesh. You asked the Lord for seven bolts on your heart. And I advised you to ask for seven bolts for your heart, and eighty years of gravity as well, for your youth.
And be watchful, for a spark is much easier to extinguish than a fire. Take flight, for in this it is sheer cowardice to be “brave”; a roving eye does not mean a lively spirit, but turns out to be a snare of Satan.
Yet human diligence, with mortification, the cilice, disciplines, and fasting are all worthless without you, my God. (J. Escrivá, Furrow, 834)
* Charity is the guardian of virginity; humility is the castle of this guardian. (St Augustine, Treat, on Virginity, 33, 51)
* One may be saved without virginity, but not without humility. Crying for one’s lost virginity may be pleasing to God; without humility–I dare say–not even Mary’s virginity would have been pleasing to God.
The fusion of virginity and humility is beautiful. God is greatly pleased with a soul whose virginity is enhanced by humility, and whose humility is adorned by virginity. (St Bernard, Hom. on the Virgin Mother, 1,5)
Humility and Human Virtues
* Your manly spirit–simple and straightforward–is crushed when you find yourself entangled in gossip and scandalous talk. You don’t understand how it could happen; besides, you never wished to be involved in it anyway. Suffer the humiliation that such talk causes you and let the experience urge you to greater discretion. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 51)
* With that self‑satisfied air, you’re becoming an unbearable and repulsive character. You’re making a fool of yourself, and what is worse, you’re diminishing the effectiveness of your work as an apostle.
Don’t forget that even the mediocre can sin by being too scholarly. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 351 )
* Your very inexperience leads you to presumption, to vanity, and to all that you imagine gives you an air of importance.
Correct yourself, please! Foolish and all, you may come to occupy a post of responsibility (it’s happened more than once), and if you’re not convinced of your lack of ability, you will refuse to listen to those who have the gift of counsel. And it’s frightening to think of the harm your mismanagement will do. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 352)
* What an example of discretion the Mother of God has given us! Not even to St Joseph does she communicate the mystery.
Ask our Lady for the discretion you lack. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 653)
It is one thing to be humiliated, and another to be humble. The proud man receives humiliations with anger, doing all he can to escape from them; he remains proud. The humble man converts all humiliations into humility; he thanks God for having been humbled.
* Reject any ambition for honors. Think instead about your duties, how to do them well, and the instruments you need to accomplish them. Thus, you will not hanker for position, and, if one comes, you will see it for what it is: a burden to bear in the service of souls. (J. Escrivá, Furrow, 976)
* When contemplating the scene of the Incarnation, strengthen in your soul the resolve to be “humble in practice.” See how he abased himself, taking on our poor nature.
That is why, every day, you need to react, right away, with God’s grace, accepting–and wanting–the humiliations the Lord may send you. (J. Escrivá, The Forge, 139)
* You are full of anxieties because you do not love as you ought. Everything annoys you. And the enemy does all he can to make you show your bad temper.
I realize you feel very humiliated. Precisely because of this, you must react earnestly and without delay. (J. Escrivá, The Forge, 392)
* You have been insulted.... Convince yourself that you are made of “poor stuff.” Know yourself and you will react to events supernaturally. Joy and peace will take a firmer root in your soul, in the face of humiliations, calumnies, spite....
In these cases, after saying, “Fiat”–Lord whatever you want–you should think: “Is that all he said? He obviously does not know me, otherwise he wouldn’t have left it at that.”
Being convinced that you deserve worse treatment, you will feel grateful to that person, and rejoice at what might have made everybody else suffer. (J. Escrivá, Furrow, 268)
* Your flesh is tender and raw. That’s how you are. Everything seems to make you suffer in your mind and in your senses. And everything is a temptation to you....
Be humble, I insist. You will see how quickly all this passes. The pain will turn into joy, and the temptation into firm purpose.
But meanwhile, strengthen your faith; fill yourself with hope; and make constant acts of love, even though you think they come only from your lips. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 727)
* One often has to do violence to oneself, to humble oneself, and to say repeatedly to the Lord in earnest: “Serviam!”–I will serve you. (J. Escrivá, Furrow, 280)
* Memento, homo, quia pulvis es ...–remember, man, that you are dust... If you are dust, why should you find it irksome to be trodden upon? (J. Escrivá, Furrow, 281)
* John the Baptist does not hesitate to proclaim that he is of no importance, compared with Jesus. He does not even identify himself according to his priestly parentage; he did not say, “I am John, son of Zechariah, of the priestly tribe of....” On the contrary, when they ask him, “Who are you?,” John says, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness; prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” (Jn 1:22-23).
John is no more than that: the voice, the voice that announces Jesus. That is his mission, his life, his personality. His whole being is defined by Jesus, as should be the case in our own lives, in the life of any Christian. What is important in our lives is Jesus.
A desire to draw attention to oneself would leave no room for Jesus. God asks us to live without ostentation, without wanting to be heroes. He wants us to lead simple, ordinary lives, trying to do good to everyone, and carrying out our duties honestly. Without humility, we could not bring our friends closer to God; our life would then become empty. (F. Fernandez, In Conversation with God, I, 8.2)
* Sincere humility. What can upset a person who delights in being insulted because he knows that he deserves nothing better? (J. Escrivá, The Forge, 593)
* Never give your opinion if you’re not asked for it, even though you may think it is the best one. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 674)
Humility Leads One to Confess One’s Sins
Humility leads to contrition; the soul sees its lack of love and sincerely asks for forgiveness. Yet this sorrow never becomes desperation; it always remains a sorrow born of love, a sorrow full of confidence in God; it leads one to confess one’s sins before God’s tribunal (cf. Mt 16:19).
* Humbly acknowledge your weakness. Then you can say with the Apostle: “Cum enim infirmor, tunc potens sum”–”for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (J. Escrivá, The Way, 604)
* Woe to me, Lord! Have mercy on me! I do not hide my wounds from you. You are a physician, and I am sick; you are compassionate, and I am miserable. (St Augustine, Confessions, 10)
* How good it is to know how to put things right with yourself. And how few learn that art! (J. Escrivá, Furrow, 276)
* To be converted, you must climb via humility, along the path of self‑abasement. (J. Escrivá, Furrow, 278)
* You wrote to me that, at last, you went to confession; and that you tasted the humiliation of having to open the sewer–that is what you say–of your life to “a man.”
When will you get rid of that feeling of vain self‑esteem? You will then go to confession happy to show yourself as you are to “that man,” who, having been anointed, is another Christ–Christ himself–and gives you absolution, God’s forgiveness. (J. Escrivá, Furrow, 45)
* “Father, how can you stand such filth?” you asked me after a contrite confession. I said nothing, thinking that if your humility makes you feel like that–like filth, a heap of filth!–then we may yet turn all your weakness into something really great. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 605)
* Out of humility, holy men always earnestly disclaim their own good deeds–one by one–narrated in their presence. Men without right intention always make others believe–by excusing themselves–that they do not have faults, or that these are small and few. (Origen, Catena Aurea, 3, p. 247)
* “ And a leper came to Jesus, and kneeling down, he pleaded, `If you want, you can make me clean’“ (Mk 1:40).
That man knelt down on the ground–this is a sign of humility and shame–so that each one of us may be ashamed of the stains of our sins. But shame must not impede the confession of sin. The leper bared his wounds and begged to be cured. His confession was full of piety and faith. “If you want,” he said, “you can;” he recognized that the possibility of his cure was in the hands of the Lord. (St Bede, Comment. on St Mark)
* Remember this: Never will we be overcome by our foe more easily than when we imitate him in his pride; never will we beat him down with more force than when we imitate our Lord’s humility; never will our blows be more painful and harder for the devil than when we heal our sins through confession and penance. (St Augustine, Sermon 351, 6)
* Without even a reproach, but with a look full of Love, the Lord converted Peter, who had denied him three times.
Jesus looks at us with those same eyes, after we have fallen. May we also be able to say to him, as Peter did: “Lord, you know all things, you know that I love you,” and amend our lives. (J. Escrivá, Furrow, 964)
* If they have witnessed your weaknesses and faults, does it matter if they witness your penance, too? (J. Escrivá, The Way, 197)
* Do penance; bury your negligences, offenses, and sins in the deep pit dug by your humility. Thus does the farmer bury rotten fruit, dead twigs, and fallen leaves at the foot of the tree that bore them. And what was unfruitful, even harmful, makes a real contribution to a new fertility.
Learn to draw from your falls a new impulse; from death, life. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 211)
Humility and Other Supernatural Virtues
* Humility, the guide of all virtues, is the immovable foundation of the supernatural edifice, the gift par excellence, and the greatest grace we can receive from our Savior. (Cassian, Collationes, 15, 7)
* Humility is the mother and mistress of all virtues. (St Gregory the Great, Moralia, 23, 23)
* True patience and tranquility of soul can only be acquired and consolidated with a profound humility of heart. Virtues flowing from such a spring need not be kept in the retirement of a cell or in the shelter of solitude. In fact, they do not need an external buttress if they are internally supported by humility, the mother and safeguard of all virtues. But if we feel offended when provoked, it is a sign that the foundations of our humility are not stable. (Cassian, Collationes, 18, 13)
* Even good actions lack value if they are not seasoned with the virtue of humility. The greatest virtues, if practiced with pride, debase man, instead of exalting him. A man who accumulates virtues without humility throws dust into the wind; he seems to advance in merit, but he acquires the most pitiful blindness. Thus, my brothers, maintain humility in all you do. (St Gregory the Great, Hom. 7 on the Gospels)
* If obedience doesn’t give you peace, it’s because you’re proud. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 620)
* God grants holy purity when it is asked for with humility. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 118)
* Holy purity is the humility of the flesh. You asked the Lord for seven bolts on your heart. And I advised you to ask for seven bolts for your heart, and eighty years of gravity as well, for your youth.
And be watchful, for a spark is much easier to extinguish than a fire. Take flight, for in this it is sheer cowardice to be “brave”; a roving eye does not mean a lively spirit, but turns out to be a snare of Satan.
Yet human diligence, with mortification, the cilice, disciplines, and fasting are all worthless without you, my God. (J. Escrivá, Furrow, 834)
* Charity is the guardian of virginity; humility is the castle of this guardian. (St Augustine, Treat, on Virginity, 33, 51)
* One may be saved without virginity, but not without humility. Crying for one’s lost virginity may be pleasing to God; without humility–I dare say–not even Mary’s virginity would have been pleasing to God.
The fusion of virginity and humility is beautiful. God is greatly pleased with a soul whose virginity is enhanced by humility, and whose humility is adorned by virginity. (St Bernard, Hom. on the Virgin Mother, 1,5)
Humility and Human Virtues
* Your manly spirit–simple and straightforward–is crushed when you find yourself entangled in gossip and scandalous talk. You don’t understand how it could happen; besides, you never wished to be involved in it anyway. Suffer the humiliation that such talk causes you and let the experience urge you to greater discretion. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 51)
* With that self‑satisfied air, you’re becoming an unbearable and repulsive character. You’re making a fool of yourself, and what is worse, you’re diminishing the effectiveness of your work as an apostle.
Don’t forget that even the mediocre can sin by being too scholarly. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 351 )
* Your very inexperience leads you to presumption, to vanity, and to all that you imagine gives you an air of importance.
Correct yourself, please! Foolish and all, you may come to occupy a post of responsibility (it’s happened more than once), and if you’re not convinced of your lack of ability, you will refuse to listen to those who have the gift of counsel. And it’s frightening to think of the harm your mismanagement will do. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 352)
* What an example of discretion the Mother of God has given us! Not even to St Joseph does she communicate the mystery.
Ask our Lady for the discretion you lack. (J. Escrivá, The Way, 653)