J. Pecci (later Pope Leo XIII): The Practice of Humility
Joachim Pecci was born on March 2, 1810 in Carpinetto, near Rome. Fourth son of the Counts of Carpinetto, he studied in Rome and became an outstanding humanist. He was ordained in 1837 and was governor of a province of the Pontifical States. He became a bishop at the age of thirty-three and was sent to Belgium as Nuncio. Back to Italy, he became bishop of Perugia in 1847. He was there during the attack on the Papal States; he was accused of “inciting to despise and dishonor the civil laws of the Kingdom of Italy.”
During this period of persecution he wrote The Practice of Humility, addressed mainly to the priests and seminarians of his diocese, but useful for all.
Created a cardinal in 1850, he remained as bishop in Perugia, loved by even his enemies. He was elected pope in 1878 taking the name of Leo XIII.
Leo XIII was a holy, simple, and intelligent pope; his encyclicals are among the greatest documents of the Church in recent years.
It is an undisputed truth that no mercy will be reserved for the proud, that the gates of heaven will be closed to them and opened only to the humble.
To become convinced of this, it is enough to open holy Scripture; it teaches us in various places that God resists the proud and humbles the mighty; that only those who know how to become like little children will enter his glory, while those who do not will be excluded; finally, that God bestows his grace only upon the humble.
It is of the utmost importance for every Christian, and especially for those who aspire to a greater perfection, to practice humility and to remove from their spirit any presumption, vanity and pride. No labor is too taxing, no effort is too great to assure the success of such a holy undertaking. And since it cannot be achieved without the grace of God, we must ask for it insistently, and without getting tired.
With Baptism, every Christian has assumed the obligation of walking in the footsteps of Jesus Christ; he is the divine Model of our life. Now, this God-Savior was humble to the point of making himself the curse of the earth; this, to lower the haughty and heal the wound of our pride, teaching us by his example the only way leading to heaven. This is, to speak properly, the most important lesson of the Savior: Learn from me.
Receive docilely, therefore, disciple of the Divine Master, the advice I am going to give you, and put it faithfully into practice, if you wish to gain this precious pearl, which is the surest pledge of sanctity and the most certain sign of predestination.
1 Open the eyes of your soul and realize that you have no good of your own which can make you believe that you are something. Only sin, weakness, and misery are yours. The gifts of nature and grace which are in you all come from God, who is the principle of your being, thus, only to him does glory belong.
2 Develop a profound awareness of your nothingness and make this grow constantly in your heart, despite and in contempt of the pride prevailing in you.
Be intimately convinced that there is no more vain and ridiculous thing in the world than the desire to be esteemed for some gifts you have borrowed from the Creator; he has lent them to you gratuitously and generously. As the Apostle says, “If you have received them, why are you boasting as if they were your own?” (1 Cor 4:7).
3 Think often of your weakness, blindness, cowardice, and hardness of heart, of your sensuality, insensitivity towards God, and attachment to creatures, of the many other vicious inclinations welling up from your perverted nature. May these considerations plunge you continually into your nothingness, and remind you of how small and humble you must always be in your own eyes.
4 Have always impressed upon your spirit the memory of your past sins. Be convinced that the sin of pride is such an abominable evil that it is unsurpassed by any other on earth or within hell. This was the sin which caused the fall of the angels in heaven into the abyss; this was the sin which corrupted the entire human race and drove upon the earth the infinite crowd of evils which will last as long as the world, or rather as long as eternity.
Moreover, a soul loaded with sins is only worthy of hatred, contempt, torments; thus, see how much you can esteem yourself after having become guilty of so many sins.
5 Consider that there is no crime –no matter how enormous and detestable it may be– to which your nature is not inclined; no sin you may not commit. And remember that you have been set free from such until now only through the mercy of God and the help of his grace. As St Augustine wrote: “There is no sin in the world committed by one man which cannot be committed by another, should the hand which made man fail to sustain him.”#1
Cry wholeheartedly over such a deplorable state, and resolve firmly to include yourself among the most unworthy sinners.
6 Think often that sooner or later you will have to die; that your body will have to rot in a trench. Have always before your eyes the inexorable tribunal of Jesus Christ, before which all will necessarily have to appear; meditate on the eternal pains of hell prepared for the wicked and especially for the followers of Satan –the proud.
There is an impenetrable veil hiding the divine judgments from human eyes; consider seriously that the result is uncertain; –will you be among the damned? These will be plunged into the place of torments, in the company of the demons for all eternity, to the fire enkindled by divine justice. This uncertainty alone should be enough to keep you in the utmost humility and to instill in you the most salutary fear.
7 Do not think of acquiring humility without these particular practices proper to it: acts of meekness, patience, obedience, mortification, self-hatred, detachment from your feelings and opinions, contrition for your sins, and many others. These alone are the weapons capable of destroying in you the kingdom of self-love, that corrupted ground where all vices sprout, where your pride and presumption take root and thrive.
8 As far as possible, keep yourself in silence and recollection; but do it without causing inconvenience to others, and when you have to speak, do so always with reserve, modesty and simplicity.
If you are not listened to, either through contempt or for any other reason, do not show resentment; rather, accept this humiliation and bear it with resignation and tranquillity.
9 Refrain from haughty and proud words denoting an attitude of superiority; avoid affected expressions and sarcastic remarks; silence anything that would lead you to be considered witty, or worthy of esteem. In a word, never speak of yourself without a just reason, and avoid doing anything just to gain honor and praise.
10 In conversations, do not annoy or make fun of others with sharp words and sarcasm; shun everything worldly. Concerning spiritual things, do not speak in a magisterial fashion, unless demanded by your office or charity; be glad to consult with a mature person who will give you proper advice. To play teacher without necessity is adding wood to the burning fire of our soul, already engulfed in the smoke of pride.
11 Repress vain and useless curiosity with all your might; do not be over-anxious to see any of those things which the worldly call beautiful, rare, and magnificent. Struggle instead to know well your duty and what is beneficial for your salvation.
12 Show always the greatest respect and reverence for your superiors; have esteem and consideration for your peers; and use a great charity with your subordinates. Be convinced that a different behavior can only result from a soul dominated by pride.
13 As in the holy Gospel, seek always the lowliest place for yourself; be sincerely convinced that it is the right one for you. Likewise, in every necessity of life beware of desires and concerns that aim too high; on the other hand, be content with simple and modest things, as more in harmony with your littleness.
14 If you lack human consolations, and God takes away from you any spiritual sweetness, think that you have always had more than you deserved; be content with the way the Lord treats you.
15 In your examination of conscience, cultivate always the practice of accusing, blaming, and condemning yourself. Be a severe judge of all your actions; these are always accompanied by thousands of defects and by continuous pretenses of self-love. Foster a just contempt for yourself, seeing yourself as lacking prudence, simplicity and purity of heart.
16 Refrain from judging others as from a most grievous evil; rather, interpret every word or action well; with creative charity, find reasons to excuse and defend your neighbor. Whenever defense is impossible, since the fault committed is too obvious, do your best to minimize the blame; attribute it to unawareness, or surprise, or any other suitable reason. At least, stop thinking about it, unless your position requires you to apply some remedy.
17 Do not contradict anyone in conversation when the things involved are doubtful or debatable and can be taken in one way or the other.
Do not get excited in conversation; if your opinion is found false or less good, give in modestly and remain in humble silence. Again give in and behave in the same way about trifles, even if you are certain that what others maintain is false. On any other occasion, when it is important to defend the truth, do so with courage, but without fury and resentment; you may be sure that you will succeed better with kindness than with rage and indignation.
18 Endeavor not to cause sorrow to anyone, no matter how inferior he may be, either with words, actions or conduct, unless duty, obedience, or charity demands it.
19 If someone disturbs you often and mortifies you on purpose with insults and humiliations, do not get angry; consider him an instrument which God uses in his mercy for your improvement, to cure the deep-rooted wound of your pride.
20 Anger is a despicable vice; it should not be allowed in anyone, especially in persons with interior life. Anger takes its roots and derives its violence from pride. Exert effort, therefore, to build up a reservoir of sweetness; thus, even if someone offends you, you will be able to keep calm. In these cases, do not harbor or kindle in your heart sentiments of aversion or revenge against your offender; forgive him wholeheartedly; be convinced that you could have no better chance than this to obtain forgiveness from God for having offended Him. This humble endurance will earn you merit for heaven.
21 Suffer patiently the defects and weaknesses of your neighbor, having always before your eyes your own misery; they also had to bear with you.
22 Be humble and meek with all, but especially with those for whom you feel a certain repugnance and aversion. Do not say as some do: “May God forbid me from hating that person, but I do not want him around, nor do I want to have anything to do with him.” This repugnance comes from pride and from not having conquered your proud nature and self-love with the weapon of grace.
If your nature and self-love were to let themselves be moved by grace, they would soon see all difficulties vanish by true humility, and you would patiently endure even the most unkind and irrational person.
23 If you encounter some adversity, bless the Lord who has disposed things thus for your good; think that you deserve it all, and more, and that you are unworthy of every consolation. With all simplicity, ask the Lord to free you from these hardships, if it is his will; otherwise, ask him to give you strength to draw merit from this difficulty.
In time of trial, do not seek external consolation, especially when you know that God sent this adversity to humiliate you and break your pride and presumption; rather, say with the royal prophet: “It is good for me to be afflicted, so that I may learn your decrees” (Ps 119:71).
24 Do not become irritated if the food served is not to your liking; behave in this case as do God’s poor ones, who willingly eat what is set before them, thanking divine providence for it.
25 If, by mistake, you are scolded; if your behavior is criticized by your subordinate, or by one who should first look at himself as more worthy of reprehension, do not despise his indications or reject the advice given; examine your conduct calmly in the light of God.
Be deeply convinced that without God’s grace, you would fall at every step.
26 Never wish to be loved in a singular way. Since love depends on the will and the will tends by its nature towards good, it follows that being loved and considered good are one and same thing. The desire to be esteemed with a preferential love does not harmonize with a sincere humility.
Stop begging for the love of creatures; how much fruit would you get if you rectify! Take refuge in the sacred wounds of the Savior; you will experience untold divine sweetness in the adorable Heart of Jesus.
The generous renunciation of human love for the love of God will empower you to savor abundantly the honey of divine consolation; these divine consolations are always denied to the prisoners of the false and alluring sweetness of earthly compensations. Divine consolations are so pure that they do not mix with earthly compensations; we are filled with the former the more we empty ourselves of the latter. Moreover, your soul will be able to turn freely to God and find repose in his presence contemplating his infinite perfection.
Finally, since there is nothing sweeter than to love and be loved, if you deprive yourself of this human pleasure for the love of God, the Lord takes possession of your heart, undivided by any other natural love; and you will be offering to God a sacrifice most pleasing to him.
Do not fear that by so doing you will cool your charity for your neighbor. Rather, you will love your neighbor with a purer love; not for your own interest –following your own inclinations– but only to please God, doing what you know He likes.
27 Perform all your actions, no matter how small they may be, as attentively, precisely and diligently as possible; acting lightly and rashly is the result of presumption. The truly humble person is always vigilant to avoid failing, in even the smallest things.
For the same reason always practice ordinary exercises of piety; shun the unusual practices suggested by your nature. The proud seeks always to stand out, the humble, on the contrary, is glad doing what is common and ordinary.
28 Be convinced that you are not a good adviser of yourself; fear and distrust your opinions as coming from polluted and contaminated soil. Aware of this, ask advice from a wise and upright person; prefer to be directed by one better than you, rather than to follow your own whim.
29 No matter how high the degree of grace and virtue you have achieved, no matter how great the gift of prayer God has given you, even if you have lived one thousand years in innocence and with fervor and devotion, you must always walk vigilant and distrust yourself, especially in the matter of chastity. Remember that you carry within yourself concupiscence, an inextinguishable source of sin; think that you are all weakness, inconstancy, infidelity.
Be always on guard against yourself; close your eyes to avoid seeing or hearing what could stain your soul; always run away from dangerous occasions; abstain from useless conversation with the opposite sex, and carry on the necessary dealings with the most scrupulous modesty and prudence.
Finally, since without the grace of God you can do nothing, continually ask God to have mercy on you, that you do not remain on your own for a moment.
30 Have you received great talents from God? Are you considered someone great? Fight, then, to know yourself as you really are; become aware of your weakness, incapacity and nothingness; you must become smaller than a child. Do not seek the approval of men, and do not yearn for honors; reject both the one and the other.
31 If they have caused you a great injury, if they have provoked you, instead of raging in fury against the offenders, turn your eyes to heavens, turn your eyes to the Lord. In his infinite and loving providence, he arranged things thus, either to make you atone for your sins, or to destroy your pride; he is encouraging you to make acts of patience and humility.
32 When you have the chance to render some low and humble service to your neighbor, do it joyfully; do it with the humility you would have if you were the servant of all. From this practice you will draw vast treasures of virtue and grace.
33 Do not worry about matters not under your care, for which you do not have to render an account to men or God. Involvement in these matters reveals a concealed pride and vain presumption; it feeds and swells vanity; it causes endless worries, uneasiness, and distractions.
On the contrary, minding only yourself and your own duty will give you peace and tranquility, as it is written in The Imitation of Christ: “Do not involve yourself in matters which are no concern of yours; thus, you will have little to trouble your mind, and that but rarely.”#2
34 If you do some extraordinary mortification, try to remain immune from the poison of vainglory, which often destroys all the merits; do that mortification for the right motive: because it is unbecoming for a poor sinner like yourself to live at your convenience and pleasure and because you have so many debts to pay before the divine justice. Reflect that you need penitential works to check the violence of the passions, keeping you within the limits of duty, as bridle and bit are necessary to tame an impetuous horse.
35 When you feel the sting of impatience and are overtaken by sadness in tribulations and humiliations, stand firm against this temptation. Remember your many sins, for which you deserve much harsher punishments than those you are now enduring. Adore the infinite justice of God and receive his blows with docility; these are your sources of mercy and grace.
If only you could understand how good is to be wounded in this wretched life by the hand of such a sweet Father as God, certainly you would abandon yourself completely into his hands. Repeat often with St Augustine: “Here in this life, burn and cut in me whatever you wish; do not spare me any suffering here; forgive me and spare me the sufferings of eternity.” To refuse tribulations is to rebel against the justice of our Father God, to reject the chalice that he mercifully offers us and from which Christ himself –although innocent– wanted to drink first.
36 If you committed a fault which deserved the contempt of those who witnessed the deed, be heartily sorry for having offended God and for having given bad example to your neighbors; accept the shame as a means sent by God to atone for your sins and to make you humbler and holier.
If you are distressed and sad for having been exposed to dishonor, conclude that you are not truly humble, but still poisoned by pride. Ask the Lord insistently to cure you and save you from this poison, for if God does not have pity on you, you certainly will fall into other abysses.
37 If, among your companions, there is one who seems to you repulsive and worthless, it would be wise and prudent for you to consider the good qualities of nature, and grace he has received from God; because of these, he is worthy of respect and honor. You should not criticize and blame him for his defects. At least, look at him as a creature of God, formed in his image and likeness, ransomed by the precious Blood of Jesus Christ, a Christian marked with the light of God’s countenance; that he has a soul capable of seeing and possessing God eternally, and perhaps a predestined one according to the secret plans of God’s adorable providence. Do you perhaps know the graces the Lord has bestowed upon his heart, or those he is in the process of bestowing? But instead of attempting all this research, it would be better immediately to reject all these thoughts of contempt as poisoned suggestions of the tempter.
38 When you are praised, instead of falling into vainglory, fear that praise as if it were the sole reward of the little good you have done. Recognize inwardly your misery, deserving the contempt of the others, and cut off the discourse tactfully and discreetly; thus, no further thought will be given to your affairs. Do not act as the proud, who pretend to be humble in order to gain more praises.
If your efforts do not succeed, direct all the honor and glory to God, saying with Baruch and Daniel: “All honor and glory belongs to the Lord, our God; to us, the look of shame we wear today” (Bar 1:15).
39 Feel aversion for personal praise given to you; in the same proportion, be joyful for the praise and honor given to the others. And on your part, honor your neighbor to the extent allowed by truth and veracity.
Envious people cannot stand the glory given to others; they think it lessens their own, and they resent this. Thus, during conversation, they cleverly throw out certain ambiguous words or expressions with double meaning to lessen or render suspicious the merits of the others.
You must not act this way; in praising your neighbor, you praise the Lord, thank God for the gifts he has given him, and appreciate the talents one may use for God’s service.
40 When you hear calumnies against your neighbor, you must feel very sorry, but try to excuse the weakness of the slanderer; on the other hand, you ought to defend the person, target of gossiping, with cleverness, so that your defense does not become a second accusation. Thus, you may recall his good qualities, or highlight the esteem that he deserves from all, or shrewdly change the conversation, or show your displeasure for the tone of the conversation.
Acting in this way, you will render the greatest service to yourself, to the slanderer, to the listeners, and to the person in question. On the contrary, if, without shaking off your inertia, you feel satisfaction when your neighbor is humiliated and annoyance when he is extolled, recognize that you are very far from possessing the incomparable treasure of humility.
41 Nothing better helps one to grow spiritually than being warned about his own defects; thus, it is most convenient and necessary to encourage those who sometimes have given you this charitable service to continue doing so on any occasion. Receive their advice with joy and gratitude, and make it a duty to put this advice into practice, not only for the sake of correcting yourself, but also to show these friends that their concern has not been useless and that you appreciate their thoughtfulness.
Even when he rectifies, the proud person does not want to show that he followed the advice received; rather, he displays an attitude of contempt towards all. The truly humble, on the contrary, is content submitting himself to everyone for the love of God; he considers the wise advice received as coming from God himself, regardless of the instrument used.
42 Abandon yourself completely in the hands of God; follow the disposition of his loving providence, as a tender child abandons himself into the arms of his beloved father. Let God do whatever he wishes, without being troubled and disturbed for whatever may happen to you. Accept with joy, trust, and respect, everything that comes from him. Acting otherwise would be to distrust him, an ingratitude toward the goodness of his Heart.
Humility shelters us far beneath the infinite being of God and shows us that God is our strength and consolation.
43 Without God, you are unable to do anything good; you would stumble at any step; the least temptation would overcome you. Thus, acknowledge your weakness and impotence to do good; remember that you need God’s help for every little action you perform.
With these thoughts, keep yourself inseparably united to God, as a child who, not knowing any other refuge, clings to his mother’s bosom. Repeat with the royal prophet: “Were not the Lord my help, I would soon dwell in the silence of death” (Ps 94:17); “Look toward me, and have pity on me, for I am alone and afflicted” (Ps 25:16); and, “Hasten, God, to rescue me; O Lord, come quickly to help me” (Ps 70:1). Finally, thank God always with all your heart; thank him above all for the protection he gives you; and ask him that you may never lack the help which he alone can give.
44 Go to your prayer aware of your unworthiness and vileness, with holy awe for the presence of the supreme Majesty to whom you dare to speak to: “Shall I be so bold as to speak to my Lord, though I am but dust and ashes” (Gen 18:27).
If you receive any extraordinary favor, consider yourself unworthy of it; do not be vain, attributing it to your merits; God granted it to you out of generosity and compassion.
If you do not receive any singular gift, do not feel at all disgruntled; rather, reflect on how much you still have to do to deserve it; consider how good and patient is God only to bear you at his feet, like a beggar crouching for hours at the door of the rich man to obtain a little alms, the relief of his misery.
45 Give all the glory to God for the good results of the task entrusted to you; attribute to yourself only the possible failures; these alone are exclusively yours. Every good is from God; glory and gratitude must be given to him. Impress this truth so deeply on your spirit as never to forget it.
Anyone else, so much helped by the divine grace as you have been, would have performed much better and would not have had so many flaws. Reject the praise given to you for success; this is not due to such a vile instrument as yourself, but to the mighty and eternal Maker. He can, if he wants, strike a rock with a staff and make water spring from it, or use a bit of mud to give sight to the blind and perform endless miracles.
46 If, on the other hand, the tasks entrusted to you, do not go well, there is much to fear that the failure is due to your ineptitude and negligence. Your self-love and pride—hostile to any humiliation—would lay the blame upon others or, at least, would lessen your guilt.
Do not follow these vicious inclinations; conscientiously examine your conduct; find your failure; acknowledge your guilt before God, and accept the humiliation as a deserved punishment.
If, however, your conscience does not accuse you of any guilt, adore the divine disposition even in this case; reflect that perhaps your past sins and an excessive self-confidence have removed the heavenly blessing from your labors.
47 If you go to holy Communion with a heart burning with divine love, you must also bring a spirit penetrated with sentiments of true humility. How could you not be astonished contemplating that God—infinitely pure and holy—supplies such a sign of love for such a miserable creature as you are; he gives himself to you as food. Acknowledge the depth of your unworthiness; do approach that love-worthy sanctity with the greatest reverence; and when this amiable Lord—who is all charity—caresses you, sharing with you his indescribable sweetness, do not lessen the respect due to his infinite Majesty. Always keep yourself in your place—in submission, in humility, in your nothingness.
The realization of your poverty and misery must not close up your heart or remove from you that holy confidence you must have at this holy banquet; rather, it must make you grow in love for God, who humbles himself making himself the nourishment of your soul.
48 Have for your neighbor a heart of charity and a perennial fountain of affection and sweetness; with holy zeal, try to help him in everything, but do always so to please the Lord. Examine the motive of your actions to discover the snares of vanity and self-love. Refer to God alone all the good you do; if you keep a good deed hidden and secret, known only to God, it will reap a priceless profit. If by your negligence men know it, it will lose almost all its value, as does a good fruit which the birds have started to eat.
49 Your filial fear of displeasing God must always be accompanied by a supplication, an appeal to his compassion: that he may prevent you from falling, that he may impede such disaster. The saints recommended this holy groan of the heart; it leads us to be vigilant in all our actions, to meditate on the divine truths and despise temporal things, to do mental prayer, and to keep oneself far from all that is not God.
This filial fear of the Lord is the source of true humility and detachment; foster it, and ask for it continually.
50 A patient who strongly desires his recovery removes from himself whatever can delay it; he takes even the best food cautiously, examining at almost every mouthful whether it does him good or not. Likewise, if you wholeheartedly desire to recover from the deadly sickness of pride, if you are really eager to grow in humility, you must always be on your guard, vigilant of what you say or do. Thus, think before every action whether it leads you to humility or not, and then, do it immediately or reject it completely.
51 Another strong reason to make you practice the virtue of humility is the example of our divine Savior; he must be your model always. He told us: “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29). And St Bernard notes: “What pride cannot be crushed by the humility of the divine Master?”
Christ is the only one who really humiliated and abased himself; we do not lower ourselves at all, we merely occupy the place which is due us. Vile creatures guilty of a thousand crimes, we have a right only to pain and the void, but our Savior Jesus Christ abased himself way below the heights befitting him.
He is the Almighty God, the Immortal and Eternal Being, the supreme Arbiter of everything, yet he became man, weak, vulnerable, mortal and obedient until death. He lowered himself below his creatures; he who is the joy and beatitude of the angels and saints in heaven willed to be the Man of Sorrows and took upon himself the miseries of mankind; the uncreated Wisdom and the wellspring of all knowledge who was burdened with the shame and infamy of a fool; the Holy of Holies, holiness itself, went by as a sinner and a criminal; he whom the countless hosts of the blessed worship in heaven willed to die on a cross; the supreme Goodness bore all kinds of temporal miseries.
After this example of humility, what shall we do, ashes and dust that we are? Shall we complain of any little humiliation, miserable sinners that we are?
52 Consider also the examples left by the saints of the Old and New Testaments.
Isaiah, such a virtuous and zealous prophet, deemed himself impure before God, and confessed that all his good deeds were like dirty rags (cf. Is 64:5).
Daniel, whom God called a holy man, capable of arresting the divine wrath through his prayers, spoke to God with the humility of a sinner covered with confusion and shame.
St Dominic, a miracle of innocence and holiness, had reached such a degree of self-contempt that he thought he drew curses from heaven upon the cities which he had to pass through. Thus, before entering a city, he would kneel down, put his face toward the ground, and say with tears: “I implore you, O Lord, have compassion on me, do not look at my sins, and do not punish this city as your just vengeance for keeping me within its walls.”
St Francis, who deserved to be an image of Jesus Crucified for the purity of his life, believed himself to be the worst sinner on earth; this thought was so firmly fixed in his spirit that no one could have removed it. He used to say that, had God granted all those graces to the lowest of men, that man would have made better use of them and would not have been so ungrateful.
Several other saints believed themselves unworthy of the food they took, of the air they breathed, of the garments they wore. Others regarded it as a great miracle of the divine mercy to be tolerated on earth, instead of being thrown into hell. Still others were surprised that men could bear them and that all creatures would not get together to exterminate and annihilate them. All the saints abhorred distinction, praises and honors, and because of the great contempt that they had for themselves, they longed for nothing other than humiliations and dishonor.
Are you perhaps holier than they? Why don’t you consider yourself—after their example—unworthy and vile? Why don’t you seek—as they did—the simple joy of holy humility?
53 Recall in your imagination the insults which could come upon you; this will help you to grow in this virtue and to find humiliation sweet and familiar. Study within yourself how to accept these imagined insults, in spite of your obstinate nature; they are tokens of God’s love for you and sure means of sanctification.
Perhaps in so doing you will have to struggle, but be courageous and strong in the fight, until you feel firm and well determined to suffer everything joyfully for the love of Jesus Christ.
54 Let no day pass without reproaching yourself as your enemies would do, not only to soften these insults in advance, but also to keep yourself in self-abasement and contempt.
If, in the midst of the storm of a violent temptation, you become impatient and complain interiorly for the way God is trying you, repress these motions in time and tell yourself: “I am a vile and miserable sinner, should I complain about this suffering? Have I not deserved harsher punishments? Don’t you know, my soul, that these humiliations and sufferings are like bread received from the charity of the Lord to bring you out of your misery and poverty? Ah, if you refuse this God-given trial, you are not worthy of it and reject a rich treasure; it will be given to someone else who will make better use of it.
“The Lord wants to number you among his friends, the disciples of Calvary; will you be a coward and flee from the combat? Do you try to be crowned without having fought? And how will you have the reward without having borne the burden of the day and of the heat?”
These and similar reflections will re-enkindle your fervor and arouse in you the desire to accept suffering and humiliations, as our Lord did.
55 Do not think that you possess humility because you enjoy much tranquillity and peace in the midst of contempt and contradictions. Very often pride is only lulled; it creates havoc again as soon as it is awakened.
Your weapons should be self-knowledge, escaping from honors, and love for humiliations; never rid yourself of them, not even for an instant.
Do not be afraid of losing this rich inheritance again; to humble oneself is the sure means to keep the precious gift of humility.
56 Take Mary as your advocate and protectress to obtain from God the gift of humility. St Bernard says that “Mary humbled herself more than any other creature; being the greatest of all, she made herself the least in the most profound abyss of her humility.” Thus, she received the fullness of graces and was prepared to be the Mother of God. Mary is also a tender and compassionate Mother; no one ever had recourse to her in vain. Abandon yourself trustfully in her maternal bosom; implore her to obtain for you that virtue, so precious to her. Do not fear that she will ignore you; no, Mary will ask it for you of that God who raises the humble and annihilates the proud. Since Mary is all-powerful with her Son, she will undoubtedly be answered.
Turn to her in all your crosses, in all your needs, in all your temptations. May Mary be your support, may she be your consolation; but the first grace you must ask of her is holy humility. Never keep still, never stop imploring her until she obtains it for you; never be afraid of troubling her too much. Oh, how much she likes your persistent requests for the health of your soul and for being more acceptable to her divine Son.
Press her to be always favorable to you; ask this in the name of her humility, by which she was elevated to the dignity of Mother of God, and in the name of her maternity, the indescribable fruit of her humility.
57 Have recourse to those saints eminent in humility:
- to St Michael the Archangel, the first of the humble, as Lucifer was the first of the proud;
- to St John the Baptist, who although he had reached such heights of sanctity as to be taken for the Messiah, felt so lowly as to deem himself unworthy to loosen Jesus’ sandal strap;
- to St Paul, that privileged apostle, taken up to the third heaven. Having heard the mysteries of the divinity, deemed himself the least of the apostles, not even worthy of the name (cf. 2 Cor 12:11);
- to Pope St Gregory, who busied himself more to escape the supreme pontificate of the Church than the ambitious do to achieve honors;
- to St Augustine, who at the zenith of glory, both, as holy bishop, and most profound doctor of the Catholic Church, left an immortal monument of his humility in his admirable books The Confessions and Retractions;
- to St Alexius, who disguised as a beggar within the walls of his paternal home, preferred the insults and outrages of his own servants to all the honors and dignities which he could very easily have obtained;
- to St Aloysius Gonzaga, a nobleman who gave up his title happily and chose a humble and austere life rather than the greatness of the world.
Turn to so many other saints, who shine with the brightest light in the splendor of the Church because of their humility. Be convinced that these humble servants of God will intercede before him in heaven so that you may be among the imitators of their virtues.
58 Frequent Confession and Communion will provide you with the most effective help to persevere in the practice of humility.
In Confession, we reveal to a man like us the most secret and shameful miseries of our soul; it is the greatest act of humility that Jesus Christ demanded of his disciples.
In Holy Communion, we receive in our heart God-made-man, debased for our love; it is a marvelous school of humility and a most powerful means of acquiring it. In it, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, meek and humble furnace of love and charity, will rest upon your heart. Then, ask him for humility with all the fervor of your soul; he will grant it to you.
Go frequently to receive this love-worthy sacrament; as often as you go with the necessary dispositions, you will find the hidden manna, reserved only to those who seek it eagerly.
59 Against your interior opposition, remain firm against the difficulties you will experience in putting into practice what I have taught you. Do not say, as the disciples did: “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” (Jn 6:61). I assure you that the initial bitterness will soon turn into indescribable sweetness and heavenly consolations.
Perseverance in these exercises will free you from anxiety of spirit; it will instill in your heart so much peace and tranquillity that you will have a foretaste of that eternal pleasure prepared by God in heaven for his faithful servants.
If out of cowardice you stop using the means necessary to become humble, you will always feel oppressed, restless, unbearable to yourself and perhaps also to others, and what is worse, you will run the risk of being eternally lost. At least, the door of perfection will be closed to you, since there is no door to enter it, other than humility.
Arm yourself with holy daring so that no one will dishearten you. Look above and see Jesus Christ, laden with the Cross, teaching you the way of humility and patience; the way already trodden by many saints now reigning with him in heaven. Hear how he is urging you to follow his road and that of the true imitators of his virtues.
See how the holy angels desire your salvation; notice how they implore you to take the narrow path, the only safe one, the only one leading to heaven, to those vacant seats of eternal glory emptied because of the pride of the rebellious angels.
Don’t you hear the blessed proclaim throughout paradise that the way of humiliations and suffering is the only way to be happy in heaven? See how they rejoice and congratulate you for those first desires you conceived to imitate them; hear how they beg you not to lose heart.
Arm yourself with strength and courage to start this great work without delay. Remember your baptismal oaths, and tremble at the thought of violating the sanctity of the promises you then made to God.
These are Christ’s words: “The kingdom of God suffers violence, and the violent are taking it” (cf. Mt 11:12). Blessed are you one thousand times if, convinced of this, you resolve to practice humility in order to deserve the eternal happiness of paradise.
60 Our divine Master recommended his disciples to say with those in the parable: “We are useless servants; we have only done our duty” (Lk 17:10). Likewise, when you will have observed these counsels uncompromisingly, acknowledge yourself as a useless servant. Be convinced; you were able to keep them, not because of your merits, but because of the infinite mercy of God; thank him wholeheartedly for such a great benefit.
Ask him every day to keep this treasure in you until the last moment, when your soul, free from every tie which kept it attached to creatures, will be able to fly toward the bosom of its Creator to enjoy forever the glory prepared for the humble.
FOOTNOTES:
1. Soliloquies, XV.
2. Book III, XXV.
During this period of persecution he wrote The Practice of Humility, addressed mainly to the priests and seminarians of his diocese, but useful for all.
Created a cardinal in 1850, he remained as bishop in Perugia, loved by even his enemies. He was elected pope in 1878 taking the name of Leo XIII.
Leo XIII was a holy, simple, and intelligent pope; his encyclicals are among the greatest documents of the Church in recent years.
It is an undisputed truth that no mercy will be reserved for the proud, that the gates of heaven will be closed to them and opened only to the humble.
To become convinced of this, it is enough to open holy Scripture; it teaches us in various places that God resists the proud and humbles the mighty; that only those who know how to become like little children will enter his glory, while those who do not will be excluded; finally, that God bestows his grace only upon the humble.
It is of the utmost importance for every Christian, and especially for those who aspire to a greater perfection, to practice humility and to remove from their spirit any presumption, vanity and pride. No labor is too taxing, no effort is too great to assure the success of such a holy undertaking. And since it cannot be achieved without the grace of God, we must ask for it insistently, and without getting tired.
With Baptism, every Christian has assumed the obligation of walking in the footsteps of Jesus Christ; he is the divine Model of our life. Now, this God-Savior was humble to the point of making himself the curse of the earth; this, to lower the haughty and heal the wound of our pride, teaching us by his example the only way leading to heaven. This is, to speak properly, the most important lesson of the Savior: Learn from me.
Receive docilely, therefore, disciple of the Divine Master, the advice I am going to give you, and put it faithfully into practice, if you wish to gain this precious pearl, which is the surest pledge of sanctity and the most certain sign of predestination.
1 Open the eyes of your soul and realize that you have no good of your own which can make you believe that you are something. Only sin, weakness, and misery are yours. The gifts of nature and grace which are in you all come from God, who is the principle of your being, thus, only to him does glory belong.
2 Develop a profound awareness of your nothingness and make this grow constantly in your heart, despite and in contempt of the pride prevailing in you.
Be intimately convinced that there is no more vain and ridiculous thing in the world than the desire to be esteemed for some gifts you have borrowed from the Creator; he has lent them to you gratuitously and generously. As the Apostle says, “If you have received them, why are you boasting as if they were your own?” (1 Cor 4:7).
3 Think often of your weakness, blindness, cowardice, and hardness of heart, of your sensuality, insensitivity towards God, and attachment to creatures, of the many other vicious inclinations welling up from your perverted nature. May these considerations plunge you continually into your nothingness, and remind you of how small and humble you must always be in your own eyes.
4 Have always impressed upon your spirit the memory of your past sins. Be convinced that the sin of pride is such an abominable evil that it is unsurpassed by any other on earth or within hell. This was the sin which caused the fall of the angels in heaven into the abyss; this was the sin which corrupted the entire human race and drove upon the earth the infinite crowd of evils which will last as long as the world, or rather as long as eternity.
Moreover, a soul loaded with sins is only worthy of hatred, contempt, torments; thus, see how much you can esteem yourself after having become guilty of so many sins.
5 Consider that there is no crime –no matter how enormous and detestable it may be– to which your nature is not inclined; no sin you may not commit. And remember that you have been set free from such until now only through the mercy of God and the help of his grace. As St Augustine wrote: “There is no sin in the world committed by one man which cannot be committed by another, should the hand which made man fail to sustain him.”#1
Cry wholeheartedly over such a deplorable state, and resolve firmly to include yourself among the most unworthy sinners.
6 Think often that sooner or later you will have to die; that your body will have to rot in a trench. Have always before your eyes the inexorable tribunal of Jesus Christ, before which all will necessarily have to appear; meditate on the eternal pains of hell prepared for the wicked and especially for the followers of Satan –the proud.
There is an impenetrable veil hiding the divine judgments from human eyes; consider seriously that the result is uncertain; –will you be among the damned? These will be plunged into the place of torments, in the company of the demons for all eternity, to the fire enkindled by divine justice. This uncertainty alone should be enough to keep you in the utmost humility and to instill in you the most salutary fear.
7 Do not think of acquiring humility without these particular practices proper to it: acts of meekness, patience, obedience, mortification, self-hatred, detachment from your feelings and opinions, contrition for your sins, and many others. These alone are the weapons capable of destroying in you the kingdom of self-love, that corrupted ground where all vices sprout, where your pride and presumption take root and thrive.
8 As far as possible, keep yourself in silence and recollection; but do it without causing inconvenience to others, and when you have to speak, do so always with reserve, modesty and simplicity.
If you are not listened to, either through contempt or for any other reason, do not show resentment; rather, accept this humiliation and bear it with resignation and tranquillity.
9 Refrain from haughty and proud words denoting an attitude of superiority; avoid affected expressions and sarcastic remarks; silence anything that would lead you to be considered witty, or worthy of esteem. In a word, never speak of yourself without a just reason, and avoid doing anything just to gain honor and praise.
10 In conversations, do not annoy or make fun of others with sharp words and sarcasm; shun everything worldly. Concerning spiritual things, do not speak in a magisterial fashion, unless demanded by your office or charity; be glad to consult with a mature person who will give you proper advice. To play teacher without necessity is adding wood to the burning fire of our soul, already engulfed in the smoke of pride.
11 Repress vain and useless curiosity with all your might; do not be over-anxious to see any of those things which the worldly call beautiful, rare, and magnificent. Struggle instead to know well your duty and what is beneficial for your salvation.
12 Show always the greatest respect and reverence for your superiors; have esteem and consideration for your peers; and use a great charity with your subordinates. Be convinced that a different behavior can only result from a soul dominated by pride.
13 As in the holy Gospel, seek always the lowliest place for yourself; be sincerely convinced that it is the right one for you. Likewise, in every necessity of life beware of desires and concerns that aim too high; on the other hand, be content with simple and modest things, as more in harmony with your littleness.
14 If you lack human consolations, and God takes away from you any spiritual sweetness, think that you have always had more than you deserved; be content with the way the Lord treats you.
15 In your examination of conscience, cultivate always the practice of accusing, blaming, and condemning yourself. Be a severe judge of all your actions; these are always accompanied by thousands of defects and by continuous pretenses of self-love. Foster a just contempt for yourself, seeing yourself as lacking prudence, simplicity and purity of heart.
16 Refrain from judging others as from a most grievous evil; rather, interpret every word or action well; with creative charity, find reasons to excuse and defend your neighbor. Whenever defense is impossible, since the fault committed is too obvious, do your best to minimize the blame; attribute it to unawareness, or surprise, or any other suitable reason. At least, stop thinking about it, unless your position requires you to apply some remedy.
17 Do not contradict anyone in conversation when the things involved are doubtful or debatable and can be taken in one way or the other.
Do not get excited in conversation; if your opinion is found false or less good, give in modestly and remain in humble silence. Again give in and behave in the same way about trifles, even if you are certain that what others maintain is false. On any other occasion, when it is important to defend the truth, do so with courage, but without fury and resentment; you may be sure that you will succeed better with kindness than with rage and indignation.
18 Endeavor not to cause sorrow to anyone, no matter how inferior he may be, either with words, actions or conduct, unless duty, obedience, or charity demands it.
19 If someone disturbs you often and mortifies you on purpose with insults and humiliations, do not get angry; consider him an instrument which God uses in his mercy for your improvement, to cure the deep-rooted wound of your pride.
20 Anger is a despicable vice; it should not be allowed in anyone, especially in persons with interior life. Anger takes its roots and derives its violence from pride. Exert effort, therefore, to build up a reservoir of sweetness; thus, even if someone offends you, you will be able to keep calm. In these cases, do not harbor or kindle in your heart sentiments of aversion or revenge against your offender; forgive him wholeheartedly; be convinced that you could have no better chance than this to obtain forgiveness from God for having offended Him. This humble endurance will earn you merit for heaven.
21 Suffer patiently the defects and weaknesses of your neighbor, having always before your eyes your own misery; they also had to bear with you.
22 Be humble and meek with all, but especially with those for whom you feel a certain repugnance and aversion. Do not say as some do: “May God forbid me from hating that person, but I do not want him around, nor do I want to have anything to do with him.” This repugnance comes from pride and from not having conquered your proud nature and self-love with the weapon of grace.
If your nature and self-love were to let themselves be moved by grace, they would soon see all difficulties vanish by true humility, and you would patiently endure even the most unkind and irrational person.
23 If you encounter some adversity, bless the Lord who has disposed things thus for your good; think that you deserve it all, and more, and that you are unworthy of every consolation. With all simplicity, ask the Lord to free you from these hardships, if it is his will; otherwise, ask him to give you strength to draw merit from this difficulty.
In time of trial, do not seek external consolation, especially when you know that God sent this adversity to humiliate you and break your pride and presumption; rather, say with the royal prophet: “It is good for me to be afflicted, so that I may learn your decrees” (Ps 119:71).
24 Do not become irritated if the food served is not to your liking; behave in this case as do God’s poor ones, who willingly eat what is set before them, thanking divine providence for it.
25 If, by mistake, you are scolded; if your behavior is criticized by your subordinate, or by one who should first look at himself as more worthy of reprehension, do not despise his indications or reject the advice given; examine your conduct calmly in the light of God.
Be deeply convinced that without God’s grace, you would fall at every step.
26 Never wish to be loved in a singular way. Since love depends on the will and the will tends by its nature towards good, it follows that being loved and considered good are one and same thing. The desire to be esteemed with a preferential love does not harmonize with a sincere humility.
Stop begging for the love of creatures; how much fruit would you get if you rectify! Take refuge in the sacred wounds of the Savior; you will experience untold divine sweetness in the adorable Heart of Jesus.
The generous renunciation of human love for the love of God will empower you to savor abundantly the honey of divine consolation; these divine consolations are always denied to the prisoners of the false and alluring sweetness of earthly compensations. Divine consolations are so pure that they do not mix with earthly compensations; we are filled with the former the more we empty ourselves of the latter. Moreover, your soul will be able to turn freely to God and find repose in his presence contemplating his infinite perfection.
Finally, since there is nothing sweeter than to love and be loved, if you deprive yourself of this human pleasure for the love of God, the Lord takes possession of your heart, undivided by any other natural love; and you will be offering to God a sacrifice most pleasing to him.
Do not fear that by so doing you will cool your charity for your neighbor. Rather, you will love your neighbor with a purer love; not for your own interest –following your own inclinations– but only to please God, doing what you know He likes.
27 Perform all your actions, no matter how small they may be, as attentively, precisely and diligently as possible; acting lightly and rashly is the result of presumption. The truly humble person is always vigilant to avoid failing, in even the smallest things.
For the same reason always practice ordinary exercises of piety; shun the unusual practices suggested by your nature. The proud seeks always to stand out, the humble, on the contrary, is glad doing what is common and ordinary.
28 Be convinced that you are not a good adviser of yourself; fear and distrust your opinions as coming from polluted and contaminated soil. Aware of this, ask advice from a wise and upright person; prefer to be directed by one better than you, rather than to follow your own whim.
29 No matter how high the degree of grace and virtue you have achieved, no matter how great the gift of prayer God has given you, even if you have lived one thousand years in innocence and with fervor and devotion, you must always walk vigilant and distrust yourself, especially in the matter of chastity. Remember that you carry within yourself concupiscence, an inextinguishable source of sin; think that you are all weakness, inconstancy, infidelity.
Be always on guard against yourself; close your eyes to avoid seeing or hearing what could stain your soul; always run away from dangerous occasions; abstain from useless conversation with the opposite sex, and carry on the necessary dealings with the most scrupulous modesty and prudence.
Finally, since without the grace of God you can do nothing, continually ask God to have mercy on you, that you do not remain on your own for a moment.
30 Have you received great talents from God? Are you considered someone great? Fight, then, to know yourself as you really are; become aware of your weakness, incapacity and nothingness; you must become smaller than a child. Do not seek the approval of men, and do not yearn for honors; reject both the one and the other.
31 If they have caused you a great injury, if they have provoked you, instead of raging in fury against the offenders, turn your eyes to heavens, turn your eyes to the Lord. In his infinite and loving providence, he arranged things thus, either to make you atone for your sins, or to destroy your pride; he is encouraging you to make acts of patience and humility.
32 When you have the chance to render some low and humble service to your neighbor, do it joyfully; do it with the humility you would have if you were the servant of all. From this practice you will draw vast treasures of virtue and grace.
33 Do not worry about matters not under your care, for which you do not have to render an account to men or God. Involvement in these matters reveals a concealed pride and vain presumption; it feeds and swells vanity; it causes endless worries, uneasiness, and distractions.
On the contrary, minding only yourself and your own duty will give you peace and tranquility, as it is written in The Imitation of Christ: “Do not involve yourself in matters which are no concern of yours; thus, you will have little to trouble your mind, and that but rarely.”#2
34 If you do some extraordinary mortification, try to remain immune from the poison of vainglory, which often destroys all the merits; do that mortification for the right motive: because it is unbecoming for a poor sinner like yourself to live at your convenience and pleasure and because you have so many debts to pay before the divine justice. Reflect that you need penitential works to check the violence of the passions, keeping you within the limits of duty, as bridle and bit are necessary to tame an impetuous horse.
35 When you feel the sting of impatience and are overtaken by sadness in tribulations and humiliations, stand firm against this temptation. Remember your many sins, for which you deserve much harsher punishments than those you are now enduring. Adore the infinite justice of God and receive his blows with docility; these are your sources of mercy and grace.
If only you could understand how good is to be wounded in this wretched life by the hand of such a sweet Father as God, certainly you would abandon yourself completely into his hands. Repeat often with St Augustine: “Here in this life, burn and cut in me whatever you wish; do not spare me any suffering here; forgive me and spare me the sufferings of eternity.” To refuse tribulations is to rebel against the justice of our Father God, to reject the chalice that he mercifully offers us and from which Christ himself –although innocent– wanted to drink first.
36 If you committed a fault which deserved the contempt of those who witnessed the deed, be heartily sorry for having offended God and for having given bad example to your neighbors; accept the shame as a means sent by God to atone for your sins and to make you humbler and holier.
If you are distressed and sad for having been exposed to dishonor, conclude that you are not truly humble, but still poisoned by pride. Ask the Lord insistently to cure you and save you from this poison, for if God does not have pity on you, you certainly will fall into other abysses.
37 If, among your companions, there is one who seems to you repulsive and worthless, it would be wise and prudent for you to consider the good qualities of nature, and grace he has received from God; because of these, he is worthy of respect and honor. You should not criticize and blame him for his defects. At least, look at him as a creature of God, formed in his image and likeness, ransomed by the precious Blood of Jesus Christ, a Christian marked with the light of God’s countenance; that he has a soul capable of seeing and possessing God eternally, and perhaps a predestined one according to the secret plans of God’s adorable providence. Do you perhaps know the graces the Lord has bestowed upon his heart, or those he is in the process of bestowing? But instead of attempting all this research, it would be better immediately to reject all these thoughts of contempt as poisoned suggestions of the tempter.
38 When you are praised, instead of falling into vainglory, fear that praise as if it were the sole reward of the little good you have done. Recognize inwardly your misery, deserving the contempt of the others, and cut off the discourse tactfully and discreetly; thus, no further thought will be given to your affairs. Do not act as the proud, who pretend to be humble in order to gain more praises.
If your efforts do not succeed, direct all the honor and glory to God, saying with Baruch and Daniel: “All honor and glory belongs to the Lord, our God; to us, the look of shame we wear today” (Bar 1:15).
39 Feel aversion for personal praise given to you; in the same proportion, be joyful for the praise and honor given to the others. And on your part, honor your neighbor to the extent allowed by truth and veracity.
Envious people cannot stand the glory given to others; they think it lessens their own, and they resent this. Thus, during conversation, they cleverly throw out certain ambiguous words or expressions with double meaning to lessen or render suspicious the merits of the others.
You must not act this way; in praising your neighbor, you praise the Lord, thank God for the gifts he has given him, and appreciate the talents one may use for God’s service.
40 When you hear calumnies against your neighbor, you must feel very sorry, but try to excuse the weakness of the slanderer; on the other hand, you ought to defend the person, target of gossiping, with cleverness, so that your defense does not become a second accusation. Thus, you may recall his good qualities, or highlight the esteem that he deserves from all, or shrewdly change the conversation, or show your displeasure for the tone of the conversation.
Acting in this way, you will render the greatest service to yourself, to the slanderer, to the listeners, and to the person in question. On the contrary, if, without shaking off your inertia, you feel satisfaction when your neighbor is humiliated and annoyance when he is extolled, recognize that you are very far from possessing the incomparable treasure of humility.
41 Nothing better helps one to grow spiritually than being warned about his own defects; thus, it is most convenient and necessary to encourage those who sometimes have given you this charitable service to continue doing so on any occasion. Receive their advice with joy and gratitude, and make it a duty to put this advice into practice, not only for the sake of correcting yourself, but also to show these friends that their concern has not been useless and that you appreciate their thoughtfulness.
Even when he rectifies, the proud person does not want to show that he followed the advice received; rather, he displays an attitude of contempt towards all. The truly humble, on the contrary, is content submitting himself to everyone for the love of God; he considers the wise advice received as coming from God himself, regardless of the instrument used.
42 Abandon yourself completely in the hands of God; follow the disposition of his loving providence, as a tender child abandons himself into the arms of his beloved father. Let God do whatever he wishes, without being troubled and disturbed for whatever may happen to you. Accept with joy, trust, and respect, everything that comes from him. Acting otherwise would be to distrust him, an ingratitude toward the goodness of his Heart.
Humility shelters us far beneath the infinite being of God and shows us that God is our strength and consolation.
43 Without God, you are unable to do anything good; you would stumble at any step; the least temptation would overcome you. Thus, acknowledge your weakness and impotence to do good; remember that you need God’s help for every little action you perform.
With these thoughts, keep yourself inseparably united to God, as a child who, not knowing any other refuge, clings to his mother’s bosom. Repeat with the royal prophet: “Were not the Lord my help, I would soon dwell in the silence of death” (Ps 94:17); “Look toward me, and have pity on me, for I am alone and afflicted” (Ps 25:16); and, “Hasten, God, to rescue me; O Lord, come quickly to help me” (Ps 70:1). Finally, thank God always with all your heart; thank him above all for the protection he gives you; and ask him that you may never lack the help which he alone can give.
44 Go to your prayer aware of your unworthiness and vileness, with holy awe for the presence of the supreme Majesty to whom you dare to speak to: “Shall I be so bold as to speak to my Lord, though I am but dust and ashes” (Gen 18:27).
If you receive any extraordinary favor, consider yourself unworthy of it; do not be vain, attributing it to your merits; God granted it to you out of generosity and compassion.
If you do not receive any singular gift, do not feel at all disgruntled; rather, reflect on how much you still have to do to deserve it; consider how good and patient is God only to bear you at his feet, like a beggar crouching for hours at the door of the rich man to obtain a little alms, the relief of his misery.
45 Give all the glory to God for the good results of the task entrusted to you; attribute to yourself only the possible failures; these alone are exclusively yours. Every good is from God; glory and gratitude must be given to him. Impress this truth so deeply on your spirit as never to forget it.
Anyone else, so much helped by the divine grace as you have been, would have performed much better and would not have had so many flaws. Reject the praise given to you for success; this is not due to such a vile instrument as yourself, but to the mighty and eternal Maker. He can, if he wants, strike a rock with a staff and make water spring from it, or use a bit of mud to give sight to the blind and perform endless miracles.
46 If, on the other hand, the tasks entrusted to you, do not go well, there is much to fear that the failure is due to your ineptitude and negligence. Your self-love and pride—hostile to any humiliation—would lay the blame upon others or, at least, would lessen your guilt.
Do not follow these vicious inclinations; conscientiously examine your conduct; find your failure; acknowledge your guilt before God, and accept the humiliation as a deserved punishment.
If, however, your conscience does not accuse you of any guilt, adore the divine disposition even in this case; reflect that perhaps your past sins and an excessive self-confidence have removed the heavenly blessing from your labors.
47 If you go to holy Communion with a heart burning with divine love, you must also bring a spirit penetrated with sentiments of true humility. How could you not be astonished contemplating that God—infinitely pure and holy—supplies such a sign of love for such a miserable creature as you are; he gives himself to you as food. Acknowledge the depth of your unworthiness; do approach that love-worthy sanctity with the greatest reverence; and when this amiable Lord—who is all charity—caresses you, sharing with you his indescribable sweetness, do not lessen the respect due to his infinite Majesty. Always keep yourself in your place—in submission, in humility, in your nothingness.
The realization of your poverty and misery must not close up your heart or remove from you that holy confidence you must have at this holy banquet; rather, it must make you grow in love for God, who humbles himself making himself the nourishment of your soul.
48 Have for your neighbor a heart of charity and a perennial fountain of affection and sweetness; with holy zeal, try to help him in everything, but do always so to please the Lord. Examine the motive of your actions to discover the snares of vanity and self-love. Refer to God alone all the good you do; if you keep a good deed hidden and secret, known only to God, it will reap a priceless profit. If by your negligence men know it, it will lose almost all its value, as does a good fruit which the birds have started to eat.
49 Your filial fear of displeasing God must always be accompanied by a supplication, an appeal to his compassion: that he may prevent you from falling, that he may impede such disaster. The saints recommended this holy groan of the heart; it leads us to be vigilant in all our actions, to meditate on the divine truths and despise temporal things, to do mental prayer, and to keep oneself far from all that is not God.
This filial fear of the Lord is the source of true humility and detachment; foster it, and ask for it continually.
50 A patient who strongly desires his recovery removes from himself whatever can delay it; he takes even the best food cautiously, examining at almost every mouthful whether it does him good or not. Likewise, if you wholeheartedly desire to recover from the deadly sickness of pride, if you are really eager to grow in humility, you must always be on your guard, vigilant of what you say or do. Thus, think before every action whether it leads you to humility or not, and then, do it immediately or reject it completely.
51 Another strong reason to make you practice the virtue of humility is the example of our divine Savior; he must be your model always. He told us: “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29). And St Bernard notes: “What pride cannot be crushed by the humility of the divine Master?”
Christ is the only one who really humiliated and abased himself; we do not lower ourselves at all, we merely occupy the place which is due us. Vile creatures guilty of a thousand crimes, we have a right only to pain and the void, but our Savior Jesus Christ abased himself way below the heights befitting him.
He is the Almighty God, the Immortal and Eternal Being, the supreme Arbiter of everything, yet he became man, weak, vulnerable, mortal and obedient until death. He lowered himself below his creatures; he who is the joy and beatitude of the angels and saints in heaven willed to be the Man of Sorrows and took upon himself the miseries of mankind; the uncreated Wisdom and the wellspring of all knowledge who was burdened with the shame and infamy of a fool; the Holy of Holies, holiness itself, went by as a sinner and a criminal; he whom the countless hosts of the blessed worship in heaven willed to die on a cross; the supreme Goodness bore all kinds of temporal miseries.
After this example of humility, what shall we do, ashes and dust that we are? Shall we complain of any little humiliation, miserable sinners that we are?
52 Consider also the examples left by the saints of the Old and New Testaments.
Isaiah, such a virtuous and zealous prophet, deemed himself impure before God, and confessed that all his good deeds were like dirty rags (cf. Is 64:5).
Daniel, whom God called a holy man, capable of arresting the divine wrath through his prayers, spoke to God with the humility of a sinner covered with confusion and shame.
St Dominic, a miracle of innocence and holiness, had reached such a degree of self-contempt that he thought he drew curses from heaven upon the cities which he had to pass through. Thus, before entering a city, he would kneel down, put his face toward the ground, and say with tears: “I implore you, O Lord, have compassion on me, do not look at my sins, and do not punish this city as your just vengeance for keeping me within its walls.”
St Francis, who deserved to be an image of Jesus Crucified for the purity of his life, believed himself to be the worst sinner on earth; this thought was so firmly fixed in his spirit that no one could have removed it. He used to say that, had God granted all those graces to the lowest of men, that man would have made better use of them and would not have been so ungrateful.
Several other saints believed themselves unworthy of the food they took, of the air they breathed, of the garments they wore. Others regarded it as a great miracle of the divine mercy to be tolerated on earth, instead of being thrown into hell. Still others were surprised that men could bear them and that all creatures would not get together to exterminate and annihilate them. All the saints abhorred distinction, praises and honors, and because of the great contempt that they had for themselves, they longed for nothing other than humiliations and dishonor.
Are you perhaps holier than they? Why don’t you consider yourself—after their example—unworthy and vile? Why don’t you seek—as they did—the simple joy of holy humility?
53 Recall in your imagination the insults which could come upon you; this will help you to grow in this virtue and to find humiliation sweet and familiar. Study within yourself how to accept these imagined insults, in spite of your obstinate nature; they are tokens of God’s love for you and sure means of sanctification.
Perhaps in so doing you will have to struggle, but be courageous and strong in the fight, until you feel firm and well determined to suffer everything joyfully for the love of Jesus Christ.
54 Let no day pass without reproaching yourself as your enemies would do, not only to soften these insults in advance, but also to keep yourself in self-abasement and contempt.
If, in the midst of the storm of a violent temptation, you become impatient and complain interiorly for the way God is trying you, repress these motions in time and tell yourself: “I am a vile and miserable sinner, should I complain about this suffering? Have I not deserved harsher punishments? Don’t you know, my soul, that these humiliations and sufferings are like bread received from the charity of the Lord to bring you out of your misery and poverty? Ah, if you refuse this God-given trial, you are not worthy of it and reject a rich treasure; it will be given to someone else who will make better use of it.
“The Lord wants to number you among his friends, the disciples of Calvary; will you be a coward and flee from the combat? Do you try to be crowned without having fought? And how will you have the reward without having borne the burden of the day and of the heat?”
These and similar reflections will re-enkindle your fervor and arouse in you the desire to accept suffering and humiliations, as our Lord did.
55 Do not think that you possess humility because you enjoy much tranquillity and peace in the midst of contempt and contradictions. Very often pride is only lulled; it creates havoc again as soon as it is awakened.
Your weapons should be self-knowledge, escaping from honors, and love for humiliations; never rid yourself of them, not even for an instant.
Do not be afraid of losing this rich inheritance again; to humble oneself is the sure means to keep the precious gift of humility.
56 Take Mary as your advocate and protectress to obtain from God the gift of humility. St Bernard says that “Mary humbled herself more than any other creature; being the greatest of all, she made herself the least in the most profound abyss of her humility.” Thus, she received the fullness of graces and was prepared to be the Mother of God. Mary is also a tender and compassionate Mother; no one ever had recourse to her in vain. Abandon yourself trustfully in her maternal bosom; implore her to obtain for you that virtue, so precious to her. Do not fear that she will ignore you; no, Mary will ask it for you of that God who raises the humble and annihilates the proud. Since Mary is all-powerful with her Son, she will undoubtedly be answered.
Turn to her in all your crosses, in all your needs, in all your temptations. May Mary be your support, may she be your consolation; but the first grace you must ask of her is holy humility. Never keep still, never stop imploring her until she obtains it for you; never be afraid of troubling her too much. Oh, how much she likes your persistent requests for the health of your soul and for being more acceptable to her divine Son.
Press her to be always favorable to you; ask this in the name of her humility, by which she was elevated to the dignity of Mother of God, and in the name of her maternity, the indescribable fruit of her humility.
57 Have recourse to those saints eminent in humility:
- to St Michael the Archangel, the first of the humble, as Lucifer was the first of the proud;
- to St John the Baptist, who although he had reached such heights of sanctity as to be taken for the Messiah, felt so lowly as to deem himself unworthy to loosen Jesus’ sandal strap;
- to St Paul, that privileged apostle, taken up to the third heaven. Having heard the mysteries of the divinity, deemed himself the least of the apostles, not even worthy of the name (cf. 2 Cor 12:11);
- to Pope St Gregory, who busied himself more to escape the supreme pontificate of the Church than the ambitious do to achieve honors;
- to St Augustine, who at the zenith of glory, both, as holy bishop, and most profound doctor of the Catholic Church, left an immortal monument of his humility in his admirable books The Confessions and Retractions;
- to St Alexius, who disguised as a beggar within the walls of his paternal home, preferred the insults and outrages of his own servants to all the honors and dignities which he could very easily have obtained;
- to St Aloysius Gonzaga, a nobleman who gave up his title happily and chose a humble and austere life rather than the greatness of the world.
Turn to so many other saints, who shine with the brightest light in the splendor of the Church because of their humility. Be convinced that these humble servants of God will intercede before him in heaven so that you may be among the imitators of their virtues.
58 Frequent Confession and Communion will provide you with the most effective help to persevere in the practice of humility.
In Confession, we reveal to a man like us the most secret and shameful miseries of our soul; it is the greatest act of humility that Jesus Christ demanded of his disciples.
In Holy Communion, we receive in our heart God-made-man, debased for our love; it is a marvelous school of humility and a most powerful means of acquiring it. In it, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, meek and humble furnace of love and charity, will rest upon your heart. Then, ask him for humility with all the fervor of your soul; he will grant it to you.
Go frequently to receive this love-worthy sacrament; as often as you go with the necessary dispositions, you will find the hidden manna, reserved only to those who seek it eagerly.
59 Against your interior opposition, remain firm against the difficulties you will experience in putting into practice what I have taught you. Do not say, as the disciples did: “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” (Jn 6:61). I assure you that the initial bitterness will soon turn into indescribable sweetness and heavenly consolations.
Perseverance in these exercises will free you from anxiety of spirit; it will instill in your heart so much peace and tranquillity that you will have a foretaste of that eternal pleasure prepared by God in heaven for his faithful servants.
If out of cowardice you stop using the means necessary to become humble, you will always feel oppressed, restless, unbearable to yourself and perhaps also to others, and what is worse, you will run the risk of being eternally lost. At least, the door of perfection will be closed to you, since there is no door to enter it, other than humility.
Arm yourself with holy daring so that no one will dishearten you. Look above and see Jesus Christ, laden with the Cross, teaching you the way of humility and patience; the way already trodden by many saints now reigning with him in heaven. Hear how he is urging you to follow his road and that of the true imitators of his virtues.
See how the holy angels desire your salvation; notice how they implore you to take the narrow path, the only safe one, the only one leading to heaven, to those vacant seats of eternal glory emptied because of the pride of the rebellious angels.
Don’t you hear the blessed proclaim throughout paradise that the way of humiliations and suffering is the only way to be happy in heaven? See how they rejoice and congratulate you for those first desires you conceived to imitate them; hear how they beg you not to lose heart.
Arm yourself with strength and courage to start this great work without delay. Remember your baptismal oaths, and tremble at the thought of violating the sanctity of the promises you then made to God.
These are Christ’s words: “The kingdom of God suffers violence, and the violent are taking it” (cf. Mt 11:12). Blessed are you one thousand times if, convinced of this, you resolve to practice humility in order to deserve the eternal happiness of paradise.
60 Our divine Master recommended his disciples to say with those in the parable: “We are useless servants; we have only done our duty” (Lk 17:10). Likewise, when you will have observed these counsels uncompromisingly, acknowledge yourself as a useless servant. Be convinced; you were able to keep them, not because of your merits, but because of the infinite mercy of God; thank him wholeheartedly for such a great benefit.
Ask him every day to keep this treasure in you until the last moment, when your soul, free from every tie which kept it attached to creatures, will be able to fly toward the bosom of its Creator to enjoy forever the glory prepared for the humble.
FOOTNOTES:
1. Soliloquies, XV.
2. Book III, XXV.
