August 7

Humility, The Gate Of Heaven

Preparation. - Having meditated on the beatific vision and love, we shall now consider how we may attain them by means of humility, for this virtue is, first, one of the conditions of eternal salvation, and secondly, the greatest proof of real perfections. We shall, therefore, resolve to practice it by often contemplating Him who says to all: “Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart” (Mat. 11. 29).

I. Humility, A Condition Of Salvation

One day the disciples asked our divine Saviour: “Who thinkest Thou is the greater in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus calling unto Him a little child, set him in the midst of them, and said: Amen I say to you, unless you be converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven” (Mat. 18. 1-4). From these words let us draw two conclusions: first, humility is necessary for salvation, that is, the humility which induces us to obey God and His Church, and renders us docile to the divine dispositions; and secondly, the better we practice it, the greater we shall be in the realms of bliss.

Hence how constantly and ardently the saints strove to know themselves, to dispose themselves in order to practice this virtue. The apostles considered themselves as”the offscouring of this world” (1 Cor. 4. 13). St. Dominic attributed to his sins all the calamities of his time. When St. Teresa was in a town where people disdained her, she was wont to say: “Here people know and receive me as I deserve.” St. Paul of the Cross sincerely considered himself as the infection, pest and scandal of his Institute.

But whence did these Christian heroes derive such humble sentiments of themselves? From their knowledge of self and of the greatness of God, which they acquired with the light of grace, and which entirely accords with truth. But if, without our Creator and Redeemer we are nothing, what good can we effect without Him, and of what evil are we not capable, if deprived of His assistance? The answer to these questions lays down the principle of salvation and perfection. The more we conform our conduct to it, the more worthy we become of endless bliss, for our Saviour says that “of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Mat. 19. 14).

My most loving Redeemer, grant me the grace, first, to rest my predestination on the base of a sincere, generous and practical humility; and secondly, to endeavor daily, for Thy sake, to delight in an obscure, ignored and forgotten life, and peacefully to bear abjection and contempt. And this will dispose me very well to deserve Thy favors and to profit by Thy benefits.

II. Humility A Proof Of Holiness

St. Bernard calls humility the foundation of all virtues. An edifice without a solid foundation, is always insecure. He that builds on a rock, says our Lord, will be able to resist the rains, the winds, persecutions and temptations; but he who builds on sand, risks sooner or later to see his edifice completely destroyed (Mat. 7. 24). According to Richard of St. Victor, the truly humble man builds upon the rock of truth by the knowledge of his nothingness; the proud man, on the contrary, builds upon the moving sand of lying or of self-ignorance. Therefore there is no solid virtue without humility.

Nor is any virtue durable without it, for, according to St. Bernard, humility is the guardian of all the virtues. Hence he who amasses merits without referring them to the glory of God, casts dust to the wind of vanity which disperses it, and is even guilty of sin before the supreme Judge, observes St. Gregory. Since the lack of humility nullifies all merit, it follows that this virtue preserves for us that which opens to us the gate of heaven.

According to St. Joseph Calasanctius, humility is the measure of our holiness, for, says he, “if you wish to be holy, be humble; if you wish to be very holy, be very humble.” It is for this reason that the servants of God and directors of conscience are wont to try the virtue of souls by humiliations. True humility, in fact, is the most solid proof that a priest, a religious, a Christian is animates with the spirit of God, which is a spirit of truth, self-denial, obedience and unreserved submission to the divine pleasure.

Wherefore he who unceasingly strives to despise himself and esteem God alone, to mistrust himself and trust in Jesus and Mary, will, in a short time, reach the highest perfection, without danger of going astray, for this exercise will enable him to shun the dangers of the world, to allow himself to be directed, to pray without ceasing, peacefully to accept contradictions and humiliations, as if deserved on account of his faults, and finally to consecrate himself entirely to the service of God and his neighbor without the least selfishness.

O Jesus, O Mary, indicate to me in my weak nature the vices I should combat, the faults I should correct and the wounds I should heal. Enable me to strive without interruption to despise myself, in order to esteem Thy grandeurs, to deny myself in all things that I may always accomplish Thy ever holy and ever amiable desires.