Virgin

HUMILITY OF THE
HEART

Thoughts and Sentiments on Humility

IN Paradise there are many Saints who never gave alms on earth: their poverty Justified them. There are many Saints who never mortified Their bodies by fasting, or wearing hair shirts: their bodily infirmities excused them. There are too many Saints Who were not virgins: their vocation was otherwise. But in Paradise there is no Saint who was not humble.
. 1 God banished Angels from Heaven for Their pride; THEREFORE how can we pretend to enter Therein, if we do not keep ourselves in a state of humility? Without humility, says St. Peter Damian, [Serm. 45] not even the Virgin Mary herself with her unique virginity Could have Entered into the glory of Christ, and we ought to be convinced of this truth That, though destitute of some of the other virtues, yet May we be saved, but never without humility. There are people who flatter Themselves That They have done much by preserving unsullied chastity, chastity and truly is a beautiful adornment; but as the angelic St. Thomas says: "Speaking absolutely, humility excels virginity." [4 dist. qu. xxxiii, Art. 3 ad 6; et 22, qu. clxi, Art. 5]