120. Now as your neighbour can be either your superior, your equal or your inferior, it is certain that you must practice humility first of all towards your superior which is of precept, for, as St. Peter says, such is the will of God: "For so is the will of God." [1 Peter ii, 15]
Do you show to your superiors and betters that obedience and reverence which your state exacts? How do you receive their reprimands? Do you feel that humility of heart towards them "with a good will serving" [Eph. vi, 7] which St. Paul enjoins? There is a humility necessary for the imitation of Christ, "Who humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death." [Phil. ii, 8] There may sometimes be an excuse of impotence or inadvertence in not obeying those whom God has set over you, but to refuse to obey is always an act of inexcusable pride. As St. Bernard [citing St. Thomas] says: "To be unwilling to obey is the proud effort of the will." [2a 2æ, qu. clxi, art. 2]
Friday, March 14, 2014
subject
Examen on Humility Towards our Neighbour
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
low
118. If you have a sincere wish to save your soul, you must take those means which God has ordained for you, and the principal and most essential one is humility, as is shown in holy Scripture: "For Thou wilt save the humble people." [Ps. xxxiii, 10] "And He will save the humble of spirit." [Ps. xvii, 28] "Glory shall uphold the humble of spirit." [Prov. xxix, 23] And how do you esteem this humility? How do you practice it? How fervently do you ask God for it? Do you hold it to be of precept, or only of counsel which you are at liberty to choose or reject at will? The entrance to Paradise is not only narrow but low, therefore Jesus Christ said: "Unless you become as little children, you cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven." [Matt. xviii, 3] And into this kingdom he alone can enter who "shall humble himself." [Ibid. xviii, 4]
There is always danger on the journey towards our heavenly home for those who hold their heads high, and it is safer to keep them bowed low. This is a general rule for all.
St. John of Chrysostom warns us: "When our Lord said, 'Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart,' it was not merely to monks that He spoke, but to all classes of men." [Lib. 3]
Humility of heart was not commanded by Jesus Christ only to religious, but also to seculars whoever they may be and without any exception.
There is always danger on the journey towards our heavenly home for those who hold their heads high, and it is safer to keep them bowed low. This is a general rule for all.
St. John of Chrysostom warns us: "When our Lord said, 'Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart,' it was not merely to monks that He spoke, but to all classes of men." [Lib. 3]
Humility of heart was not commanded by Jesus Christ only to religious, but also to seculars whoever they may be and without any exception.
handmaid
117. Have you perhaps a conscience which is timorous by reason of many scruples? If such be the case, examine yourself, and you will probably find that the true reason of your scruples lies in your self-love, that is, in your pride.
You are indocile, and you do not know how to submit to that which your directors tell you to do; and St. Thomas teaches that this is an effect of pride, "because docility is the beautiful daughter of humility and disposes the soul to obedience." [2a 2æ, qu. xlviii; et qu. xlix, art. 3 ad 4]
How is it when we read the lives of the Saints we do not find that they were agitated by these scruples? The Saints were humble, and where humility is there also is tranquillity of mind. We know that many scrupulous persons have been cured of their scruples, which were considered almost incurable, by no other means than by saying to God with their whole heart: "I accuse myself of pride; I am sorry for my pride, and I ask Your help in order to amend my great pride."
But if you find that you are scrupulous less from indocility than from cowardice, go for advice once more to St. Thomas, who teaches that this cowardice also comes from pride, because in judging one's own sufficiency we set our own judgment in opposition to that of others. [2a 2æ, qu. cxxxiii. art. 1]
Do you wish to enjoy the peace of a quiet conscience, and also of certain spiritual consolations which are a great help in aiding you to do willingly all that is necessary to lead a devout life and to be ever more fervent in the service of God? I cannot give you better advice than this: Give yourself to humility, and God will fill your soul with ineffable consolation. "And my spirit hath rejoiced," says the Blessed Virgin in her canticle; and she adds, for your instruction, that this exultation was sent to her by God because of her humility: "Because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid." [Luke 1, 48]
You are indocile, and you do not know how to submit to that which your directors tell you to do; and St. Thomas teaches that this is an effect of pride, "because docility is the beautiful daughter of humility and disposes the soul to obedience." [2a 2æ, qu. xlviii; et qu. xlix, art. 3 ad 4]
How is it when we read the lives of the Saints we do not find that they were agitated by these scruples? The Saints were humble, and where humility is there also is tranquillity of mind. We know that many scrupulous persons have been cured of their scruples, which were considered almost incurable, by no other means than by saying to God with their whole heart: "I accuse myself of pride; I am sorry for my pride, and I ask Your help in order to amend my great pride."
But if you find that you are scrupulous less from indocility than from cowardice, go for advice once more to St. Thomas, who teaches that this cowardice also comes from pride, because in judging one's own sufficiency we set our own judgment in opposition to that of others. [2a 2æ, qu. cxxxiii. art. 1]
Do you wish to enjoy the peace of a quiet conscience, and also of certain spiritual consolations which are a great help in aiding you to do willingly all that is necessary to lead a devout life and to be ever more fervent in the service of God? I cannot give you better advice than this: Give yourself to humility, and God will fill your soul with ineffable consolation. "And my spirit hath rejoiced," says the Blessed Virgin in her canticle; and she adds, for your instruction, that this exultation was sent to her by God because of her humility: "Because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid." [Luke 1, 48]
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
esteem
116. Nothing is so contrary to true humility as to seek one's own esteem in the exercise of good works. Do you sometimes do good from motives of human respect, in order to be seen-----esteemed? "Take heed," Christ says to you, "that you do not your justice before men, to be seen by them." [Matt. vi, 1] You are merely robbing God of glory, when from the gifts He has given you, you reserve some of the glory for yourself. Examine your intentions; are they purely directed to the glorification of God?
And granted that in doing good you do not seek the esteem of men, do you sometimes do this in order not to lose the good graces and favours of others, conforming to their spirit, which is to live according to the usage of the world in the forgetfulness of God? This is also loving the glory of the world more than the glory of God, and is a fault which is greatly opposed to humility, and which was condemned in those chief men among the Jews who believed in Christ, but from fear of the Pharisees and out of respect to their opinion did not dare to confess Him, "for they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God." [John xii, 43].
And granted that in doing good you do not seek the esteem of men, do you sometimes do this in order not to lose the good graces and favours of others, conforming to their spirit, which is to live according to the usage of the world in the forgetfulness of God? This is also loving the glory of the world more than the glory of God, and is a fault which is greatly opposed to humility, and which was condemned in those chief men among the Jews who believed in Christ, but from fear of the Pharisees and out of respect to their opinion did not dare to confess Him, "for they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God." [John xii, 43].
Sunday, March 9, 2014
forget
115. If you have any good quality, Either bodily or spiritual, and if You have any good work done, do you Recognize That It all comes from, God, attributing to God all the glory due to Him alone as? "To the only God be honor and glory." [2 Tim. i, 17] In this, St. Paul says, we discern the spirit of God Which is the spirit of humility, from the spirit of the world Which is the spirit of pride, Because whoever has the spirit of God acknowledges That all that I have have is simply a gift from God. "Now info we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit That is of God, That We May Know the Things That are Given us from God." [1 Cor. ii, 12]
But of what use would this recognition comes from God That everything be, except to refer all things to Him and to thank Him? Do you thank God for the many blessings you are Which Constantly Receiving from Him ----- from your very heart, With true humility, believing yourself to be so wretched That you would fall into every sin, and even into Hell itself, if God did not eat to your help? "Unless the Lord Had been my helper, my soul had almost dwelt in Hell." [Ps. xciii, 17]
Nothing is so Contrary to true humility as to seek one's own esteem in the exercise of good works. Do you sometimes do good from motives of human respect, in order to be seen ----- esteemed? "Take heed," Christ says to you, "that you do not your justice before men, to be seen by them." [Matt. vi, 1] You are Merely robbing God of glory, When from the gifts I've Given you, you reserve some of the glory for yourself. Examine your intentions, are they purely directed to the glorification of God?
And in doing good Granted That you do not seek the esteem of men, do you sometimes do this in order not to lose the good graces of others and Favours, conforming to Their spirit, que According To live is to the usage of the world in the forgetfulness of God? This is Also loving the glory of the world more than the glory of God, and is a fault Which is Greatly Opposed to humility, and Which was condemned in Men Among the chief Those Jews who Believed in Christ, but from fear of the Pharisees and out of respect to Their review did not dare to confess Him, "They loved for the glory of men more than the glory of God." [John xii, 43]
But of what use would this recognition comes from God That everything be, except to refer all things to Him and to thank Him? Do you thank God for the many blessings you are Which Constantly Receiving from Him ----- from your very heart, With true humility, believing yourself to be so wretched That you would fall into every sin, and even into Hell itself, if God did not eat to your help? "Unless the Lord Had been my helper, my soul had almost dwelt in Hell." [Ps. xciii, 17]
Nothing is so Contrary to true humility as to seek one's own esteem in the exercise of good works. Do you sometimes do good from motives of human respect, in order to be seen ----- esteemed? "Take heed," Christ says to you, "that you do not your justice before men, to be seen by them." [Matt. vi, 1] You are Merely robbing God of glory, When from the gifts I've Given you, you reserve some of the glory for yourself. Examine your intentions, are they purely directed to the glorification of God?
And in doing good Granted That you do not seek the esteem of men, do you sometimes do this in order not to lose the good graces of others and Favours, conforming to Their spirit, que According To live is to the usage of the world in the forgetfulness of God? This is Also loving the glory of the world more than the glory of God, and is a fault Which is Greatly Opposed to humility, and Which was condemned in Men Among the chief Those Jews who Believed in Christ, but from fear of the Pharisees and out of respect to Their review did not dare to confess Him, "They loved for the glory of men more than the glory of God." [John xii, 43]
Saturday, March 8, 2014
adversity
114. How do you resign your will to the will of God in the time of adversity, which is especially the time when we ought to humble ourselves, as the Holy Ghost tells us by the mouth of St. Peter: "Be thou humble therefore under the mighty hand of God"? [1 Pet. v, 6]
As all the troubles of this world are ordained by God, and yours are sent to you by Him especially to humble your pride and keep you in due humility, do you really receive them with such intention as to correspond with the intention of God, saying with the Prophet: "It is good for me that Thou hast humbled me"? [Ps. cxviii, 71]
The best means to oblige God to deliver us from our troubles is to humble ourselves, and King David testifies to this by his own experience in Ps. cxiv, 4, 6: "I met with trouble and sorrow, I was humbled and He delivered me." Do you ever practice this means of humbling yourself in your troubles, protesting that you have merited them, and deserve them if for no other reason than on account of your pride?
God sends adversity to you to humble you, and He humbles you so that from this humiliation you may learn humility. But what fruit of humility have you gathered from all the adversity you have had hitherto? Can you say, as Moses said to the Hebrews: "We have rejoiced for the days in which Thou hast humbled us"? [Ps. lxxxix, 15]
As all the troubles of this world are ordained by God, and yours are sent to you by Him especially to humble your pride and keep you in due humility, do you really receive them with such intention as to correspond with the intention of God, saying with the Prophet: "It is good for me that Thou hast humbled me"? [Ps. cxviii, 71]
The best means to oblige God to deliver us from our troubles is to humble ourselves, and King David testifies to this by his own experience in Ps. cxiv, 4, 6: "I met with trouble and sorrow, I was humbled and He delivered me." Do you ever practice this means of humbling yourself in your troubles, protesting that you have merited them, and deserve them if for no other reason than on account of your pride?
God sends adversity to you to humble you, and He humbles you so that from this humiliation you may learn humility. But what fruit of humility have you gathered from all the adversity you have had hitherto? Can you say, as Moses said to the Hebrews: "We have rejoiced for the days in which Thou hast humbled us"? [Ps. lxxxix, 15]
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