Untitled - Saints' Books

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INSTR. vi.] Humility. 305
INSTRUCTION VI.
HUMILITY.
Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart?
Humility and meekness were the two beloved virtues of
Jesus Christ, in which he wished in a special manner to
be imitated by his disciples. We shall speak first of
humility, and afterwards of meekness.
Necessity of
Humility.
St. Bernard says,
"The
higher one is placed, the hum
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bler one should be." The more exalted, then, the
dignity of the priest, the greater should be his humil
ity; otherwise, if he fall into sin, the greater the height
from which he is precipitated, the more disastrous his
fall. Hence St. Laurence Justinian says that the priest
should regard humility as the most precious jewel that
shines forth in his character. 3
And St. Augustine writes:
"The
highest honor should be united with the greatest
humility."
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And before him, Jesus Christ said, He that
is the greater among you, let him become as the younger?
Humility is truth. Hence the Lord has said, that if we
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Discite a me quia mitis sum et humilis corde." -Matth. xi. 29.
Tanto quisque debet esse humilior, quanto
7 Donis Sp. S.
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4
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c. 10.
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est sublimior." De
Humilitas est Sacerdotum gemma." De lust, prccl. c 21.
In summo honore summa tibi sit humilitas." De Virt. et Vit.
Qui major est in vobis, fiat sicut minor." Luke xxii. 26.
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