9781644135945

The Light of the World
will always spring to life again if the slightest root is left behind. This fact is especially true for
those who wish to live an intensive religious life. The more they live the life of the spirit, the
more they are tempted to imagine that because of their spirituality they are superior to others.
They take pleasure in their severe asceticism, and they are flattered if they are looked upon with
a reverential fear by others. They are tempted to look down upon “the others” and consider
them inferior to themselves. They are always ready with a false zeal to criticize others, to correct
them, to condemn them, and to speak uncharitably of them. They are often impatient with
the leisurely way in which God works. They linger with great pleasure on the good they have
accomplished, which all too often they exaggerate. Such a pride is an obstacle to grace and to
union with God. Does Christ the true vine then really live in us? Should we wonder that we do
not make greater progress in holiness? “God resisteth the proud.”
“But to the humble He giveth grace.” This is the law of the dominion of grace: “He that
shall humble himself shall be exalted” (Mt 23:12). According to all the rules of justice, this
autocratic resistance to God, this pride, this source of all evil in man, can be subdued only
through subjection to God through humility. “Suffer the little children to come unto Me, . . . for
of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Mk 10:14). The spirit of Christ is a spirit of humility. “Learn
of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29). We are to learn from Christ, not to
work wonders, not to be glorious in the eyes of the world, not to accomplish great deeds, but
to be meek and humble of heart. Humility is the essence of all that Christ taught by word and
example. Humility is the summation of His whole life, the virtue most characteristic of Christ.
It is the foundation of the spiritual structure, the base upon which all other virtues must rest.
Humility is the root and the beginning of all good, the door to the kingdom of heaven. Our
progress in union with God and in union with Christ depends in large measure on our progress
in humility. The higher the structure of our holiness rises, the deeper must be the foundation of
humility on which it rests. Without humility there can be no life of faith, no truth and sincerity,
no nobility of soul, no spirit of sacrifice, no self-sacrificing love. If we are truly humble, we give
little thought to ourselves. The opinion of men, one’s own honor, one’s own advantage, one’s
own satisfaction, one’s own wishes and desires, are spurned by the man who is truly humble.
He is concerned only with God’s will and God’s honor. Whatever is not in some way concerned
with God leaves him cold. What comes from God and leads to God interests him, elevates him,
inspires him, even though in itself it has no particular attraction. There is no greater courage than
in humility. Threats, mockery, slander, do not disturb the humble man. All flattery is lost on
him. And when for the sake of God or His work he must sacrifice all things, he does so gladly.
Humility seeks God and His will alone. It shrinks from no task, or sacrifice, or suffering. The
humble man knows that he will find the source of all strength in being humble, in completely
subjecting himself to God and His will, in observing minutely the regulations of the Church or
of the religious community, in fulfilling the duties of his state in life. He takes to heart that saying
of the Apostle: “I can do all things in Him who strengtheneth me” (Phil 4:13).
“Be you humbled under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in the time of visitation.”
This is the most earnest admonition of the liturgy during the fourth week after Pentecost. The
Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Christ, will establish His rule in us and extend it. But He can do so
only if our souls are humble, submissive, and conformed to His will. In the measure in which
we know and acknowledge our nothingness and unworthiness, and come to Him in humility
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