insist

71. The important point is that our heart should be humble, because this is what Christ seeks in us above all things. It is useless to mend the case and hands of a watch unless we also adjust the wheels and works, and in the same way it is useless for anyone to be modest in attire and bearing if there be no true humility in the heart. We ought to apply our Saviour's sayings to ourselves: "Thou blind Pharisee, first make clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, that the outside may become clean," [Matt. xxiii, 6] and learn from the teaching of St. Thomas that "from our interior disposition of humility proceed signs in words, deed and manner by which that is manifested without, which is within." [2a 2æ, qu. clxi, art. 6] I admit the truth of that which was so often repeated in Holy Writ, that humility is a special gift of God, and that no one can possess it of himself "except God gave it"; [Wisd. viii, 21] but at the tribunal of God there will be no excuse for us for not having possessed humility, because we have been taught that we could obtain it by persevering prayer, and, if we have not used this means to obtain it, it will be our fault that we have not asked God for it, and therefore our fault that we have not obtained it. Our Saviour in His Gospel says: "Ask and you shall receive." [John xvi, 24] If you want anything of Me, ask and you sha1l be heard. And can this virtue cost us less than the simple effort of asking it of God with great insistence? Therefore do not let us cease to ask for it and by the very method of obtaining it our hearts, our looks, our words, our movements, our bearing, and even our very thoughts will all be humble: "For from the heart come forth thoughts." [Matt. xv, 19]