THE first act of humility, says St. Thomas, [2a
2æ, qu. clxi, art. 2 ad 3 ; et qu. clxii, art. 5] consists in rendering
ourselves entirely subject to God with the greatest reverence for His infinite
Majesty, before which we are as nothing: "All nations are before Him as if
they had no being at all." [Isai. vl, 17] But do you ever consider your
nothingness before God?-----and that all the being you have, you have from
God?-----and that through intrinsic necessity you depend so entirely upon God
that without Him you cannot do anything good-----"for without Me you can
do nothing" [John xv, 5] -----that without God you neither think nor say
nor do anything that is good?
This is of faith. "No man can
say the Lord Jesus but by the Holy Ghost." [1 Cor. xii, 3] "Not that
we are sufficient to think anything of ourselves as of ourselves; but our
sufficiency is from God." [2 Cor. iii, 5] "For it is God Who worketh
in you both to will and to accomplish according to His good will." [Phil.
ii, 13] It is not enough only to say I know all these things, but it is
necessary to realize them to become really humble.
The Angelic Doctor teaches that the
reason why humility tends principally to render the soul subject to God is
because this virtue is nearest to the theological virtues, and as it does not
suffice only to know what things we must believe or hope, but it is also
necessary for us to make acts of faith and hope, so in the same way we must
make like acts of humility.
Christ Himself taught humility of
heart, and the heart must not remain idle, nor fail to produce the necessary
acts-----and what acts of humility do you make before God? How often do you
make them? When have you made them? How long is it since you made them?
It would be absurd to hope for the
reward which is promised to the humble without being humble, or at least
without the desire to be humble; and without making acts of humility; humility
of heart without the heart humbling itself-----what folly! And are you foolish
enough to believe that this can be done?
Sometimes you give utterance to
certain words which seem to tend to your own humiliation; you say you are a
contemptible wretch, and good for nothing, but do you say such things sincerely
from your heart? If you are afraid of lying to yourself by confirming them in
your own mind, listen to what St. Thomas [Loc. cit. art. 6 ad 1] tells us for
our instruction, that everyone can truthfully say and believe of himself that
he is a contemptible wretch, referring all his ability and talent to God.
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