Many years ago I encountered the Litany of Humility, written by Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930), Secretary of State for Pope Saint Pius X. Everything in my being recoiled at the petitions in that prayer, because it asks God to give me the opposite of what I wanted. I think I even said it a few times, deep down not really wanting what I was asking for.
A very interesting thing has happened since then. I have come to understand and appreciate the need for humility, and have received some grace to choose the better action when faced with the option of handling a situation pridefully or humbly. I won’t pretend it’s easy to choose humility – often internally I am rebelling even though I’m keeping my mouth shut. Perhaps one day the external action will bring about more resignation in the soul.
Among the things I’ve learned about humility is that you can’t be filled with Christ if you are full of yourself.
He must increase; I must decrease. John 3:30
I’ve also learned that there is a lot of freedom in humility. If you lose the attachment to being esteemed by others, it’s easier to follow Christ. A person concerned with what others think of him is unlikely to obey Christ when doing so means losing the esteem of the world. If you are following Christ, you can expect to be ridiculed and persecuted:
If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. John 15:18-19
Humility is required of us if we are to do great things for God. How can we stand up for Christ if we are afraid of being thought a fool?
Finally, I’ve learned that if you ask for humility, God doesn’t go ‘POOF’ and make you humble. Instead He sends you many opportunities to practice the virtue, along with the grace to do so. Expect to be humiliated when you ask for humility.
I’ve found that work tends to be where most of the humiliations are sent. When I am misunderstood or criticized, rather than explaining or justifying myself, I try to choose silence. I say “try” because I’m not always successful, but I have found that over time, the number of victories in that regard are increasingly outnumbering the failures.
Blessed Mother Teresa gave the Missionaries of Charity some guidelines for being humble – guidelines that are helpful for all of us:
1. Speak as little as possible about yourself.
2. Keep busy with your own affairs and not those of others.
3. Avoid curiosity.
4. Do not interfere in the affairs of others.
5. Accept small irritations with good humor.
6. Do not dwell on the faults of others.
7. Accept censures even if unmerited.
8. Give in to the will of others.
9. Accept insults and injuries.
10. Accept contempt, being forgotten and disregarded.
11. Be courteous and delicate even when provoked by someone.
12. Do not seek to be admired and loved.
13. Do not protect yourself behind your own dignity.
14. Give in, in discussions, even when you are right.
15. Always choose the more difficult task.
Source: Heidi Hess Saxton’s blog, Streams of Mercy
