Thought for the Day – 7 June – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month
What Humility Is
Humility is a realisation of our own nothingness before Almighty God. It is defined by St Bernard, as the virtue by which a man becomes vile in his own eyes, through a thorough knowledge of himself and by St Thomas, as a virtue by which a man, considering his own defects, keeps himself in the lowest place according to his degree.
Think over these definitions and examine yourself whether you are humble, as judged by them.
It is not enough to be conscious of our own vileness or to esteem ourselves as nothing. We must acquiesce in and, be satisfied with, our own nothingness. Humility is not perfect until self is so obliterated, that we are willing to be esteemed according to our deserts. When we can honestly say that what we look to in all our thoughts, words and actions, is not our own advantage and interest but simply, the honour of God, quite independently of what will further our own profit, then! we may begin to thank God that we are in the way of humility.
If this is really the case, we shall not only esteem ourselves as vile but we shall desire to be treated accordingly. We shall not shrink from being humbled in the eyes of men but shall court humiliation, as it will be a satisfaction to us to be treated as we deserve. This is difficult for human nature but, it is possible for all, with the grace of God. It will not come at once but we may hope to reach it someday.
Have I attained it? Do I desire it? Do I even accept humiliations, or do I chafe under them and resent them?
AnaStpaul 