Thought for the Day – 30 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month
The Fruit of Humility
There is nothing which gives such a solid peace as humility. At the beginning it is difficult and we smart under the wounds which our pride has to suffer before it can be destroyed in ourselves.
But a holy perseverance in the practice of humility will spread over the soul such a sweet and calm tranquility that even in this life, the soul begins to taste the joys of the heavenly paradise. Troubles, disappointments, unkindness, injustice, insults, do not disturb the quiet happiness of one, who is really humble. One who is truly humble appreciates, continually, the truth of our Lord’s Words:
“Learn of Me, for I Am meek and humble of heart and you shall find rest for your souls. … For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Humility is also the best possible safeguard against the attacks of the devil. The humble man can say, as our Lord did: “The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in Me.”
Or as Saint Martin said when dying: “Why art thou here, O evil one? No malice wilt thou find in me.”
Nor has the devil any chance of success in tempting the humble. Their continual disposition is one of dependence on God and, therefore, no temptation has power to lead them astray.
Humility is also the root, from whence all the other virtues spring.
A humble man is always charitable – for he never thinks of himself but always, of doing something for God.
For the same reason, he is full of zeal, he is prudent – for he always relies on God, never on himself; he is a man of prayer because he looks to God for everything; he is pure in heart because he never, in anything, desires to please himself but always to please God.
Are these points of humility to be found in me?
AnaStpaul 