Tag: humility

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on TRUTH

Thought for the Day – 14 July – Humility

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Thought for the Day – 14 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Humility

“Humility is, in fact, truth.
Many think it is a menial fiction, or a pious congregation and that only a few can really achieve it.

In other words, we must disregard ourselves.
We must be content to be unknown and unesteemed.
This might seem to be contrary to, or at least, superior to human nature but it is based on the simple naked truth.
What have we that is not a gift of God?
All we have in the natural and supernatural order, we have received from God: “What hast thou that thou hast not received? And if thou hast receive it, why dost thou boast as if thou hast not received it?” (1 Cor 4:7).

Our defects and sins are the only things which are really our own!
So we have a double motive for humility.
Everything good about us is a gift from God.
Only our sins belong to us!”

“As “pride is the beginning of all sin,”
(Eccl. 10:15)
so humility is the foundation of all virtue.
Learn to be really humble and not,
as the hypocrite, humble merely in appearance.”

St Bonaventure OFM (1221-1274)
Seraphic Doctor of the Church

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/01/21/thought-for-the-day-21-january-humility/

Posted in GOD ALONE!, HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on MEEKNESS, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on VIRTUE

Thought for the Day – 30 July – The Fruit of Humility

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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?

Posted in HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, INGRATITUDE, ON the SAINTS, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRIDE, St PAUL!

Thought for the Day – 29 July – Models of Humility: The Saints

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Thought for the Day – 29 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

Models of Humility:
The Saints

Some Saints excelled in one virtue, some in another but all were pre-eminent in humility.
The heroes of the Church of God, whether under the Old or the New Dispensation, were marked off from the heroes of paganism by their humility. Thus, Abraham described himself as dust and ashes. Job, in the presence of God, expressed his abhorrence of himself. David, when visited by the Hand of God, thanks Him for having humbled him. Daniel declares that to him belongs shame and confusion of face.
If, even without the example of Jesus and Mary before them, these Saints were so humble, what ought you to be? !

The Saints of the New Testament are still more conspicuous for their humility. Saint Paul believed and declared himself to be the chief of sinners. Saint Bernard expressed his astonishment that God should work miracles by the hands of one so vile as he. Saint Dominic, before entering a City, used to pray that he might not bring down judgements upon it for his sins.
Saint Philip Neri used to invent ingenious methods of drawing down ridicule upon himself!
Saint Francis Borgia, when someone by accident, spat in his face, merely remarked that he could not have found a more suitable place to spit upon.
Compare the humility of these saints with your pride and humble yourself before God.

The Saints were not exaggerated in their sentiments. They said, with truth that, if God had given to the greatest of sinners the graces given to them, they might perhaps have been far holier than they.
Think of the graces given you. How often you have abused and rejected them!
If the Saints could lament over graces lost, how ought you to humble yourself for your ingratitude?

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Prayers and Novena, IMMACULATE HEART PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, QUOTES on HUMILITY

Thought for the Day – 28 July – Models of Humility: The Blessed Virgin

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Thought for the Day – 28 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

Models of Humility:
The Blessed Virgin

No-one of all the children of Adam ever approached the Blessed Virgin Mary in humility. What had she to make her humble? She had no sin or imperfection for which to humble herself before God. Yet the greatest of sinners never humbled himself as did Mary. How was this? It was because no-one, save she, ever recognised her own nothingness in God’s sight. This is the surest basis for humility.
We are so wanting in humility because we do not recognise our utter insignificance and the absence of any good in us, save that which, is the gift of God.

Thus, it was that, because Mary had a right to the highest place, she always sought the lowest.
This is the law, which everywhere prevails. Those who deserve the lowest place, seek the highest and those who deserve the highest, seek the lowest. The enemies of God do not like to lower themselves. But, His friends recognise the lowest place as the place most suitable for them
Am I, in this respect, one of God’s friends or one of His enemies?

Mary’s humility was also the result of her desire to be like to her Divine Son in all things.
When she saw Him stoop from the highest Heaven to earth, she longed to stoop to the very dust. She placed herself in spirit beneath the feet of all and, would have placed herself lower still, if it had been possible.
For what humiliation could even Mary endure which was in any way comparable to that of her Son?
If Mary, then, is my Queen and Mother, I will seek to imitate her in this. If the Immaculate Mother of God loved to humble herself, how much more should I, who am but a miserable worm of earth?

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on KINDNESS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MEEKNESS, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, St Francis de Sales

Quote/s of the Day – 28 July – ‘… He who humbles himself,shall be exalted.’

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Quote/s of the Day – 28 July – Pentecost X – 1 Corinthians 12:2-11; Luke 18:9-14 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Everyone who exalts himself,
shall be humbled
and he who humbles himself,
shall be exalted.”

Luke 18:14

“The most perfect degree of humility
is to take pleasure in contempt and humiliations.
Contempt suffered patiently,
is worth more before God,
for love of Him, than
a thousand fastings and disciplines.”

“Let us not lower our eyes
without humiliating the heart , at the same time;
let others not think
we want the last place,
without truly desiring it!”

“Humility makes our lives,
acceptable to God,
meekness, makes us
acceptable to men.”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of Charity

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on HUMILITY

Thought for the Day – 27 July – Models of Humility: Jesus Christ

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Thought for the Day – 27 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

Models of Humility:
Jesus Christ

When we compare the humility of Jesus Christ with that which is possible to ourselves, it seems as though the virtue in us, does not deserve the same name, for He, Who was Omnipotent God lowered Himself to become the lowliest of men. Such an act of humility was an Infinite abasement of Himself and had an Infinite value in the sight of God.
The Divine Word submitted to the obliteration of all His Glory and Majesty when He became man. This was humility indeed!
But what is our humility? Simply placing ourselves in a position which more nearly approaches that which we deserve to occupy!
When I humble myself, I simply divest myself of the false position of seeming to have any virtue, or dignity, or claim to honour, of my own.

Even when He had lowered Himself to the nature of man, He was not satisfied but He needed to seek out every kind of contempt and insult.
He was regarded as a madman, as possessed with a devil, as a wine-bibber, as an impostor, as a leader of sedition, as a fool, as a criminal and as a blasphemer. All this He took upon Himself, of His own accord and deemed an honour!
Is it not strange that I should shrink from sharing that whicvh the Son of God chose as the fitting treatment of His Human Nature?

He did more than this.
He so identified Himself with human sin that He is said, by the Apostle, to have been made sin for our sakes and, by this means, He was able to find a fresh motive for humbling Himself, as being laden with sin in the sight of His Heavenly Father.
If He, the Spotless Lamb, thus sought out motives of humiliation, how is it that I,, on the contrary, seem to avoid all which humbles me?

Posted in HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on JUDGING, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on PRIDE

Thought for the Day – 26 July – Humility in Prayer

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Thought for the Day – 26 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

Humility in Prayer

We are all anxious that God should hear and grant our prayers. He is always ready to do so. The obstacles are always on our side and one of the chief of these is a want of humility.
If God resists the proud, He is not likely to hear their prayers; hence, one of the first prerequisites of ssuccess in my prayers, is that I should humble myself before God. Then and not until then, will my prayer reach the ears of the Most High.
“The prayer of him, who humbleth himself, pierces the clouds.”

One of the most dangerous forms of pride is a contempt for others and one which we maybe very prone to manifest, without realisng its ruinous effects upon our prayers.
When the self-complacent Pharisee thanked God that he was not like the poor publican, he probably was quite unconscious of the offensiveness of his prayer to God. Pride blinded him.
So it often blinds us and we little think that when in prayer, we secretly congratulate ourselves on being free from certain faults which we see in our neighbours and, all the while, we are displeasing God by thus harshly judging others! How would He hear our prayers unmder these conditions!

How are we to be humble in prayer?
We should be humble in prayer by dwelling upon our own miseries and the good points we see in those around us or which we should see, if our own pride did not make us blind to others’ superiority to us and, the fact that, the graces God has liberally bestowed upon us, make our ingratitude and our want of correspondence to them, all the more culpable!

Posted in HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, ON the SAINTS, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRIDE

Thought for the Day – 20 July – Consciousness of Humility

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Thought for the Day – 20 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

Consciousness of Humility

How are we to know whether we are humble?
If we think we are humble, we may be quite sure that we are not really humble at all! There is no
more certain sign of pride, than to be unaware of its existence in ourselves. Which Saint ever lived,
who did not acknowledge and lament his pride and self-love? A Saint who should believe himself to be thoroughly humble, would be no Saint at all.
How far do I recognise in myself an ever-running sore of pride, making me foul and unsightly before God, who hates the proud and gives grace only to the humble?!

If I find that I take disparaging remarks, attacks and contradictions from others, with patience and good humoor, it is a good sign but, not a certain sign that I am humble.
Pride, which apes humility, often renders man proof, against that which others think. He wraps himself in his cloak of pride and looks down on their opinion of him.
Indifference to the praise and honour of those
around us, is not a certain sign, for this too may come from pride and a spirit of contempt!

But if anyone:

+++ recognises himself as full of pride;
+++ dislikes the idea of being honoured and praised;
+++ desires humiliations and prays for them; or
+++ thinks himself to deserve the worst of everything and the lowest place,

he may hope that he has begun to walk the road which, in the end, may through God’s grace, produce in him the virtue of humility.
Examine yourself on these points, thank God for any signs of progress and lament over still -remaining defects.

Posted in GOD ALONE!, HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on VANITY, SELF-DISTRUST

Thought for the Day – 18 July – Humility in Success

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Thought for the Day – 18 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

Humility in Success

When Saint Peter and his companions had, at this word of Jesus, cast their nets and enclosed the miraculous draught of fishes, Saint Peter’s first impulse was to throw himself at Jesus’ feet and humbly cry,
“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
Success, instead of puffing him up, made him recognise his own sinfulness and unworthiness of the favours which God had done him. This should be the effect of success on us — to humble ourselves and declare ourselves unworthy of such benefits as God has bestowed upon us.

Yet success is meant to encourage us. We cannot help being conscious of having done well and given satisfaction and it would be foolish and ungrateful to ignore the fact. But, our spirit must be that of Saint Bernard, who did not deny the marvels God had wrought through him. Instead, he expressed his astonishment that God could make use of such an instrument! So, we should regard it as fresh proof of God’s power and love, that He should work the marvels of His grace through us.

Thus, to humble ourselves amid the approval and applause of others, is no easy task. It is very possible to cry out, “Not unto us, O Lord but to Thy Name be the praise” and, all the time, to be puffed up with pride. The real test is whether we pray at such moments,

“Humble me, O Lord.
Teach me my own nothingness,
make me continually depend on Thee
and in my heart attribute to Thee all the glory
and to myself nothing.”
Such a prayer, if it comes from our heart, is a certain safeguard for our humility.

Posted in MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on KINDNESS, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SELF-DISTRUST, St Francis de Sales, The ANNUNCIATION

Quote/s of the Day – 17 July – The Feast of the Humility of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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Quote/s of the Day – 17 July – The Feast of the Humility of the Blessed Virgin Mary

“The most holy Virgin, Our Lady,
gave us an outstanding example of this
when she spoke these words:
“Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord,
let it be done to me according to your word”
(Lk 1:38). When she said she was
the handmaid of the Lord,
she was performing the greatest act of humility
it is possible to do and,
all the more so, in that she was contradicting
the praise given her by the Angel –
that she would be Mother of God,
that the child to be born from her womb
would be called Son of the Most High, a greater dignity than any we might imagine –
I say, she opposed her lowliness
and unworthiness to all these praises
and greatness, by saying
that she was the handmaid of the Lord.”

“True humility scarecly ever
utters words of jumility.”

“Humility, makes our lives acceptable to God,
meekness, makes us acceptable to men.”

“Humility is not just about self-mistrust
but about the entrusting of ourselves to God.
Distrusting ourselves and our own strength
produces trust in God
and from that trust,
generosity of soul is born.”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of Charity

Posted in HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PATIENCE

Thought for the Day – 21 June – The Patience of Humility

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Thought for the Day – 21 June – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

The Patience of Humility

The humble are always patient and these two virtues are most intimately connected with each other.
He who forms a low estimation of himself, is convinced that it is well for him to suffer, to be contradicted, to wait for others, to be thwarted in his projects, to have to bear with the ill temper of others and the unkindness of others.
He regards all this as his due and takes it accordingly.
Am I thus patient and ready to submit to the disagreeable?

On the other hand, impatience is one of the surest signs of hidden pride! If we detect ourselves succombing to impatience and becoming “put our or upset” when we cannot get our own way and carry all before us, we may put it down, as certain, that we are still very deficient in the virtue of humility!
Even physical impatience (except when it arises from weakness and ill health) is a mark of pride. It shows that we have not learned perfectly the lesson of submission. Alas, how impatient I am in spite of long years of striving after virtue. How deeply rooted pride must be in me! How can I
get rid of this most detestable of vices!

One of the best means of acquiring humility is to school ourselves in patience. Everyday a hundred occasions present themselves when we can, if we choose, prevent the rising spirit of impatience. We wait at a friend’s door, or we are hindered by persons who walk in our way, while walking. Some sound annoys us or others take our turn or place. All these are splendid opportunities to acquire humility by schooling ourselves to patient endurance.

Posted in HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SUFFERING

Thought for the Day – 9 June – The Attainment of Humility

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Thought for the Day – 9 June – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

The Attainment of Humility

Humility does not spring up in our souls of its own accord. On the contrary, every child of Adam has a deep root of pride within his soul.
It is only by a long and painful process that the generality of mankind can attain humility. We cannot expect to become humble unless we fulfill the necessary conditions.

We must make many acts of humility before we can attain any proficiency in the virtue. Our acts of humility must consist, not merely in protesting to Almighty God that we are vile and worthless ,in His sight and in humbling ourselves before Him by reason of our many sins. Our acts of humility must be practiced towards others by being very gentle towards those who provoke us, by bearing contradictions with patience, by accepting disappointments with patience and rebuffs without complaint. All this is a gradual process and we must not expect proficiency in humility until we have long practiced these means to attain it.

We must pray for humility.
No gift of God can be won without prayer and humility least of all
because it is so opposed to the natural bent of our nature and, can never be had without a special grace from God. Prayer, moreover, is an acknowledgement of our dependence upon God,and humility consists in nothing else, than a recognition of this dependence and an acquiescence in it.
Pray, then, for humility! It is not much use praying for humility unless we also pray for the means that are to implant it in our souls. We must ask God, from our hearts, not to spare us if He sees that we shall not become humble without suffering. We must leave ourselves in His Hands, saying only, “O my God, make me humble at any cost! Amen.”

Posted in CHRIST the JUDGE, HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, The LAST THINGS

Thought for the Day – 8 June – Aids to Humility

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Thought for the Day – 8 June – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

Aids to Humility

To foster in ourselves a spirit of humility, we must not only look back but also look forward.
When we appear before our Lord to be judged, what reason we shall have for shame and for dismay! How can I, who am so full of sin, venture to face Him, Who sees through every disguise and recognises the true nature of every action?
How can I meet Him who has witnessed deeds of evil hidden from the eyes of men and wicked and uncharitable thoughts, indulged in secret!?
When I think of that day, I must be humble.

Nothing will then be such a cause of shame to me as my pride.
Nothing will so turn away the Face of my Judge from me in anger.
If God abhors the proud, how can I look forward to that day without trembling? St Teresa said that when she had the privilege of seeing our Blessed Lord in a vision, the prevailing thought in her mind was, what a terrible thing it would be, if He were to be angry with her.
He will be angry with me, then, unless I learn more humility!
O my God, make me humble at any cost!

What will be the punishment of pride? Will it be the fire of Hell that was prepared for the devil and his angels, simply and solely because of their pride?
None will endure such misery as the proud; not the gluttonous, or the impure, or the covetous, except, so far as their other vices fostered pride in them.
O my God, if nothing else will make me humble, grant that the thought of the lowest Hell, reserved for the proud, may conquer in me that hateful vice of pride!

Posted in GOD ALONE!, HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES on HUMILITY

Thought for the Day – 7 June – What Humility Is

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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?

Posted in GOD ALONE!, HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, JESUIT SJ, QUOTES on HUMILITY

Thought for the Day – 31 May – What Humility is Not!

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Thought for the Day – 31 May – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

Chapter Five
What Humility is Not!

We are inclined, sometimes, to aim at a false humility and so to be hindered in our attainment of true humility. We must be on our guard against errors in this regard.

Humility does NOT consist in shutting our eyes to the talents, ability, graces and accomplishments which we possess. To do so is to refuse to acknowledge the good gifts which God has given us. If we have skill in music, in conversation, in painting, in languages, it is no humility to deny the fact. We ought to thank God for His goodness in bestowing upon us this talent. What is contrary to humility is to take the credit to ourselves and to plume ourselves on what we have received from God.

Humility does NOT consist in self-depreciation and in running ourselves down before others. This is often a cloak for pride. Sometimes its object is to obtain, from others, the praise we deny to
ourselves; sometimes it is a marked expression of discontent. The continual song, “What a poor worm I am!” is very much opposed to the spirit of the Catholic Church and to the cheerfulness which every Christian ought to show in his words.

Nor does humility consist in, or even admit of discouragement. If we are discouraged, it generally means that we think more about our own success than about the glory of God. It means that we are not perfectly resigned; it means that our pride is wounded and our self-will thwarted, or that we have worldly motives in what we do and seek honour from men and not from God. True humility is willing to fail in its projects, if God so wills it.
Examine yourself on these particulars and see whether yours is true or false humility!?

Posted in GOD ALONE!, HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRIDE

Thought for the Day – 30 May – The Deeper Foundations of Humility

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Thought for the Day – 30 May – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

Chapter Four
The Deeper Foundations of Humility

The consciousness of past sin will not, of itself, give us the perfection of humility. It necessarily fixes the eye of the soul upon ourselves and our own doings, whereas perfect humility means the annihilation of self. We have a deeper and more solid foundation for this virtue in our own nothingness and the absence of any sort of good, save that which God has given us. Every gift of nature is simply a free gift from Him. All that is from ourselves is the marring and injuring of what we have received; the misuse of talents, money, position, influence. What folly, then, to pride ourselves on what belongs to God!

Regarding supernatural gifts, we are still mere nothing and less than nothing. Our natural gifts are put into our hands, they remain with us and are in some sense ours but, a supernatural gift requires a fresh giving immediately from the hand of God each time it is given us! We
cannot begin any supernatural work without His preventing grace; we cannot move a step in it without fresh grace to carry on; we cannot bring it to a successful issue, without the grace necessary to complete it. Do I realise, as I ought, this nothingness of myself and my absolute
and continual dependence upon God, for each thought or act, pleasing to Him?

If this is so, how can I be anything but humble? To pride myself on that which God does in me, would be ridiculous; to pride myself on what I can do of myself, would be to pride myself on all which mars and spoils the work of God.
“What hast thou that thou hast not received?” asks St Paul.
Yes, O Lord, I have only one thing that I have not received and that is my vileness, misery, sin.
Can I boast of these!?

Posted in CATECHESIS, DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on STRENGTH, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, St Francis de Sales, The ANNUNCIATION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 17 September – ‘ … Distrusting ourselves and our own strength, produces trust in God … ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 17 September – Solemnity of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary – The 16th Sunday after Pentecost – The Commutation of the Stigmata of St Francis of Assisi – Ephesians 3:13-21, Luke 14:1-11 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“For everyone who exalts himself, shall be humbled and he who humbles himself, shall be exalted.” – Luke 14:11

REFLECTION – “Humility is not just about self-mistrust but about the entrusting of ourselves to God. Distrusting ourselves and our own strength, produces trust in God and, from that trust, generosity of soul is born. The most holy Virgin, Our Lady, gave us an outstanding example of this, when she spoke these words: “Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to thy word” (Lk 1:38). When she said she was the handmaid of the Lord, she was performing, the greatest act of humility, it is possible to do and, all the more so, in that, she was contradicting the praise given her by the Angel – that she would be mother of God, that the child to be born from her womb would be called Son of the Most High, a greater dignity than any we might imagine – I say, she opposed her lowliness and unworthines,to all these praises and greatness, by saying that she was the handmaid of the Lord. Yet, note how, no sooner had she rendered her duty to humility, than she practised outstanding generosity, by saying: “May it be to me according to thy word.”

What she wanted to say was – “It is true, I am in no way capable of this grace, if one is to consider ,what I am, of myself but, insofar as what is good in me, comes from God and what thou say to me, is His own most holy will, I believe it can happen and will happen.” And so, without the least hesitation, she said: “Let it be done to me according to thou word.” – St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Bishop of Geneva, Doctor Caritatis (Conversations 5).

PRAYER – O Lord, Jesus Christ, Who, to inflame our hearts with the fire of Thy love, when the world was becoming cold in spirit, renewed in the flesh of most blessed Francis, the sacred marks of Thine own Passion, graciously grant that by his merits and prayers, we may steadfastly carry our cross and bring forth worthy fruits of penance. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", CATECHESIS, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, LENT 2023, LENTEN THOUGHTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, The WILL of GOD

Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 2 April – Palm Sunday, Humility

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Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 2 April – Palm Sunday – Philippians 2:5-11, Matthew 26:36-75; 2 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Thou hast held me by my right hand
and by Thy will, Thou hast conducted me
and in Thy glory, Thou hast received me.”
Psalm 72:24

“Behold the hour is at hand
and the Son of man shall be betrayed
into the hands of sinners.”
Matthew 26:45

PALM SUNDAY – HUMILITY
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritas

“THE APOSTLES LED the ass and colt to Our Lord. …
This ass and colt had only the Apostles’ cloaks laid on them, then Our Lord mounted … and in this abjection and humility, He made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
In this He confounded the world which overthrows all the maxims of the Gospel, relishing neither humility nor abjection.
It never ceases to say: “Unfortunate are the poor and suffering. But how happy that wealthy one is!”
“Why do you find him happy?”
“Because his barn is full of grain and his cellar is full of wine.
This girl is also happy because she too is rich, well dressed and covered with jewels.”
Others are considered happy because their hair is well curled or daintily braided, or they have a fancy gown.
How childish all this is! Nevertheless, these are the kinds of people the world considers happy and fortunate!

Our Lord turns all such ideas upside down today by His entrance into Jerusalem. He in no way acts like princes of the world, who, when entering a City, do it with much pomp, show and expense. He chooses no other mount but an ass covered with the worthless and poor cloaks of His Apostles.

Oh! how blessed are they whom our Divine Master chooses to carry Him, who are covered with the Apostles’ cloaks, that is, clothed with apostolic virtues, which render them worthy of bearing our dear Saviour and of being led by Him.
Blessed are they who conduct themselves here in lowliness and humility. They will be exalted in Heaven [Matt. 18:4; 23:12; Lk. 14:11; 18:14].
Their patience will win for them perpetual peace and tranquility; for their obedience they shall receive a crown of glory [Tab. 3:21; James 1:12]; finally, they shall be covered with the hundredfold of blessings in this life and shall bless the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, eternally in the next.
May God give us this grace. Amen.” – (Spiritual Conferences, XVII – St Francis de Sales).

Posted in "Follow Me", MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on SIN

Thought for the Day – 19 January – HUMILITY

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Thought for the Day – 19 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

HUMILITY

“Some people realise that they can achieve something good or beautiful by making use of their natural gifts, along with the grace of God.
Meanwhile, they see others failing where they succeeded.
As a result, they are lacking in humility.
Theirs is a mistaken attitude.
Do we know what difference there is between the gifts God has given us and those He has given to others?

Even if God has granted us greater natural and spiritual gifts, surely this is a motive for humility, rather than pride?
St Therese of the Child Jesus was accustomed to ask God’s forgiveness, not only for the sins which she had committed but, also for those which she would have committed, if God had not given her such exceptional graces.

The graces and favours which God has bestowed on us should present new reasons for being humble when we reflect on how ungratefully we have used them.
Let us always remember that “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble” (Js 4:6).”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/01/19/thought-for-the-day-19-january-humility/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/01/31/thought-for-the-day-31-january-humility/

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on TRUTH

Thought for the Day – 31 January – Humility

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Thought for the Day – 31 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Humility

“Humility is, in fact, truth.
Many think that it is a menial fiction, or a pious congregation and that only a few can really achieve it.

In other words, we must disregard ourselves.
We must be content to be unknown and unesteemed.
This might seem to be contrary to, or at least, superior to human nature but it is based on the simple naked truth.
What have we that is not a gift of God?
All that we have in the natural and supernatural order, we have received from God: “What hast thou that thou hast not received? And if thou hast receive it, why dost thou boast as if thou hast not received it?” (1 Cor 4:7).

Our defects and sins are the only things which are really our own!
So we have a double motive for humility.
Everything good about us is a gift from God.
Only our sins belong to us!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/01/21/thought-for-the-day-21-january-humility/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 1 March – Humility Matthew 23:12

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Quote/s of the Day – 1 March – Monday of the Second week of Lent, Readings: Isaiah 1:10, 16-20,Psalms 50: 8-9,16-17, 21 and 23, Matthew 23:1-12

“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled
and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Matthew 23:12

“My brothers,
keep away from the beast of boasting
and concern for one’s reputation,
for these destroy and weaken,
every good work.”

Bl Raymond of Capua (c 1330-1399)

“The one sole thing, in myself,
in which I glory,
is that I see in myself,
nothing, in which I can glory.”

St Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510)

“Humility is not just about self-mistrust
but about the entrusting of ourselves to God.
Distrusting ourselves and our own strength
produces trust in God
and from that trust,
generosity of soul is born.”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of Charity

“The most powerful weapon
to conquer the devil is humility.
For, as he does not know at all,
how to employ it,
neither does he know
how to defend himself from it.”

St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)

“There is more value
in a little study of humility
and, in a single act of it,
than in all the knowledge
in the world.”

St Teresa of Jesus of Avila (1515-1582)
Doctor of Prayer

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2019, LENTEN THOUGHTS, POETRY, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on REPENTANCE

Lenten Thoughts – 5 April ‘ But You God”

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Lenten Thoughts – 5 April – Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent, Year C

And now, my heavy laden soul,
what will you do?
You call with your lips and voice to
God most high,
God, who cares only for deeds and
is not taken in by words.
You, my soul, with a heart always turned toward Egypt,
how can I describe you?

Am I
a Sodom, to be punished likewise with destruction,
or the prosecutor of Ninevah, who was struck dumb?

Am I
more cowardly and barbarous than the
queen of the south,
lower than Canaan,
more stubborn than Amalek,
incurable as the city of idols,
a relic left behind from the rebellion of Israel,
a reminder of the broken covenant of Judah,
more reproachable than Tyre,
more shunned than Zidon,
more immoral than Galilee,
more unpardonable than faithless Capernaum,
maligned like Korazin,
slandered like Bethsaida?

Or am I
immodest as Ephraim as he prayed,
or a dove, whose gentleness seems due to
feeblemindedness and not to inner calm,
or an evil serpent born of lion’s cubs,
or the serpent’s egg filled with decay,
or like the last blow against Jerusalem?

Or am I
in the words of our Lord
and the sayings of the prophets,
an abandoned tabernacle about to collapse,
the unlatched doors of the stronghold,
my speaking edifice stained again,
having given up my rightful inheritance,
my home built by God,
as Moses, David and Jeremiah prophesied?
My thinking body now consumed by disease,
afflicted with carping counsel, rehabilitated by the law,
anointed with the clay of mildness,
incapable of finding my own salvation,
torn away from the maker’s hand,
expelled as just punishment
by order of the Almighty, to an unholy place,
rejected, exiled, greatly shunned, nothing spared,
having buried my gift in the ground,
like the one chastised in the Gospel by
losing his inheritance.

But You, God,
Lord of souls and all flesh,
in the words of one divinely graced,
You are long-suffering and abounding in mercy.
In the voice of blessed Jonah,
grant that I finish to Your delight
this book of prayers, now begun.
And having sown these words with tears
and set forth on this journey toward the dwellings You have prepared,
may I return joyfully in the time of harvest
with the bounty of atonement,
with sheaves of goodness and the fruits of delight.

St Gregory of Narek (950-1003) – Fathe & Doctor of the Churchbut-you-god-st-gregory-of-narek-27-feb-2018.jpg

“If you elevate yourself,
God distances Himself from you.
If you humble yourself,
He leans towards you.”

St Augustine (354-430)if you elevate yourself - st augustine - 5 april 2019.jpg

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2019, NOVENAS, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, The WORD

Lenten Preparation Novena – Day Two – 26 February 2019 “Come Back to Me With all your Heart”

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Lenten Preparation Novena – Day Two – 26 February 2019
“Come Back to Me With all your Heart”

Lent 2019 will begin on
Wednesday, 6 March
The Holy Triduum is
Thursday, 18 April, Good Friday, 19 April, Holy Saturday, 20 April
Easter Sunday – 21 April 2019

And he sat down and called the twelve and he said to them,
“If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”
Mark 9:35

Reflection:

“Answer those whom the marks of the Passion in Christ’s body plunge into uncertainty and who put the question:   “Who is this king of glory?” (Ps 24[23]:8).   Answer them that He is the Christ,“the mighty, the valiant” (ibid.) in everything He has done and continues to do…

Is He insignificant because He made Himself humble for your sake?   Is He to be despised because, as a Good Shepherd laying down His life for His flock, He came in search of the lost sheep and, having found it, brought it back on the shoulders that bore the cross for its sake and, when He had carried it back to the life on high, set it down amongst the faithful flock who remained in the fold? (cf. Jn 10:11; Lk 15:4).

Do you despise Him because he lighted a lamp, His own flesh and swept His house in search of the lost coin, cleansing the world from sin, while losing the beauty of His royal likeness through His Passion? (Lk 15,8f.; Mk 12,16)…

Do you consider Him less great, because He girds Himself with a linen towel to wash His disciples’ feet, showing them, that the certain way to be exalted, is to humble oneself? (Jn 13:4f.).   Do you hold a grievance against God because Christ humbles Himself, turning His mind to earth so as to raise up with Himself those who are bowed beneath the weight of sin? (Mt 11:28).

Do you accuse Him of having eaten with publicans and sinners… for their salvation? (Mt 9:10).   How can you take to task a doctor who bends over the sufferings and wounds of the sick to bring them healing?”

St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390)

Father & Doctor of the Churchhow can you take to task a doctor - st gregory of nazianzen - 26 feb day two lenten novena 2019.jpg

A Meditation for this ‘Prelude to Lent’

Do I despise the great gift of God’s Love?

“Is it not, I say, quite a common case for men and for women to neglect religion in their best days?   They have been baptised, they have been taught their duty, they have been taught to pray, they know their Creed, their conscience has been enlightened, they have opportunity to come to Church.   This is their birthright, the privileges of their birth of water and of the Spirit but they sell it, as Esau did.   They are tempted by Satan, with some bribe of this world and they give up their birthright, in exchange for what is sure to perish and to make them perish with it.   Esau was tempted by the mess of pottage which he saw in Jacob’s hands.   Satan arrested the eyes of his lust and he gazed on the pottage, as Eve gazed on the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.   Adam and Eve sold their birthright for the fruit of a tree—that was their bargain.   Esau sold his for a mess of lentils—that was his.

And men now-a-days often sell theirs, not indeed for any thing so simple as fruit or herb but for some evil gain or other, which at the time they think worth purchasing at any price, perhaps for the enjoyment of some particular sin, or more commonly for the indulgence of general carelessness and spiritual sloth, because they do not like a strict life and have no heart for God’s service.   And thus, they are profane persons, for they despise the great gift of God.”

Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801-1890)is-it-not-i-say-quite-a-common-case-bl-john-henry-newman- no 2 used 26 feb 2019

“The world tells us to seek success, power and money.
God tells us to seek humility, service and love.”

Pope Francisthe world tells us to seek success - pope francis - which is your choice lent 2019 26feb2019.jpg

Lenten Preparation Novena
DAY TWO

Lord, during this Lenten Season,
nourish me with Your Word of life
and make me one
with You in love and prayer.

Fill my heart with Your love
and keep me faithful to the Gospel of Christ.
Give me the grace to rise above my human weakness.
Give me new life by Your Sacraments, especially the Mass.

Father, our source of life,
I reach out with joy to grasp Your hand;
let me walk more readily in Your ways.
Guide me in Your gentle mercy,
for left to myself, I cannot do Your Will.

Father of love, source of all blessings,
help me to pass from my old life of sin
to the new life of grace.

Help me to repent of my sins now and make reparation throughout
this Lenten season and each day thereafter.
United with Your Son,
who makes His way to Calvary,
I offer You my intentions
…………………………………………..
(Mention your special intention)

Prepare me for the glory of Your Kingdom.
I ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever.
Amenlenten prep novena day two - come back to me - 26 feb 2019.jpg

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on HUMILITY, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 10 May – Thursday of the Sixth Week of Eastertide, the Memorials of St John of Avila (1499-1569) Doctor of the Church

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Thought for the Day – 10 May – Thursday of the Sixth Week of Eastertide, the Memorials of St John of Avila (1499-1569) Doctor of the Church

Five Grades of Humility and Twelve Degrees.
By St John of Avila “Father Master Avila” Doctor of the Church (1499-1569)

The first grade is that, recognising his own
baseness, a man should treat his own will with
contempt.

The second is outwardly to show this self-
contempt both in dress and manners and by
choosing work of a mean and servile character.

The third is to be patient when despised by
others.

The fourth is to rejoice in being despised.

The fifth is to desire with the whole heart to
be despised by others.

Twelve other degrees of humility. 

The first degree is the fear of God.

The second, is to deny our own will.

The third, is obedience.

The fourth, is patience.

The fifth, is the confession of sins.

The sixth, is contempt of oneself.

The seventh, is to prefer others to oneself,
esteeming them more highly.

The eighth, is to avoid singularity in outward
things.

The ninth, is to be silent unless spoken to.

The tenth, is not to be prompt to laughter.

The eleventh, is to speak little and with
gravity.

The twelfth, is to prefer a low estate and
occupation.

St John of Avila (1499-1569), Pray for us!

And to Divide the week into stages of the Passion of Christ: – read here – https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/05/10/thought-for-the-day-10-may/st-john-of-avila-pray-for-us-no-10 may 2017.2

Posted in QUOTES of the SAINTS

Quote of the Day – 19 December

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Quote of the Day – 19 December

“Humility is the only thing
that no devil can imitate.
If pride made demons out of angels,
there is no doubt that humility
could make angels out of demons.”

~~~ St John Climacus

church-1881227_960_720

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS

Quote of the Day – 15 December

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Quote of the Day – 15 December

“Those who refuse to be humble cannot be saved.”

~~~ St Bede

590edb63a2f32dbe565b57613753001a