Humility
- is the foundation of the spiritual life
- is the acceptance of our nothingness
- is the relation of honesty with all reality: God, ourselves, others, all creation
Related Concepts
Reflection
Description
The experience of the presence of God is more humbling than the remembrance of our sins. It accompanies each stage of the Spiritual Journey and eventually merges with Love (Agape) in the Transforming Union. The opposite of humility is pride, which is the root of every sin.
Humility is a constant and permanent disposition that puts one in tune with the universe and with whatever is happening in the present moment, whether to oneself or others. Humility is very close to the virtue of Hope which thinks neither of the past nor of the future. It thinks nothing of reward; it simply is totally dependent on God’s mercy which is boundless. You might say that the whole spiritual journey might be summed up in the words “humble hope.”
Reflection: Listening
Humiliation sets off the emotional programs for happiness.
Reflection: Reflecting
Have you recently experienced humiliation? Were you able to wait, take time to process emotions, and pray so that you could act peacefully and not react?
Reflection: Responding
The truth sets us free. “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29)