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Eleventh Saturday after Pentecost
- caelidomum
- Aug 29
- 3 min read
Eleventh Saturday after Pentecost. Twelfth Reason for Being Very Humble: Humility the Mother and Charm of Virtue.
Summary of the Morrow’s Meditation.
We will meditate to-morrow upon a twelfth reason for being very humble, which is that: 1st, humility is the mother of charity; 2d, that it is the beauty of it. We will thence deduce the resolution: 1st, to treat everyone with consideration and kindness, and to find happiness in the delicate attentions, the amiable kindnesses which charity inspires and which humility executes; 2d, to suffer all things whatsoever from every one and not to make any one suffer. Our spiritual nosegay shall be the words of St. Paul: “With honor preventing one another” (Rom. xii. 10).
Meditation for the Morning.
Let us adore Our Lord Jesus Christ bringing into the world the virtue of humility, of which even the very name was unknown before He came, and thereby preparing the way for charity, of which He was about to establish the reign here below. Let us thank Him for this double blessing, and let us conceive a great desire thoroughly to profit by it.
Humility is the Mother of Charity.
It is only the humble soul which always shows towards its neighbor those delicate attentions, that esteem and respect, and that kindness of behavior which constitute true charity, 1st. Charity, says St. Paul, is patient (I. Cor. xiii. 4); it suffers everything from others, without making anyone suffer. Now humility perfectly understands how to do so, but not pride, which is essentially impatient, and incapable of suffering contradiction, contempt, and a want of consideration (Prov. xiii. 10). 2d. Charity is neither jealous, envious, nor ambitious; far from envying the happiness of others or being annoyed at their success, it wishes it for them as much as it would for itself; it has so little ambition that there is nothing, however vile and low it may be, which it does not embrace with all its heart from love towards its neighbor. Now humility does all these things in simplicity, and pride will not hear of it. 3d. Charity, continues St. Paul, is not puffed up, does not know what it is to command arrogantly, to reprove with bitterness, to speak harshly, still less to treat any one whatever with contempt. Now humility excels in all these holy things, whilst pride acts in an entirely opposite manner. 4th. Charity is disinterested, and humility is also. As it does not esteem itself and esteems others as being better than itself, it places the interests of others always before its own. Pride thinks and acts in a quite opposite manner. 5th. Charity does not allow itself to be irritated; it is never embittered against or annoyed with anyone, no matter what cause for displeasure it may receive. Humility is capable of this moderation, but not pride. 6th. Charity does not think of the evil that has been done it, or which its enemies wish to do it; and far from considering it as an injury or calling down vengeance upon it, it dissimulates it, excuses and forgives it. Now we may expect all these dispositions from humility, but not from pride, 7th. Lastly, charity, far from rejoicing over the faults of its neighbor, places all its happiness in seeing him advance in the paths of justice and in seeing himself sur passed by others in virtue (I. Cor. xiii. 6). Now it is thus that humility thinks and reasons. Pride, on the contrary, impatient of all superiority or preference of others over itself, cannot hear anyone praised without trying to lessen what is said by an expression of censure. Let us examine by means of these seven characteristics whether a sincere humility has produced in us true charity.
Humility is the Charm of Charity.
Nothing is more amiable than the society of the man who is really humble. As he esteems himself to be the last of all, he is full of consideration and attention towards everyone. Convinced that no one owes him anything and that he owes everything to others, he treats every one with honor and respect; he suffers contradiction, want of consideration, even contempt and reproaches, as things which are due to him; he seems not to perceive any want of attention, any criticising words, or any ridicule; and he meets them with nothing but amiable manners, gracious words, and all the good offices which he can render. In him there is never any sign of haughtiness; he never shows by his tone in speaking any attachment to his own ideas and his own will; on the contrary, everything in him is modest, simple, and amiable. He is never offended, and does not know anything about the susceptibilities of self-love. Now who is there who does not understand how full of pleasantness must be the society of such a man ? It is the fruit of humility.
Resolutions and spiritual nosegay as above.
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