On Humility

First Point - There are many who are patient, charitable, liberal, chaste and austere, but how rarely does one find a truly humble man? The other virtues outside of humility can make honest men, good pagans let us say, but they can not make good Christians. Without humility there can be no Christianity; and, on the other hand, without Christianity there can be no humility. Only a true Christian can be humble, and only a truly humble man can be a true Christian. Pagan philosophers have extolled other virtues, but they have ignored humility. Hence it is that our divine Saviour has given Himself as our model of humility. "Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart." (Matthew 11:29)

Second Point - Humility is as necessary to salvation as Baptism. Why is it we believe that Baptism is so necessary? It is because Jesus Christ has said, "Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he can not enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5) And did not Christ command His disciples to be humble when He said, "Unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3) Why, therefore, do you believe that Baptism is necessary for salvation, and that humility is not, or, at least, why do you live as if that were your belief? Are not both equally sustained by the word of God? Faith teaches us that there can be no salvation for us unless we live in conformity with Christ and His holy law. The gospel and our own reason teach us that there can be no conformity with Christ without humility. Do not faith and reason unite in condemning our pride, and cause us to regard it as a mark of reprobation?

Third Point - Humility is a virtue which can be practised in every state and condition of life. The obligation to practise this virtue rests equally on the great and on the lowly. The lowly are often humiliated without being humble. The great often desire to be humble without being humiliated. The great ought to be humble when they realize that they depend absolutely on God, and that all that they have comes from Him. They should be humble when they reflect that their greatness will serve them to no purpose, unless they humble themselves before God. They should be humble when they know that their life is opposed to the life of their Master, Christ, and that their sin is consequently a greater reason for them to be humble, because it is a great obstacle to conformity with Christ and His law.

Ask Christ to teach you the admirable doctrine of humility, since He alone is the Master of it.

Unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 18:3

Although you humble yourself to the dust you will not be more humble than Christ. - Saint Jerome

- text taken from Meditations for Every Day in a Month, by Father François Nepveu