What is true Humility? by Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez

[Dawn Marie]

Passiontide with Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez
What is true Humility?

Francisco de Zurbarán La Visión del Beato Alonso Rodríguez Royal Academy of San Fernando

Saint Laurence Justinian says that nobody knows well what humility is, but he who has received the gift thereof from God; that it is of itself very hard to be known, and that there is nothing in which man deceives himself so much as in the knowing what true humility is.

You think, says he, that it consists in saying, you are a sinner, and a miserable creature. If it consisted in that, nothing in the world would be easier; we should all be humble, for we all speak in that manner, and God grant, we believe what we say, and that our words on the occasion are not mere matter of form.

You think that humility consists also in wearing plain clothes, and in employing yourself in mean and despicable offices; by no means—there may still lurk a great deal of pride at bottom. It may very well happen, that by adopting this mode you wish to distinguish yourself from others, and to pass for a better and more humble man than they, and so all may be but a sort of refined pride. Note that these exterior things, as I shall hereafter shew, contribute much to true humility, when they are made use of as they ought, but, after all, it does not consist therein.

"Many," says Saint Jerome, "embrace the shadow and appearance of humility, but few embrace humility itself." It is very easy to look down upon the ground, to speak in a humble tone, to fetch a sigh or two, now and then, and to own one's self a sinner and a miserable creature at every word; but, if you say any thing to these persons which may hurt their feelings in the least, you will see how far they are from true humility. "Let, therefore," adds Saint Jerome, "all feigned and affected language be dropped; it is patience that shows a man to be truly humble"; it is that which is the touch-stone of humility.

Saint Bernard explains more particularly in what this virtue consists, and gives this definition of it. "Humility," says he, "is a virtue whereby a man, from a true knowledge of himself, becomes vile in his own eyes." Humility consists not therefore in words, nor in the exterior; it consists in the sentiments of the heart, in having a low and mean opinion of ourselves founded on the deep sense we have of our own nothingness; and in desiring to be despised by all the world.

Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez [SJ]

The Exercise of Perfection and Christian Virtues

1609

[Alley]

Knowledge of yourself is the key! The more you know about yourself the

more you see you have to work on. 

 

[Dawn Marie]

TheRomanCatholiWorld.com

by Marielena Montesino de Stuart

Is “Pope” Francis really humble?


The first thing that an authentically humble person does is to not draw attention to his or her humility. But “Pope” Francis is determined to teach us a lesson on humility by running around Rome paying his own hotel bills—“with his own money.” It appears that he does not understand that there is no such thing as a member of the Catholic clergy having “his own money”. This is the money that has been given to the Church for more than 2,000 years by faithful Catholics– from the very poor to the very rich.

But most important– since when does paying for your own hotel bill constitute an act of humility?

Wasn’t the former Cardinal Bergoglio elevated to the papacy, so that he would try to save a Church whose hierarchy is in free fall—and to clean up the corruption that has infiltrated the Curia? Now, that would be an act of humility for Holy Mother Church.

Is humility a virtue? St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas have something to say…

Humility—“is sometimes done merely as to outward signs and pretense: wherefore this is “false humility,” of which Augustine says in a letter (Ep. cxlix) that it is “grievous pride,” … sometimes, however, this is done by an inward movement of the soul, and in this way, properly speaking, humility is reckoned a virtue, because virtue does not consist in externals…” – From Saint Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica.

In other words, humility is only authentic when it is internal– and not a public show.

Humility and the Throne of Peter

Humility, for someone who has been chosen as the successor of St. Peter, means that he must humbly accept and respect the traditions of the papacy. This is not something that Bergoglio is willing to do. In his quest to prove to the world that he is “humble”– he is actually showing that he is obstinate in his pride.
Bergoglio’s “humble” display has more to do with bowing to the crowds of believers and non-believers and being “ecumenically correct”— while refusing to genuflect in the presence of Christ at the altar, as we have witnessed during this past week. Is this not a reflection of a man full of pride in the presence of God?

Popes throughout the ages have expressed their humility, without jumping off the Throne of Saint Peter, as if it were a carousel, as Bergoglio has done during this past week.

Popes throughout the ages have cared for and were loved by millions of poor Catholics around the world, while wearing the traditional red papal shoes—which represent the blood on Christ’s feet as he was beaten and whipped, during every step he took down the Via Dolorosa to face his death by crucifixion. These red papal shoes represent the Pope’s true humble submission to the divine authority of Jesus Christ—something Bergoglio is refusing to do.

Reprehensible misinformation: the elephant in the room

There are hundreds of comments being made by the Catholic and secular media about Francis’ humility, concern for the poor and about his opposition to abortion– and the fact that he prays to the Virgin Mary. But his lack of authentic humility before the Throne of Peter is treated like radioactive material.

Imagine that– a Cardinal who is pro-life, concerned for the poor and prays to the Mother of Christ! How impressive is that!

The fact that this is being reported as ‘big news’ by Catholics, is further evidence of the low expectations and lack of proper formation in the modernist world of Vatican II.

Then, there is the absolute reprehensible reporting of misinformation about the former Cardinal Bergoglio and his so-called opposition to gay marriage—when in fact he supported homosexual civil unions—until the Argentinian Episcopate gave him an ultimatum and told him to go out and start confronting the issue.

I have been following the press in various languages, including what is written by mainstream vaticanisti—and I have carefully noted how they avoid this elephant in the room.

On service to the poor

The Roman Catholic Church has been caring for the poor for more than 2,000 years—until Vatican II came along and started pilfering the coffers that were intended for works of charity, and for taking the message of Christ’s love and Divinity to the ends of the earth.

Vatican II and its administrators, to a great extent, have spent a tremendous amount of the Church’s money on socialist indoctrination and immoral causes, including the scandalous cover-up of pederasty committed by homosexual members of the clergy. At the very least, Francis has been an advocate of the modernist socialist agenda in the Church, under the disguise of “social justice”.

Of course there have been works of charity done under Vatican II—but they have been greatly diminished by the loss of donations and by the exodus of Catholics who are feeling disoriented and abandoned, after 50 years of socialist and progressive experimentation coming out of Rome.

In the name of “social justice and “interfaith dialogue” –the architects of the Vatican II agenda and their traveling companions, have essentially opened the package, stolen the money and resealed the package with bogus contents.

Indeed, this will be “a poor Church for the poor” as Francis recently stated—and let’s not forget that this is a man who claims to speak the language of the poor, so it is disingenuous to, all of a sudden, turn his words into mystical messages beyond our grasp.

Bergoglio means what he says—and if he has it his way, it will be a Church with her flock wandering aimlessly amidst the ruins.

[Cathleen]

Very thought provoking and sobering.  Thank you for posting this.  He raises a lot of very good points.