The first reading from the Book of Sirach states, “Humble yourself… and you will find favor with God”. The focus of my reflections today will be the virtue of humility. The examples of various saints are the concrete focus since the saints are our models of humility.
Saint Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower, admired the great saints who she thought were like spiritual athletes climbing the mountain to God. A child who was unable to climb that mountain was what she thought of herself. She thought she could reach the spiritual heights by raising her arms and asking God to pick her up. God would obviously take her up and put her at the level of the great saints and even higher if God wanted. Trust in God and the humility of this great saint is what we see in this little nugget from her.
Mother Teresa is another humble saint. Heads of states and many people in authority often surrounded her. Places of honor were often avoided by her and instead she would find the least important person in the room and get close to that individual. Recalling this from Mother Teresa’s life helped me also to recall an event from my previous parish. A group of girls came to a Parish Festival to perform a folkloric Mexican dance. There were about six ten-years-old girls and a six-years-old girl. This six-years-old girl, as you would suspect, stole the show.
Mother Teresa came to my mind at that moment and after the performance I went and hugged that little girl and picked her up in my arms so that everyone would congratulate the group and especially her. Holding her up in my arms I also recalled Saint Therese, the Little Flower. The simplicity of that girl allowed her to reach higher than the other girls.
The word humility comes from the Latin word ‘humus’ meaning ground, soil. The humble person is the person who is firmly on the ground, the one who lives in reality with his/her feet on earth. Saint Thomas Aquinas said that humility is truth.
The Book od Sirach gives us one way to practice humility: “What is too sublime for you, seek not, into things beyond your strength search not”. The risk of pursuing things that are beyond our capacities is avoided by the virtue of humility. Humility is also needed to avoid the other extreme which is not trying what our abilities are able to reach.
Pope John Paul I, whose beatification is set for Sunday, September 4th, said that humility goes with magnanimity. He said, “To prevent our souls aspiring to great things in an exaggerated way, we need humility; and in order to avoid being afraid in the face of difficulties, we need magnanimity”. Saint Paul is one the best examples we have of someone who was able to distinguish this difference. His terrible sufferings did not depress him; divine revelations did not exalt him.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton also is an example in this respect. Her lack of financial resources as a widow and mother of five little children and the resistance from the New York society of her time did not depress her. She dreamed big regarding the Catholic education of children and she always kept her feet on the ground doing what was appropriate to reach her potential at each moment of her life. Her perseverance took her far and high while she always remained humble.
Ending this reflection on humility with a mention to our beautiful patron saint was intentional. The reason is that today is her birthday! Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton was born on August 28th, 1774, two years before our nation’s Independence Day. The choir will graciously sing a hymn in honor of her today.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton was born in New York City 248 years ago. I would like to invite you to think about the privileged opportunity we will have in two years’ time on occasion of her 250th birthday.