During a homily on a recent Sunday, I heard a wonderful story about the nature of humility. The priest told us that whenever he thought about humility, he remembered an event that happened to him while on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The group that he was with had a gentleman who was a bit challenging to “teach.” In short, he thought that he knew everything about the Holy Land and our Catholic faith.
The priest explained that the Basilica of the Nativity has a front door that is very small and narrow. It was built during the time of invading armies that would destroy anything that was Christian. The Franciscans who were caretakers instructed pilgrims that they were to enter the Basilica stooped with their shoulders tucked inward. By entering this sacred space in this manner, they were exemplifying the virtue of humility.
The pilgrim, obviously thinking that this stance was not proper for a person of his prestige, entered the doorway stooped, but backwards. As his “back end” entered the Basilica first, it was immediately kicked with such force by the Franciscan who tended to the doorway that he landed on his face. The priest went on to explain that his comical story taught our pilgrim the meaning of humility.
I am reminded of this story as I continue my series on the Seven Keys to Spiritual Wellness. “Humility is being able to see ourselves as we really are, and as a result, being able to see others and God as they truly are. Humility is not a denial of our self-worth; it is an affirmation of the inherent worth and dignity of all people and a recognition of our place in that community of people. Humility is the constant recognition of our worth coupled with the recognition that there is always someone or something greater than ourselves.… Humility creates space for others, whereas a bloated sense of self-importance crowds others – and God – out. When we crowd out others and God from our lives we become accustomed to having control and to following our own will. We lose the ability to listen.”1
If this was not enough to make you pause and think, according to The Very Reverend Adolphe Tanuerey, S.S., D.D, a notable theologian, “Humility may be defined as a supernatural virtue, which through self-knowledge it imparts, inclines us to reckon ourselves at our true worth and to see self-effacement and contempt.”2 … “Humility is likewise the foundation of all virtues. If not the mother of all, it is at least their foster mother, and this from a twofold point of view: first in the sense that without it there is not solid virtue, and then what with it all other virtues grow in depth and perfection.”3
Both of these quotes caused me to stop and think. You see, unless we see ourselves as we are, both flawed and redeemed, we can never truly realize what God has done for us. This is where humility is born. Our innate value comes from the sole identity as being a child of God, a son or daughter of the King of Kings. Profound ownership of this amazing reality changes our perspective, our self-understanding. With Mary, we can truly sing, “My being proclaims the glory of God.” That is exceptionally remarkable!
1Paprocki, Joe. 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness: Enriching Your Faith by Strengthening the Health of Your Soul. Loyola Press, 2012. Pg. 10.
2Tanquerey, Adolphe S.S.,D.D. The Spiritual Life: A Treatise on Ascetical and Mystical Theology. Tan Books, 1930. Pg. 531.
3Tanquerey, pg. 537.
By Sister Geralyn Schmidt, SCC, Special to The Witness
