10 April 2013 On acquiring and becoming confirmed in humility If we desire the friendship of any one, we avoid what could hurt him. If, then, we desire humility to describe our life, we must beware that nothing in our thoughts, words, or actions would hint of pride or nurture vanity. Consider these: 1) avoid complacency about past good actions; but rather contrast them to our sins; 2) meet temptations of pride by interior acts of humility; 3) avoid speaking of ourselves, either well or ill, without sufficient cause; 4) seek not to dominate in conversation, or to impose our opinion on others; and 5) we must avoid ostentation, immodesty, pretence and anything that wounds humility. Moral virtues are never infused. We must acquire them for ourselves, and diligently practise them. Thus, the maxims: ‘There is no humility without humiliations.’ Or ‘Humiliation is the best way to learn humility.’ What hinders us is a want of courage to deny ourselves. God, however, takes pity on us, and sends us humiliations. These may come as mental sufferings, doubts, scruples, painful and humiliating temptations which oblige us to seek help. Or debilitating sickness makes us useless when we had thought ourselves indispensable. It may be some cruel calumny which attacks our reputation. A painful misunderstanding arises despite our most anxious efforts. God permits them for our good, for aspiring to a high degree of humility. Instead of complaining, profit from them. Cast down, pray as King David did: ‘It is good for me that Thou hast humbled me.’ Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp376-8 Fortitude in difficult circumstances In our circumstances, when attitudes draw people away from God, we must feel a call from Our Lord to show with the example of our lives that the Risen Christ is among us; for without him, man and this world will always be disoriented. If darkness is great, need for light is greater. We must struggle against the current, relying on a life of personal prayer, fortified by the presence of Jesus Christ in the Tabernacle. Our interior struggle to reject worldly values must be more meaningful. Among the greatest fruits we must draw from difficulties, whatever they are, is to be more aware of Our Lord, to be more generous in prayer and sacrifice. We cannot forget that our supernatural objective is an arduous good which demands a vigorous response full of fortitude, a cardinal virtue which helps remove obstacles and the fears which can hinder the will from resolutely following Our Lord. (Cf St Thomas, “Summa Theologiae”, II-II, q122, a3) God always gives the necessary graces at every moment and in all circumstances. When we face contradictions in our environment we should be nonetheless serene and cheerful. It will be the same joy as the Apostles had, “because they had been worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus” (Acts 5:41). St John Chrysostom points out: “... it does not say that they did not suffer, but that the suffering caused them joy. ... “We can see this in the account of the freedom which they immediately put to good use; immediately after being scourged they gave themselves up to preaching with admirable intensity.” (St John Chrysostom, “Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles”, 14) Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 2:401-2 Merciful Justice God, who is always merciful even when he punishes, “put a mark on Cain, lest anyone should kill him on sight” (Gen 4:15). He thus gave him a distinctive sign, not to condemn him to the hatred of others, but to protect and defend him from those wishing to kill him, even out of a desire to avenge Abel’s death. Not even a murderer loses his personal dignity, and God himself pledges to guarantee this. And it is precisely here that the paradoxical mystery of the merciful justice of God is shown forth. As St Ambrose writes: ‘God drove Cain out of his presence and sent him into exile far from his native land, so that he passed from a life of human kindness to one which was more akin to the rude existence of a wild beast. God, who preferred the correction rather than the death of a sinner, did not desire that a homicide be punished by the exaction of another act of homicide.’ Ref: Pope John Paul II, “Breakfast With the Pope”, 1995, 6 • Our Lady of Laval, in Viverais. This church is much visited for obtaining rain to preserve the fruits of the earth. — Triple Couronne, n. 41. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com) • “Notre Dame de Laval”. Viverais, France. 1646. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Our Lady of Laval (1646). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html) • Our Lady of Laval (Viverais, France). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)