True humility, though deeply hidden in the heart, will express itself “for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Lk 6:46; Mt 12:34), says our Lord. And thus did Jesus show in his interactions with men. Did he ever seek to exalt himself? No.
My glory is nothing, he said. He spoke always of his Father’s glory in such magnificence that the Apostles, filled with wonder, said to him at the Last Supper: “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” (Jn 14:8)
Let us here examine if our close friends have reason to think that our hearts are full of the thought of God, and that we desire above all things to promote his glory.
Do we rather speak often of ourselves?
Even in our own praise, do we boast of our good works past or present, our qualities or talents? Do we often blame others, obstinately defend our own opinions, answer with bitterness those who may contradict us? If so, can we flatter ourselves that we are really ‘humble of heart’?
Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp323
The Bread of Life
“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate manna in the desert and yet they died. The bread which comes down from heaven is such that he who eats it never dies.” (Jn 6:48-50) Jesus made this marvellous announcement in the synagogue at Capernaum.
Our Lord continued: “I myself am the living bread which has come down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread he shall live forever; and the bread which I shall give is my flesh for the life of the world.” (Jn 6:52)
Jesus reveals the great mystery of the Blessed Eucharist. His words are so realistic that they exclude any other interpretation. Without faith, his words are meaningless. If the presence of Christ in the Eucharist is accepted by faith, then the revelation of Jesus is clear and unmistakable; and he shows us what God’s infinite love has for us.
‘Adoro te devote, latens deitas, quae sub his figuris vere latitas’: “Godhead here in hiding, whom do I adore, Masked by these bare shadows, shape and nothing more”, we say with St Thomas Aquinas in that hymn adopted by the Church’s Liturgy many centuries ago. It is an expression of faith and of piety that can help us express our love, because it forms a summary of the principal points of catholic doctrine on this sacred Mystery.
Our faith in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist has to be firm: “We believe that as the bread and wine consecrated by Christ at the Last Supper were converted into his Body and his Blood, which were immediately offered for us on the Cross, thus also the bread and wine consecrated by the priest are converted into the Body and Blood of Christ, sitting gloriously in heaven. We believe that the mysterious presence of Our Lord, under the appearance of those elements, which continue appearing to our senses in the same fashion as before, is a true, real and substantial presence.” (Paul VI, “The Creed of the People of God”, 24)
Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 2:405-7
Humility
“Truth, St Thomas says, lies in the understanding in so far as it is in agreement with the known object; and one could add that, if a man is not humble, he will find it difficult to know and accept the truth just as it is, in all its scope and with all it entails.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, 24 October 1965)
The virtue of humility resents its name and all that it implies. In other words, no other virtue is less valued and so little and so badly known; no other Christian virtue is so ignored and so deformed. The virtue of humility is a humiliated virtue. I cannot work out whether more harm is done it by people just forgetting about it and jeering at it or by the inaccurate and embarassing way some people present it.
It is very, very necessary for us Christians to get to know this virtue better and have a real grasp of its importance; to strive to acquire and practice it correctly. In this way we can show forth its true features to the eyes of the world suffering from vanity and pride.
We ought to feel that Jesus Christ is inviting us to this effective and forgotten apostolate of good example when he says: “Learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart.” (Mt 11:29)
That’s how our Lord wants us to be; to have that humility which is born in our heart and makes our actions fruitful. For the other humility, which is born and dies on our lips, is false: a caricature.
Words, actions, manners, cannot in themselves create a virtue; but they can deform one. Our mind can open up for us the road of the heart and help us place there, to good effect, the seed of true humility which, with time and God’s grace, will put down deep roots and yield sweet fruits.
True humility begins at that bright point where the mind discovers and admits, sufficiently clearly for the heart to be able to love it, the simple, deep, basic truth that “without me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). We ought to learn to break, with our proud hands, the white bread of evangelical truth and spread it out before our clouded eyes, which give so much importance to our ego and our qualities.
Look: all our efforts to be better and grow in love for Jesus and in the practice of the evangelical virtues will be in vain if his grace doesn’t help us: “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” (Ps 127:1) No amount of vigilance, no matter how attentive and constant, will be of any use without the strong and loving protection of his grace: “Unless the Lord guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain.” (Ps 127:1)
A sincere and prudently humble heart will never be upset by anything. The humble soul puts self-esteem and others’ regard into God’s hands. And he knows there they will be safe. Let Mary’s humility be our consolation and our model.
Ref: Cf Salvatore Canals, “Jesus as friend”, 1981, pp37-9
• In the year 371, there fell from heaven, at Arras, something like white wool mixed with heavy rain, of which mention is made by St Jerome, and it is maintained that the famine being great in the country, the inhabitants of Arras had recourse to the Blessed Virgin, who sent them this heavenly present, commonly called manna, some remains of which are still to be seen in the church dedicated in her honor. — Archives of the Abbey of Trull. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• “Notre Dame d'Arras”. France. 371. Mary saves the people of Arras from famine by sending them bread from heaven. Black Madonna. The most remarkable primitive Gothic cathedral in “Pas-de-Calais” was “Notre Dame d'Arras”, but the cathedral, like many others in this war-torn region, was destroyed. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady preserved the inhabitants of Arras from famine by sending bread from heaven. (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
• Our Lady of Arras, France (371). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.htm); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)
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