Sermon & Sayings
Sermon of St. Augustine
On the Fear of God and on True Humility · De Tempore, Serm. ccxii.
David, the Royal Prophet and Psalmist, who, as the Scriptures testify, being a man after God’s own heart, performed His every will; this holy Prophet, I say, dearly beloved brethren, in a certain passage pointed out to us what it is that our Creator desires and loves, crying out in these words—“Who is as the Lord our God Who dwells on high, and looks down upon the low things in heaven and in earth?”20
It is only by the steps of humility that the heights of heaven can be reached, for not by means of pride do we mount to God on high, but in truth by humility, according to that which is written—“God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble.”22 Let us learn humility in order to enable us to approach the Lord, as He Himself said in the Gospel—“Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart, and you shall find rest to your souls.”24
In one who is not humble and meek the grace of the Holy Spirit can never dwell. God humbled Himself in order to save us. Let man blush to be proud. As profoundly as the heart abases itself in humility, so high does it rise in perfection: for he who is humble shall be exalted in glory. The less you are in your own estimation the greater will you be in the sight of God. But the proud man, the more illustrious he appears to be to the world, the more contemptible will he be before God.
Be well on your guard, O man, lest you make a boast of your virtue; for you shall not yourself be your own judge, but Another, before Whom strive to keep yourself lowly of heart, in order that He may exalt you in the day of recompense. Descend, therefore, in order to ascend. Humble yourself that you may be exalted, lest having exalted yourself you should be humbled. Be therefore little in your own eyes, so as to be great in the eyes of God.
But this virtue of humility no man can have without the fear of God, because the one cannot exist without the other. “The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.”29 There is the fear of children and there is the fear of servants. Servants fear their masters for the dread of punishment, but children fear for the love of their father. If we be children of God, let us fear Him for the sweetness of charity, not out of the bitterness of fear.
“Fear the Lord all you His saints, for there is no want to them that fear Him. The rich have wanted and suffered hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not be deprived of any good.”37
Once more, I beseech you, to nourish interiorly within your heart true humility, and by its unfeigned practice, to instill it into your neighbors, so that they also, being edified by your good example, may glorify God, and in union with you, strive to obtain an eternal reward in heaven, through the help and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
Various Thoughts on Humility
Know, you humble, that our Redeemer “humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death.”38 Know, you proud, that of your Chief it is written, “He is king over all the children of pride.”39 The beginning of our ruin was the pride of the devil, and the cause of our redemption was the humility of God.
— St. Gregory the Great
In nothing can the two virtues of humility and charity be separated. For as humility is a part of charity, so is charity a part of humility.
— St. Ambrose
Charity is preserved by means of humility, for there is nothing which destroys it so quickly as pride.
— St. Augustine
He who knows that he is dust and ashes, and into dust must soon return, will never proudly exalt himself.
— St. Jerome
My son, have a care above all things of humility, for this, of all virtues, is the most sublime, and the ladder whereby to reach the summit of perfection. The humble man, on the contrary, shuns every earthly honor, reckons himself as the least of men—yet he stands eminently high before God.
— St. Basil the Great
The poor in spirit are the humble of heart. Humility is the beginning of all good, and the origin of every evil is pride.
— St. John Chrysostom
Behold wherein consists the foundation of humility: to reckon one’s self a sinner, and to believe that one has done nothing well in the sight of God.
— St. John Damascene
The true humility of the faithful soul lies in this: not to pride one’s self upon anything—but in all things to thank God and to praise Him.
— St. Anselm
The just man is a humble man. If we also be found humble, we likewise shall spring up as the lily, and we shall flower for all eternity before the Lord.
— St. Bernard
True humility makes no display of being such, and does not speak much of itself, because it not only desires to hide all other virtues, but more especially seeks to conceal itself.
— St. Francis of Sales
When you are offered an insult, bear it with patience, and increase your love towards him who shows you contempt. This is the touchstone for ascertaining whether or not a man be humble and holy.
— St. Alphonsus Liguori
The humble man God protects and delivers; the humble man He loves and comforts. Never think that you have made any progress till you look upon yourself as inferior to all.
— The Imitation of Christ
The root of all evil is pride; that of all good is charity. Charity alone knows how to resist the spirit of pride.
— Cardinal Bona
“If any man thinks himself to be something, whereas he is nothing, he deceives himself.”49 Of yourself you are nothing—Nihil es.
— Father Paul Segneri
When you are praised and honored by others, unite yourself to the contempts, the derisions, the insults suffered by the Son of God.
— St. Vincent de Paul
My children, be humble: be lowly.
— St. Philip Neri
Prayer
To implore the grace of devotion and of humility
O Lord, my God, You are all my good, and who am I that I should dare speak to You? I am Your most poor servant and a wretched little worm, much poorer and more contemptible than I can conceive or dare express. Yet remember, O Lord, that I am nothing, I have nothing, and can do nothing. You alone are good, just, and holy. Remember Your tender mercies, and fill my heart with Your grace. How can I support myself in this wretched life, unless Your mercy and grace strengthen me? O Lord, teach me to do Your will, teach me to converse worthily and humbly in Your sight—for You are my wisdom, Who know me in truth, and did know me before the world was made, and before I was born into the world.
— The Imitation of Christ, iii. 3
20. Ps. cxii. 5 · 21. Luke xiv. 11 · 22. James iv. 6 · 23. Ps. cxxxvii. 6 · 24. Matt. xi. 29 · 25. Prov. xi. 2 · 26. Ecclesiasticus iii. 20 · 27. Isaias lxvi. 2 · 28. Ecclesiasticus x. 9 · 29. Ps. cx. 9 · 30. Ecclesiasticus i. 13 · 31. Ps. cxxxviii. 7 · 32. Ecclesiasticus xxxiv · 33. Prov. xxviii. 14 · 34. Ecclesiasticus i. 27 · 35. Ps. cxi. 1 · 36. Ps. xviii. 10 · 37. Ps. xxxiii. 10–11 · 38. Phil. ii. 8 · 39. Job xli. 25 · 40. 1 Cor. xiii. 1–3 · 41. Matt. xi. 29 · 42. Ps. cxxx. 1 · 43. Matt. xviii. 3 · 44. Matt. xxii. 39, Rom. xiii. 10 · 45. Cant. ii. 1 · 46. Osee xiv. 6 · 47. Matt. iii. 15 · 48. Phil. iii. 21 · 49. Gal. vi. 3 · 50. Ps. lxxiii. 23