Good Day of the Lord to everyone.
Yes, yes, today is a major holy day for us feelthy papists. And in my heart I want there to be nothing that spurs controversy on this thread. And this is one of those days where we are boogeying over something which really upsets some of our brothers and sisters.
I propose this: that what we are so fired up about is the fulfillment of God’s promises to all the faithful. The great thing which we think God has brought to perfection in Mary He is bringing to perfection, He means to bring to perfection in all of us.
We can join in being astounded at the more than ‘shaken down, pressed together, running over’ munificence of God, the “I asked for a dime; He gave me a zillion dollars!” extravagance of His generosity.
Even a fatted calf would be a thousand times more than we deserve but HE gave his Son! A ring on our finger would be startling, but He puts a crown on our head!
In the vanity with which we contend, we want those around us to think that we, as we are now, are splendid. What blindness to want others to envy the meal of our dumpster-diving, the tattered rags hanging from our spiritually emaciated frames, when if we, for just a second, could put down all this nonsense we could be fed and satisfied, bathed and anointed and robed in majesty.
May God turn us again from our illusory grandeur to the wonder of what He in His Love has prepared for us. For just a second, may we me given forgetfulness of self as we are swept up in the glory — never our own — that is to be revealed in us.
Amen!
Think of the portrayal of Mary in the Passion of the Christ. Does that not resonate with all Christians?
For the mothers among us, consider the bond forged between Mary and Jesus during the nine months our Lord was in her very womb.
And scripturally, in the Magnificant, Mary's timless beautiful prayer ... "For he hath looked upon the low estate of his handmaid: For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed". ... Luke 1:48
In my humble opinion, Mary should bring us together rather than the opposite.
My Carmelite Secular Community (Third Order) is presently discussing , learning about and pondering this mercurial, elusive virtue of virtues, humility.
Our material is taken from the numerous and wonderful Scriptures about humility, and also from great conferences given by our Carmelite priests and from the counsels of saints. Every three years, in rotation, we begin again reviewing the foundation stone of humility.
Here are some very brief quotes from our material:
“Humility is to the various virtues what a chain is to the rosary; take away the chain and the beads are scattered; remove humility and all virtues vanish.”
The Cure of Ars, St. John Vianney
“Pride is not just thinking you are better than others, but the problem of thinking too much about yourselves at all. It is a preoccupation with self. Even the desire to be humble can become an all-about-you activity which negates the whole endeavor.” Fr. Chad Gion
“Genuine humility does not make one self-centered. Rather it relates one to God.” Fr. Gabriel Barry
“Whatever I have or hold You have given me; I give it all back to You.” St. Ignatius Loyola
“Make me distrust myself, but put my trust in You.” St Augustine
“The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility. For, as he does not know how to employ it, neither does he know how to defend himself against it.”
St. Vincent de Paul
“By pride we consider our good to have come from ourselves, to be directed to ourselves, for the sake of ourselves.” Fr. M. Eugene Boylan
“No man is good unless he is humble. Humility is the recognition of truth about oneself.” Bishop Fulton Sheen
“Humility is necessary not only for the acquisition of virtues, but even for salvation.” St. Bernard
“Every morning I make a resolution to practice humility and in the evening I recognize that I have committed again many faults of pride. At this I am tempted to become discouraged but I know that discouragement is also pride. Therefore, my God, I wish to base my hope on You alone.” St. Therese of Lisieux
“I must disappear, lose myself in Him” St. Elizabeth of the Trinity
“It is you who have accomplished all that we have done—it is from You only that we can call upon your Name” Isaiah 26: 12
“He who seeks only himself brings himself to ruin, whereas he who brings himself to naught for Me, discovers who he is” Matthew 10:19
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And how about this one from the 19th century, Presbyterian preacher Henry Drummond:
“Humility: to put a seal upon your lips and forget what you have done. After you have been kind, after love has stolen forth into the world and done its beautiful work, go back into the shade again and say nothing about it. Love, in humility, hides even from itself. Humility sweetens and purifies.”
(Drummond wrote a most beautiful little book called “The Greatest Thing in the World”, which is all about “...and the greatest of these is Love”. That tiny work is a treasure.
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And so, these are only a few selections that we use to ponder and reflect and discuss and pray about-and-for the virtue of humility.
Thanks for your ping and noting God’s awesome Love in His Redemptive efforts with all who earnestly call Him Lord.
Amen, brother.
Humility is the work of a lifetime, pride the work of a seconds impulse.