Reflection
Humility is the state of being honest before God and others. We are who we are; we do what we can do; we don’t pretend we are less than we are; we don’t pretend we are more than we are. We use our gifts freely and offer them to others without any ties. Humility is not a pose. It means recognizing our talents and achievements for what they are, things for which we can take credit but which impose upon us a responsibility. Humility means being true to ourselves and recognizing that even our greatest achievements are an inadequate return for all that we have received.
Prayer
Create in me a humble heart. O God.
Action
I will acknowledge my gifts and talents with gratitude and use them to bring about a more just and peace filled world.
Suggested Readings
My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God.
Sir 3:17-18
He told a parable to those who had been invited,
noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.
“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet,
do not recline at table in the place of honor.
A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him,
and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say,
‘Give your place to this man,’
and then you would proceed with embarrassment
to take the lowest place.
Rather, when you are invited,
go and take the lowest place
so that when the host comes to you he may say,
‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’
Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table.
For every one who exalts himself will be humbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Luke 14: 7- 19
Humility is nothing but truth, and pride is nothing but lying.
St. Vincent de Paul
He that places himself neither higher nor lower than he ought to do, exercises the truest humility.
Charles Caleb Colton
A man can counterfeit love, he can counterfeit faith, he can counterfeit hope and all the other graces, but it is very difficult to counterfeit humility.
D. L. Moody
The only humility that is really ours is not that which we try to show before God in prayer, but that which we carry with us in our daily conduct..
Andrew Murray
Be careful not to mistake insecurity and inadequacy for humility! Humility has nothing to do with the insecure and inadequate! Just like arrogance has nothing to do with greatness!
C. JoyBell C
Humility is freedom from your own driven ego.
Martha Kilpatrick
Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real.
Thomas Merton
A great man is always willing to be little.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Swallow your pride occasionally, it’s non-fattening!
Author Unknown