True Humility and Its Signs
True Humility and Its Signs
Last week’s lecture was an answer to a question directed to His Holiness the Pope… and he said:
True humility is not humility of appearance, nor merely humility of the mouth, such as saying “I am a sinner” and “I am unworthy.” Rather, true humility lies in the depths of the heart.
If one says that he is a sinner or that he is unworthy, he must be fully convinced of this in his heart. Let us contemplate this humility:
True Humility and Its Signs
A humble person does not judge others, does not insult others, and does not despise them. Rather, he feels that he is the least of all people, and he tries to receive a blessing from everyone and benefit from everyone.
The humble person is not stubborn, does not argue much, does not interrupt others in speech, and places others before himself in honor.
The humble person does not become angry at offense nor become agitated, but says, “This is because of my sins,” as David said when Shimei the son of Gera cursed him.
He who becomes heated because of his personal dignity is not truly humble. The humble person does not become angry with anyone, nor does he anger anyone, as much as he is able.
The humble person is simple, accepts everything calmly, and is peaceful toward all. He is meek, quiet, and gentle, like a breeze.
The humble person treats everyone with respect, even those who are less than him.
He is not haughty, does not swell with pride, does not speak to anyone from above, and does not think of himself as something. As Saint Barsanuphius said: “Do not consider yourself anything in any matter, and no one will consider you anything, and you will find rest.”
The humble person is inwardly crushed before himself. His sin is before him at all times. In his depths he feels brokenness and unworthiness, and he lives a life of thanksgiving.
He thanks God for every situation and for the least little thing, because he is certain that he does not deserve even the least. And if the Lord places him in a position, he remembers God “who raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap.”
He does not glorify himself, nor rejoice in the glory that comes to him from outside, nor seek it. He does not seek gifts, nor feel worthy of them. He does not seek a certain position for himself, nor distinguish himself in anything.
The humble person does not think of himself at all, but hides and denies himself. He hides his virtues even from himself and does not let his left hand know what his right hand is doing. He forgets his virtues and remembers only his mistakes.
He forgets his virtues because he is occupied with other deeper virtues which he practices and forgets.
He forgets the bad deeds of people and remembers only their good deeds.
Humility is an inner virtue within, based on a person’s knowledge of himself. The humble person does not try to belittle himself, but he is certain of his smallness.
The humble person does not measure himself by the weak in order to see that he is better than them, but looks at the virtues of the saints, and all his works become small before him…
The humble person gives thanks for mere existence, for mere life. He even gives thanks for trials and tribulations and sees that he deserves greater punishments.
From the depth of his feeling of unworthiness, he does not dare to ask for anything. His prayer is thanksgiving, not petition. His only request is forgiveness…
He feels that what has been given to him is above what he asks and above what he deserves, and he has not thanked for it as he should, so how can he ask for more…
If a person reaches the depth of humility, his prayer turns into praise and glorification, and he forgets himself completely in prayer…
Truly, who am I, that I should remember myself in the presence of God?
Humility carries within its meaning “self-denial.”
If someone praises a humble person, he becomes ashamed and considers himself a hypocrite, appearing other than his true self, or as if he is stealing the glory of God and attributing it to himself…
He does not trust himself that he can do anything good, but attributes every good in him to God alone, without pretense. He does not rely on his intelligence or understanding. As the Scripture says: “Lean not on your own understanding.”
Therefore, the humble person is much in prayer, asking for help in little and in much. Even matters that seem simple, he sees as needing prayer.
He is small in his own eyes, and smaller than all people. Therefore he says about others: this one is deeper than I in prayer, this one is more knowledgeable, this one is smarter, this one is higher, this one is stronger… and he respects all.
Thus the humble person learns from everyone, even from nature and animals.
He learns activity from the ant, skill from the bee, order from the heavenly bodies. He learns faith from the birds that do not gather into barns, trusting that God feeds them. He learns silence from the talkative. He sees that every person has a virtue over him.
Saint Abba Anthony, in the beginning of his ascetic life, learned a virtue from every monk. Saint Macarius learned from a cowherd and asked a profitable word from the boy Zachariah… and thus all the saints were refined.
The humble person continually feels that he receives more than he gives…
But the proud person thinks in his giving that he receives nothing from anyone!
The humble person is far from all manifestations of worldly greatness and ascetic arrogance.
He does not care about grandeur of appearance, position, authority, or people’s respect. Likewise, he distances himself from ascetic appearances that bring him the respect of the spiritual, such as displays of fasting, asceticism, solitude, and hypocrisy in spiritual matters…
Pride cast down the devil from his glory as a chief angel, and cast down man who wanted to become knowing like God…
Therefore it was said in the Paradise of the Fathers: “If you see a young man ascending to heaven by his own will, pull him down.” And the Scripture says:
“Before destruction is pride, and before a fall a haughty spirit.”
All who fell became proud before they fell, because the humble never fall. Tall buildings fall, but the ground that is below does not fall; so also is the humble.
Therefore it was said: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” How difficult is the phrase “God resists.” And how difficult is what was said in this meaning in the book of Isaiah the prophet (Isaiah 2:12–17):
“For the Lord of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up—and it shall be brought low—against all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up, and against all the oaks of Bashan; against all the high mountains, and against all the hills that are lifted up… The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.”
If your heart is lifted up, fear for yourself, lest you be near to falling. If you trust in yourself, if you think you are something, fear, for before a fall is a haughty spirit. And as the Apostle said: “Do not be haughty, but fear” (Romans 11:20).
The humble person does not trust himself, even if he is in the depth of holiness. He does not say, I have been saved from sin, but says:
Perhaps because of my weakness, the Lord has lifted the war from me, or the demons despised me and did not fight me. For if my heart is lifted up, the Lord will lift His grace from me, and I will fall. I am not greater than those who have fallen. For sin has slain all her mighty ones…
I now live in rest from sin, not because I am strong and have conquered sin, but because the Lord has removed the war from me so that I do not fall into despair and loss of hope because of my continual falling…
When the demons see a humble person, they flee, because they see in him the image of his humble Creator who defeated them and emptied Himself…
How many are the stories of the saints who overcame the demons by their humility, such as Saint Macarius and Saint Anthony the Great, and others.
Saint Anthony said to the demons: “O strong ones, what do you want with me, the weak one? I am too weak to fight even the smallest of you.”
I say this, remembering those who try to cast out the devil by cursing them and striking the possessed, bringing fire near them, and rebuking them without humility…!
The humble person hides himself and does not speak of his virtues, nor explain what he has reached spiritually, nor say, “I have become… and I have become…”
The virtues we reveal are easily snatched away by the demon of vainglory. They may stir the envy of the devil, and he fights us more violently to make us fall.
The humble person empties himself, but the proud heaps upon himself piles of worldly glory, ascetic glory, stories of spiritual experiences, glory of gifts, glory of knowledge and understanding, glory of authority and leadership… and continues piling upon himself until he no longer finds himself…
The person who thinks that sin no longer has authority over him, how can he pray and say, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow”? From what will the Lord cleanse and wash him?
The humble person is loved by people, because he is a rare type…
Lovers of greatness are found everywhere. But the humble are few. Many argue, teach others, persuade, and boast of knowledge. But rare is the one who says, “I do not know.”
The humble person consults much and asks to understand. But the proud has no elder to ask, from the excess of his confidence in his own knowledge…
It is difficult for him to find a guide, because he does not trust that there is anyone superior to him. And if he consults someone, he tests his opinion, argues with him, and may not be convinced by his guidance! Therefore, since he finds no one fit to guide him, he claims that he learns directly from God, and that he receives guidance directly from the Holy Spirit and not from a human being!!
Wretched is he whose heart grows too great for guidance, for the Scripture says: “Those without counsel fall like leaves.”
If a person increases in his pride, he rebels against every authority…
He does not accept advice or direction from anyone: not from parents at home, nor from relatives, nor from teachers, nor from leaders, nor from spiritual fathers. He may change his father of confession, considering that he is no longer suitable for his level… He becomes proud over the word “Our Father,” and over the word “Our Master,” and over prostration, as the Protestants do!
The humble person continually asks for repentance and does not claim for himself high ranks that he has reached. Therefore he weeps for his sins continually.
But the proud, since he finds no sins of his own to weep over, weeps only over the sins of people. He describes everyone as sinful and in need of “salvation,” “renewal,” and “fullness”…!
The humble person is compassionate and gentle toward everyone. But the proud is hard-hearted, looks at people with disgust and arrogance, and judges them…
The humble person is helped by his brokenness to confess his sins. But the proud finds it difficult to confess even to himself that he has sinned. Confession shatters the idol of the self which he worships…
An article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III – in Al-Keraza Magazine – Year Seven (Issue Thirty-Seven) – 10-9-1976
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