Day Sixteen in Formation to Humility

Humility of Nothingness

In the past two exercises Canon Beaudenon shows the humility of Jesus in outward manifestions; this exercise shows how we must seek humility in His heart. It is a mystery how Jesus, as God and Man, could have a low opinion of Himself. We can justify his exterior acts of self-contempt, but why His sense of lowliness?

O Jesus, grant me to understand in this meditation 1) the mystery of Your humility; 2) Your humility produced by the sense of Your nothingness; 3) Your humility sustained by the Beatific Vision. Convince me and fill my soul with Your own love for humility. With the help of Your grace, I would have a heart-felt humility, a humility which will make me abase myself, and find joy in doing so.

The Mystery of the Humility of Nothingness in Jesus
Jesus said, "I am meek and humble of heart." The will to be humble came from His heart, and his heart knew its bitter-sweetness. The heart is a sanctuary of mystery; acts can be seen, but sentiments of the heart remain hidden; and these sentiments make the virtue.

Jesus moved the hearts of men and won them over not only by great sacrifices, but more so by giving His honor. It is easier to give one's life than to lose one's honor. Jesus leads the way into the path of humility by the duty of example. Humility of heart is the sense of one's litteness. Jesus is so great but made Himself little.

Humility Engendered in Jesus by the Sense of His Nothingness
Jesus is most beautiful: flesh pure and holy; intelligence free from illusion; His will controls all His movements; no strain or imperfection disfigures; virtues and gifts shine unsullied; angels prostrate before Him; He sees all below and above, past, present and future. Jesus' soul exhausts the concept of grace; His knowledge extends to all creation; His dignity infiinte adn body and soul subsits in unity of the Word, receiving adoration.

Amidst all this, Jesus is humble. He is fully aware of His greatness yet has a clear and definite notion of the littleness of His human nature. He sees that the divine dignity is but a splendid garment, a pure gift which overs pure nothingness. "The soul which it clothes, did not exist yesterday; each moment it would return to nothingness if it were not constantly sustained by Omnipotence; so fragile is the created, even in a Man-God."

The Humility of Jeuss Sustained by the Beaitific Vision
We know we are nothing but yet are not humble--because our nothingness is a thought not always present to our minds. Pride starts by being an aberration which becomes an illusion; it is never truth. A saint cannot be proud while the sight of God and his own nothingness in one vision does not leave him.

Our Lord while on earth enjoyed the Beatific vision and from this light derived His humility. "When the hosannas of the crowd ring out around Him, He does not raise His head. When spittle falls upon His face, His heart is not revolted. His thoughts are far above."

Here is a vision of faith: God infinite and always infinite; man, before God, nothingness in everything and always. This vision is found in saints' souls and in ignorant, simple souls. What use is our knowledge since it cannot equal this? We know our nothingness; but the saints and simple souls see it, feel it, touch it.

We must acquire this inner persuasion of our nothingness and be filled with it. We will feel it most when we place ourselves in the presence of God especially in mental prayer. In this way we prepare ourselves for the Beatific Vision of eternity. In Heaven or on earth, the one who sees God is humble.