THE BEACON ON THE BOULEVARD

       “Nothing about humility is respected.”  Humility that demands respect for being humble isn’t humility.  Humility that wants to be known or liked for being humble isn’t humility.  Nothing about humility is respected, or recognized, except by those striving for it too.  Humility means humus “ground.”  Humility is the desire to remain low to the ground.  That doesn’t mean look down, treat yourself like dirt and ask to be walked over.  That is shame.  Humility is looking up, eyes on Him.  True humility knows His goodness and humbled by His love, trusts Him, loves Him and does what it does for Him.  The reward for humility is the reward of knowing Jesus, the joy of His closeness in pleasing Him in what you do and how you do it, not dependent on any one else knowing it.  If we need proof humility pays, it’s not humility.  Like Jesus’ Cross and Forgiveness, humility makes absolutely no sense, but only because of Him.  He turned the world upside down, to turn it right side up.

       So what does humility look like?  It looks like what no one else sees.  It does not defend itself when it is misunderstood, judged or hated.  It cannot judge back, but bears the pains of wanting His love to change their heart.  It knows inwardly when they are right, staying true to Him.  It follows His lead more than other voices that would make it easier.  It does not despair when it is carrying a consistently heavier load that no one else sees, but leans silently on His strength.  It does not chase the affection or acceptance of others.  If it did, that tells Jesus His is not enough.  It chooses above all to surrender to Him to move in all things, willing to be moved to do some small part if He wills them to.  It believes in choosing trust and patience at the forefront, He will do more.  When we are seen less by others, we are seen more by Him.  One of the most humble souls on earth, an invisible saint and sister I want so much to be like is St. Faustina, Jesus’ precious daughter and apostle of Divine Mercy.  She desired so much to be unseen, accepting constant humiliations and silently suffering immensely for other souls, while inwardly ecstatic, immersed in the loving presence of God, overwhelmed in His mercy.  She wanted only to magnify Him as she decreased.  Jesus told her “Tell aching mankind to snuggle close to My merciful Heart, and I will fill it with peace. Tell all people My daughter, that I am Love and Mercy itself. When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls.” (Diary, 1074)  This is the reward of humility.