The second step of humility is that a man loves not his own will nor takes pleasure in the satisfaction of his desires; rather, he shall imitate by his actions that saying of the Lord: I have come not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me (John 6:38).
The Rule of St. Benedict, 7:31-32
Tag: humility
The First Step of Humility
The first step of humility, then, is that a man keeps the fear of God always before his eyes.
The Rule of St. Benedict, 7:10
It’s fitting that the first step on the path to humility is to focus the gaze on God, who is the center of all things. In order to feel the proper amount of humility, the amount requisite to our status as fallen beings, we must be reminded that we are not the center of the universe, and that our word is not the final one.
The concept of the fear of God is one that is often problematic in more progressive or affirming strands of Christianity. A God who is all loving is hard to square with a God who is also to be feared. But I think it is an important element of our relationship with God. We should fear God because God is the most awesome, the most majestic, the most incomprehensible. Our minds cannot wrap themselves around God, and this is a properly fear-inducing thing for limited beings. It’s not a fear borne of terror and control; instead, it is a fear borne of the majesty that is God, and the mystery that is wrapped up with that. And so, in order that we might not exalt and overinflate ourselves, we must keep our eyes on just how much more great God is than us – indeed, on the fact that no human category of greatness or majesty or awe can contain or describe God, that God is so far beyond human understanding of those things that it is almost comical to use those words.
The Twelves Steps of Humility
Earlier this year, after reading through Thomas Merton, I decided to read The Rule of St. Benedict. Written sometime in the 6th century, the Rule is considered the starting point for all monastic rules and orders, a point of inspiration for anyone who desires a more systematic way of discipleship. As the Friends of St. Benedict write, “Although written for monastics, many of the issues addressed in the Rule can be applied to life in the world outside the monastic community. The qualities which make up a valued life – humility, patience, simplicity, solitude, caring for others, and living in community – concern everyone.”
I wanted to take a few posts to single out chapter 7 of the Rule in particular, titled simply “Humility.” St. Benedict details 12 steps required for ascension on the heavenly ladder. He contrasts humility with exaltation, which causes descent on the same ladder. Here is St. Benedict:
Brothers, divine Scripture calls to us saying: Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted (Luke 14:11; 18:14). In saying this, therefore, it shows us that every exaltation is a kind of pride, which the Prophet indicates he has shunned, saying: Lord, my heart is not exalted; my eyes are not lifted up and I have not walked in the ways of the great nor gone after marvels beyond me (Ps 130 [131]:1)
I was particularly struck by chapter 7, not least because of its programmatic nature. Humility is one of the Christian virtues I think about most often, because I have my own tendency to seek exaltation and pridefully reach for acclaim and recognition. So, over the course of the next few posts, I will go through the 12 steps St. Benedict lays out, in order to tease out some insight into each. I may have a lot to say about one, or not much, but I think surveying the steps of ascension of this ladder will certainly be an edifying task.
Justin DaMetz 