Jan
28
2015
By Anonymous (not verified)
Saint Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225-1274) was nothing if not humble.
That may sound strange when talking about the man known as the Common Doctor of Catholic theology, a man who wrote "proofs" for the existence of God and set out to write a summation of theology. And yet it was his humility that allowed him to be so great.
He was humble before God and the creations of God, humble before reality, accepting it for what it is, rather than for what he wanted it to be. That humility before the reality of things allowed him to see them clearly and know them deeply, a knowledge that could lead to the sort of love to which all Christians are called.
Eventually, that humility allowed him to cooperate with God's grace and reach such heights of mystical vision that he said, "I can do no more. Such secrets have been revealed to me that all I have written now appears to be of little value."
In an age of intellectual pride and great confusion of mind and heart, let us turn to St. Thomas Aquinas for his intercession, that we may grow in humility and purity all the days of our lives so as to join him with Jesus and all the hosts of heaven at the end of our lives.
That may sound strange when talking about the man known as the Common Doctor of Catholic theology, a man who wrote "proofs" for the existence of God and set out to write a summation of theology. And yet it was his humility that allowed him to be so great.
He was humble before God and the creations of God, humble before reality, accepting it for what it is, rather than for what he wanted it to be. That humility before the reality of things allowed him to see them clearly and know them deeply, a knowledge that could lead to the sort of love to which all Christians are called.
Eventually, that humility allowed him to cooperate with God's grace and reach such heights of mystical vision that he said, "I can do no more. Such secrets have been revealed to me that all I have written now appears to be of little value."
In an age of intellectual pride and great confusion of mind and heart, let us turn to St. Thomas Aquinas for his intercession, that we may grow in humility and purity all the days of our lives so as to join him with Jesus and all the hosts of heaven at the end of our lives.
Litany of Humility by Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930), Secretary of State for Pope Saint Pius X
O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved...
From the desire of being extolled ...
From the desire of being honored ...
From the desire of being praised ...
From the desire of being preferred to others...
From the desire of being consulted ...
From the desire of being approved ...
From the fear of being humiliated ...
From the fear of being despised ...
From the fear of suffering rebukes ...
From the fear of being calumniated ...
From the fear of being forgotten ...
From the fear of being ridiculed ...
From the fear of being wronged ...
From the fear of being suspected ...
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I ...
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease ...
That others may be chosen and I set aside ...
That others may be praised and I unnoticed ...
That others may be preferred to me in everything...
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should...
DWL2
