Pathway to Purpose: Humility
"The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit." Ps 34:18
"For you do not desire sacrifce or else I would give it. You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart You will not despise." Ps 51: 16,17.
If there is one key to the spiritual life, one quality above all others that without which the interior life cannot abide, without a doubt it must be humility. That is why pride and despair care such huge obstacles to growing nearer to Christ. If we think we are anything other than unworthy servants, his grace will not manifest itself. If we ever despair and give up, the journey is over. If we humble ourselves, and with a broken spirit come before his presence, he is always more than willing to grant us his greatest gift: himself.
Asceticism starts the journey toward purpose. We must discipline ourselves for the trip, remind our bodies and souls what our destination is, and struggle against the passions to grown nearer to our own hearts, and to His. If in our fasting, prayer and struggle we grow cold and angry, we are fasting and praying without humility. I heard a wise priest during Great Lent once say if your fasting leads to anger, go have a cheeseburger and get over it, until you can fast with humility. It is true, without humility and for the right reason, asceticism is nothing.
Countless passages in the bible point to the steadfast love and unending mercy of God. There are no sins that can separate us from himself, except our pride in not being willing to come to him on his terms. If we get our selves to the point of saying "Lord, not my will, but yours be done" everything in the interior realm will be ours. Through aceticism, we teach our bodies and passions brokeness. This is the goal of self discipline. If we struggle, and take the motive of giving up ourselves and finding him, our stuggle will not be in vain.
Jesus said "If any man is willing to do his will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God..." John 17:17. God, in his infinite mercy and love, is simply waiting for our call. He awaits our hearts to give up on seeking our own way, and to come before him in humility. True humility is not self degradation; it is not loudly proclaiming how unworthy we are. Some of the most vocal flagelants I have met are probably some of the most prideful people. Instead, we should be like the publican, with silence and solitude in God's presence beating our breast before him.
Amma Theodora, from the sayings of the desert fathers (and mothers), recites: "There was a hermit who was able to banish the demons and he asked them, "what makes you go away? Is it fasting?" They replied "we do not eat or drink." "Is it vigils?" They replied "we do not sleep." Is it separation from the world?" "We live in the deserts." "What power sends you away then?" They said "nothing can overcome us but only humility." Abba John the dwarf said "humility and the fear of God are above all virtues."
So we see aceticism by itself is nothing, yet with humilty it is of great value. The desert fathers did not give up their struggle, they fought all the harder against the passions but in humility recognizing it is through God that they will overcome. And so we take the next step in our pathway towards finding purpose in life. "He has shown you, O man, what the Lord requires of you. But to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8
"For you do not desire sacrifce or else I would give it. You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart You will not despise." Ps 51: 16,17.
If there is one key to the spiritual life, one quality above all others that without which the interior life cannot abide, without a doubt it must be humility. That is why pride and despair care such huge obstacles to growing nearer to Christ. If we think we are anything other than unworthy servants, his grace will not manifest itself. If we ever despair and give up, the journey is over. If we humble ourselves, and with a broken spirit come before his presence, he is always more than willing to grant us his greatest gift: himself.
Asceticism starts the journey toward purpose. We must discipline ourselves for the trip, remind our bodies and souls what our destination is, and struggle against the passions to grown nearer to our own hearts, and to His. If in our fasting, prayer and struggle we grow cold and angry, we are fasting and praying without humility. I heard a wise priest during Great Lent once say if your fasting leads to anger, go have a cheeseburger and get over it, until you can fast with humility. It is true, without humility and for the right reason, asceticism is nothing.
Countless passages in the bible point to the steadfast love and unending mercy of God. There are no sins that can separate us from himself, except our pride in not being willing to come to him on his terms. If we get our selves to the point of saying "Lord, not my will, but yours be done" everything in the interior realm will be ours. Through aceticism, we teach our bodies and passions brokeness. This is the goal of self discipline. If we struggle, and take the motive of giving up ourselves and finding him, our stuggle will not be in vain.
Jesus said "If any man is willing to do his will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God..." John 17:17. God, in his infinite mercy and love, is simply waiting for our call. He awaits our hearts to give up on seeking our own way, and to come before him in humility. True humility is not self degradation; it is not loudly proclaiming how unworthy we are. Some of the most vocal flagelants I have met are probably some of the most prideful people. Instead, we should be like the publican, with silence and solitude in God's presence beating our breast before him.
Amma Theodora, from the sayings of the desert fathers (and mothers), recites: "There was a hermit who was able to banish the demons and he asked them, "what makes you go away? Is it fasting?" They replied "we do not eat or drink." "Is it vigils?" They replied "we do not sleep." Is it separation from the world?" "We live in the deserts." "What power sends you away then?" They said "nothing can overcome us but only humility." Abba John the dwarf said "humility and the fear of God are above all virtues."
So we see aceticism by itself is nothing, yet with humilty it is of great value. The desert fathers did not give up their struggle, they fought all the harder against the passions but in humility recognizing it is through God that they will overcome. And so we take the next step in our pathway towards finding purpose in life. "He has shown you, O man, what the Lord requires of you. But to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8
posted by Jeff at
6:29 AM
