Cajetan Mary da Bergamo - Know Thyself: 100 Guided Meditations on Humility of Heart

T he spiritual writers assure us that humility is the foundation virtue, the beginning of the spiritual life, the thing necessary for our prayers to have any merit whatsoever, and so on. There are many sentiments of the saints in regard to our need for humility. St. Augustine of Hippo tells us: In the soul where this virtue does not exist, there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance. St. Thomas Aquinas notes that humility properly regards the subjection of man to God. St. Cyprian says it is the foundation of sanctity. St. Jerome says it is the first Christian virtue. St. Elizabeth Anne Seton warns us that: The gate of Heaven is very low; only the humble can enter it. Conversely, pride, the vice opposite to humility, is the font of all vices, just as humility is the foundation of all virtues.

Yet, what really is humility? We can quote scholastic definitions, or the catechism, and these are all important and have their place. Nevertheless, do these tell us what humility is for every man, a clear do this and you will attain it? Interestingly, no, because the self-same virtue must also be applied to each and every individual, and he may do acts that for him are true acts of humility, and for another man would be the height of pride. Humility is a virtue which carries with it a lot of apparent contradictions. On the one hand I must possess it, on the other hand, if I think I have it then I am not truly humble. Then, there are those who inadvertently cultivate a false humility, because they take pride in trying to practice humility in their actions, and feel even more pride when someone notices. Others imagine they are humble because they have many virtues, and it seems to them as they must possess humility then, when really they dont. It is said that in the ancient world the philosopher Plato invited the philosopher Diogenes to dinner. Diogenes made it a doctrine to despise gold, the trappings of wealth and power, as well as worldly gain. When he appeared in Platos house in his filthy rags, he noticed expensive drapery had been hung up. Then, the humble dinner guest tore one down and stamped on it. What are you doing? Plato inquired. I am trampling Platos pride, was the reply. To this, Plato answered: You are indeed, but in doing so you are showing your own pride, but in another way.

This paradox of humility often confronts those embarking on the spiritual life. If knowing I am humble means I am not actually humble at all, and knowing I am prideful usually means I am actually quite proud, how in the world does any man attain humility?

The process is a daily battle, and does not have an end. It is said of St. John Vianney that the devil came to tempt him to pride on his death bed, but while the devil was in the process of praising the saint for how humble he was, his retort was, Im not dead yet. Certainly the holy Cur had developed the virtue of humility, but he was blessedly unaware of it, and even at the moment of death was still working on cultivating this virtue.

This book, Know Thyself is intended to assist the reader in the same process. The meditations are drawn from Cardinal Bergamos Humility of Heart, lightly edited and arranged in logical order as well as combined with a quote from a saint. An appendix has also been provided with scripture quotes as well as prayers from the Church and saints to assist you in examining every aspect of your life where you could go astray on the path to humility. Frequent meditation in this area will help us whittle away our own contradictions, see our hidden vanities, and root out our false expressions of humility and virtue. The thoughts and meditations contained here will help a man in any state of life examine himself frequently so that, reminded again and again, he may make his life an imitation of the virtue of humility in Christ. Indeed, if Christ is God, yet chose to empty himself and take the form of man, what right have we, dust and ashes, to think so highly of ourselves? Every last thing in this work points to Christ, meek and humble of heart, Who would have us share in His humility if we are willing to enter into the combat.

The Editor

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St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, II-II, q. 162, a. 1c