Humility Is a Powerful Virtue

Humility is often misunderstood as weakness, but it is actually a strength that opens the door to grace. Jeff discusses the powerful virtue of humility and its crucial role in living as an activated disciple. He shares insights from his recent pilgrimage to Poland and Czechia, highlighting the humble lives of saints like St.John Paul II, St.Maximilian Kolbe, and St. Edith Stein. 

Shownotes

Scripture Quotes

Romans 12:3
“For by the grace given to me I bid everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith which God has assigned to him.”

Ezekiel 28:17
“Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.”

Isaiah 14:13
“You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high…’”

Matthew 11:28–29
“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Philippians 2:8
“Having come to earth as a man, Jesus humbled himself and became obedient, even to the point of dying on the cross.”

Proverbs 11:2
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.”

Isaiah 66:2
“All these things my hand has made, and so all these things are mine, says the Lord. But this is the man to whom I will look: he that is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.”

James 4:6
“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

1 Peter 5:5
“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (repeated from James)

Proverbs 15:1
“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

Luke 12:1
“Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”

Quotes from Saints / Spiritual Writers

1. St. Thomas Aquinas 
   “Humility consists in keeping oneself within one’s own bounds, not reaching out to things above one, but submitting to one’s superior.”
2. St. Augustine
   “Humility is the foundation of all other virtues. Hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist, there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.”
3. Fr. Juan Luis Lorda (from The Virtues of Holiness)
   “The best business in the world would be buying men at what they’re worth and selling them at what they think they’re worth.”

Catechism of the Catholic Church References

• CCC 564: Jesus’ hidden life in Nazareth as an example of humility.
• CCC 566: Jesus’ humility shown in his baptism and temptation.