Today in Medjugorje Day By Day our B.V.M. speaks of humility;
Dear children, today I call you to humility. These days you
have felt great joy because of all the people who have come
here, and to whom you have spoken with love about your
experiences. With humility and an open heart, continue to
speak with all who are coming.
After reading this and the reflection afterward I couldn't help but see how often I fail in my search for my own life in humility. Being Franciscan humbleness should be almost second nature, and most of the time it is, as long as it's easily attainable, a virtue with no struggle. And I have come a long way in following the footsteps of St. Francis, and ultimately Our Lord Jesus Christ. But I fail, even as I write this I have failed, because in the back of my mind I'm wondering if anyone will read this, and if not, why not. What kind of humbleness is that??!! Some things in life take more strength to overcome, but I'm fooling myself, it is not strength in the way we think of strength. The strength I speak of is a grace from God, which we must ask for and then reach for and grab. Too often we (I!) complain and take the easy way out of a tough situation, knowing full well that in asking for I will receive but I don't ask, for what reason I haven't figured out yet. If we know God is there for us, why would we hesitate to ask for His gifts, to show our love for Him? I don't know. I guess I'm still mostly stuck in this world, and not striving hard enough for the next. And that brings me back to humbleness and humility, and lack thereof. I find myself making strides spiritually, and then dryness. But I believe the dryness, the distance from God is there for a reason, and that might be to give us time to contemplate what has taken place (in our life) and not to let a spiritual event slip away. Do not be lukewarm and Go deeper. Two sentences that I heard in Adoration months ago that I can hear today as clear as then. Two guideposts in my life. Sometimes I'm afraid of both those sentences, those, to me, sacred instructions from above because in following those to the spiritual end I'm not sure where I'll be going, and I'm not sure if I'm ready for that road, yet. The more we contemplate God, the closer we come to Him, the mystery of Him deepens. The baggage I find myself carrying on this road is enormous, and it wears me down. Lord, help me to loosen my own bonds! Give me the grace of humbleness and humility to make clear the road that leads straight to your heart.
Oh Lord, help me to more clearly Seek Your Face...
3 comments:
"Humility is not an outward behavior but an inner attitude, born of decision of the will. It is an attitude of perfect recognition of that which really IS, above all, it is a candid acceptance of this one thing: that man and humanity are neither God nor 'like God'. (The Four Cardinal Virtues, by Josef Pieper).
KAM, you demonstrate the attitude of humility. Your concerns about not striving hard enough, not sure of where you are going, and not sure you are ready, seem to be the difficulty we all have in growing in holiness, in growing in humility. It's that recognition that we are not "like God", as Pieper says. KAM, you are like all of us, we want to know what we cannot possibly know: Are we on the path, are we doing well, are we doing what God wills for us? If we knew those things, we would truly be "like God", in His eternal Wisdom, and His Truth. But that doesn't mean we can't strive to know those things, to yearn for greater Truth, to be ever closer.
But KAM, that is exactly what He promised us: that in the end, we will be ever closer to Him, beyond what we can imagine.
Don't beat yourself up for wanting what we were created to want: Him. Grow closer to Him by reading, by meditating, by praying, and by considering your actions in light of His. Then trust in Him to help guide you in His ways, to lead you home.
You don't have to know the path, just hold His hand.
Peace, my brother
KAM, The previous comment by DNBA is so wonderfully stated that there is not much more to add.
Oh Lord, help me to more clearly Seek Your Face... this is such a humble plead, one that stirs my soul deeply.
Stay the course my firend, slow and steady just like the Tortoise and the Hare :)
I also read this message on humility yesterday, it was nice to see it posted here.
A lesson here for all of us Kam. You certainly have a way with words and this post will give me something to reflect on for days. Thank you.
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