Dr. Helen Titilola OLOJEDE

 

This week, we turn our attention to humility, one of the most essential virtues in the spiritual life. Yet humility is frequently misunderstood and misrepresented, so it is worth examining both what it is and what it is not.

To begin, true humility does not mean closing our eyes to our genuine talents, abilities, and accomplishments. When we deny or refuse to acknowledge the real gifts we possess, we are actually being ungrateful to God, who has graciously bestowed these abilities upon us. Suppose we have been blessed with skills in areas such as music, teaching, communication, preaching, artistic expression, or languages. In that case, it is not humble to deny these gifts or pretend that they are not there. Instead, we should recognise these abilities for what they are: gifts from God, and we should respond with gratitude for His generosity.

What truly contradicts the spirit of humility is taking personal credit for these gifts or boasting about our accomplishments as if we had created them ourselves. Additionally, false humility can manifest as self-deprecation or publicly running ourselves down in front of others. This behaviour, while appearing modest on the surface, can actually be a subtle form of pride, a way of fishing for compliments or seeking praise through an appearance of unworthiness.

So what, then, is genuine humility? True humility is fundamentally an acknowledgement of our complete dependence on God and our own nothingness before His infinite greatness. Saint Bernard offers a classical definition, describing humility as "the virtue by which a man becomes vile in his own eyes through a thorough knowledge of himself." Thomas Aquinas similarly defines it as the virtue through which we, having honestly assessed our own shortcomings and defects, accept our place in the lowest position appropriate to our station. These definitions invite us to examine ourselves and consider whether we truly embody humility in our own lives.

Richard F. Clarke provides additional insight, explaining that humility requires more than simply recognising our unworthiness or viewing ourselves as insignificant. Rather, we must genuinely accept and be satisfied with our nothingness. Perfect humility is achieved when the ego is so thoroughly eliminated that we're willing to be valued only according to what we truly deserve. True humility is present when, in all our thoughts, words, and actions, we focus exclusively on God's honour and glory rather than on our own advancement, benefit, or reputation.

Importantly, humility is not merely one virtue among many; it is absolutely essential for spiritual welfare and for receiving God's grace. Scripture teaches that God resists the proud but grants grace to the humble. Without humility, we position ourselves as enemies of God.

May the Virgin Mary help us cultivate this vital virtue in our own hearts.