Larry's World

2 February 2020

Humility

Nothing is more opposed to God than pride, for self-deification is concealed
in it, its own nothingness or sin. Thus more than anything humility is acceptable
to God, which considers itself nothing, and attributes all goodness, honor, and
glory to God alone. Pride does not accept grace, because it is full of itself, while
humility easily accepts grace, because it is free from itself, and from all that is
created. God creates out of nothing. As long as we think that we can offer
something of ourselves, He does not begin His work in us. Humility is the salt
of virtue. As salt gives flavor to food, so humility gives perfection to virtue.
Without salt, food goes bad easily, and without humility, virtue is easily spoiled
by pride, vainglory, impatience - and it perishes. There is a humility which a
man gains by his own struggles: knowing his own insufficiency, accusing himself
for his failings, not allowing himself to judge others. And there is a humility into
which God leads a man through the things that happen to him: allowing him to
experience afflictions, humiliations, and deprivations.

                                              St. Philaret of Moscow, The Glory of the Mother of God