26 April 2020
On 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
On 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.
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