**Getting Your Trinity Audio Player Ready**
Only once in Sacred Scripture, in the Gospel of Matthew (11:28-30), does Jesus describe the characteristics of His Sacred Heart:
> “Come to me all you who find life burdensome, and I will give you rest.
> Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.
> For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
These are the two essential qualities of His Sacred Heart that Jesus highlights: meekness and humility.
From this passage, the Church has formulated one of its most beautiful aspirations, which we can take into our hearts and repeat frequently during the course of the day. That prayer is:
> “Jesus meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto thine.”
Time and time again, Jesus insists on the dire importance of humility if we want to find God’s favor. God rejects the proud, and He lifts up the humble.
### The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican
This teaching is illustrated perfectly in the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18:9-14). The two go up to the temple to pray. The Pharisee names all his good points and praises himself. The Publican, on the other hand, remains in the back of the temple and does not even lift his eyes to pray, begging God to have mercy on him, a sinner.
### Our Lady’s Example of Humility
Our Lady gave us the perfect example by proclaiming herself the handmaid of the Lord. In her marvelous prayer, the Magnificat, she both praises God and humbles herself, saying,
> “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
> for he has looked upon the lowliness (humility) of his handmaid” (Luke 1:46-56).
Given that humility is essential to our growth in holiness, let us explore some practical ways in which we can strive for this virtue.
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### Practical Ways to Cultivate Humility
**1. Pray**
It has been said that we are greatest and highest—in the eyes of God—when we are on our knees. By praying, we acknowledge our dependence on God and not on ourselves. In the words of the “Doctor of Grace,” St. Augustine, pertinent to humility related to prayer:
> “We are all beggars before God.”
**2. Cultivate Gratitude**
How important it is for our holiness to cultivate an attitude of gratitude and to say often, both to God and to others, those significant words: “Thank you!” Humble people go out of their way to give thanks.
Jesus was both dismayed and hurt when, after healing the ten lepers, only one returned to give Him thanks. The one who returned recognized that his healing was a pure gift from the Heart of Jesus the Healer, the Divine Physician.
**3. Take the Last Place**
Jesus offers us the Parable of the Banquet, in which many were jostling to secure for themselves the best place, closest to the host. Jesus warned that when invited, we should take the last place and not the first. Then we will be first in the eyes of God. This is a sign of a humble heart!
**4. Do Not Curse Others**
Our natural tendency, when someone cuts us off on the road, is to utter nasty words or curse them. This is all too natural — not supernatural.
Jesus wants us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. These commands are found in the Sermon on the Mount, the Our Father, and even when He hung on the cross:
> “Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.”
**5. Compliment Others for Their Gifts**
One of the most poisonous attitudes in the spiritual life is jealousy or envy. When we give in to such feelings, we hurt God, ourselves, and others. By choosing to praise or compliment others instead, we win the spiritual battle—indeed, this is a victory in humility!
**6. Be First to Greet**
Imagine this everyday scene: you are walking towards someone you know, and the distance between you is lessening. Do you wait to be greeted first or take the initiative?
Whoever greets first is practicing a host of virtues: charity, courtesy, hospitality, affability, and, of course, humility. We put the other person before ourselves by choosing to greet first, and that is humility.
**7. Apologize**
This one is easier said than done! When we make a mistake or offend someone, it is easy to rationalize, justify, or sweep it under the rug. Such pride is insidious and prevalent.
A humble person is honest, capable of admitting their error and saying, “I am sorry.” Many relationships have been mended by these simple yet humble words.
**8. Listen Attentively**
St. James states clearly:
> “We should be slow to speak and quick to listen” (James 1:19).
A person who wants to do all the talking and refuses to listen often harbors pride and self-love. Conversely, one who listens attentively, encourages, and does not seek the last word displays great humility. The listener pleases Jesus, the best of speakers and listeners (see Luke 24 on Jesus and the disciples of Emmaus).
**9. Confess Your Sins**
Every time we prepare and make a good sacramental confession, our “humility thermometer” ascends to a soaring level.
Confessing with transparency, sincerity, and honesty our moral failings to the priest demands great humility. None of us like to reveal our spiritual shortcomings, but it is necessary to climb the ladder of humility and holiness.
**10. Have a Devotion to Mary**
Our Lady is the surest, quickest, and most efficacious pathway to Jesus. In *True Devotion to Mary*, the great Marian saint Louis de Montfort exalts Mary and ten of her most sublime virtues.
Among Mary’s greatest virtues is her profound humility. Of all God’s creatures, Mary was the greatest and by far the humblest. She recognized that all her gifts and virtues were pure gifts from God.
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### In Conclusion
In our pursuit of holiness, we must understand the paramount importance of humility. Yet more importantly, let us strive to put this essential virtue into practice daily.
May we lift up our hearts often throughout the day, longing for holiness and humility, and pray:
> **Jesus meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto thine.**
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*Image from Wikimedia Commons*
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**Dive deeper with Fr. Ed Broom, OMV**
Father Ed Broom is an Oblate of the Virgin Mary and author of *Total Consecration Through the Mysteries of the Rosary* and *From Humdrum to Holy*. He blogs regularly at Fr. Broom’s Blog.
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