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130 pages

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Humility is the key to all the virtues. It's the necessary foundation for growth in all the others. If we do not know ourselves-if we cannot see our flaws and strengths (but especially our flaws)-clearly, how can we grow in virtue? How can we begin to make ourselves less and God more? Indeed, in our age of social media where it's a constant race to appear the best, to put up a front, to show others a false image (and to show ourselves a false image) cultivating humility is perhaps more important now than ever. Know Thyself then is an invaluable resource for a prideful age. Adapted from Rev. Fr. Cajetan da Bergamo's classic Humility of Heart and supplemented with writings from the saints and powerful scripture passages, Know Thyself will reinvigorate you each day in the struggle to be like Christ, to be "meek and humble of heart." This beautiful hardcover book-with updated language for the contemporary reader and reorganized with a logical progression-is perfect for everyday use. New features that help you put your reading into spiritual action include: Saints quote for every day followed by a short meditation on humility.With Prayers for Humility and Scripture Verses on HumilityGuided meditations that will bring about a deeper self-knowledge Are you having problems in a family relationship? Struggling to find fulfillment in your work? Do you find it difficult to have regular, deep prayer? Whatever your struggle, growing in true humility will help solve it. Spend the next 100 days with this book-spend the next 100 days contemplating, meditating upon, and growing in humility-and your problems, your struggles will improve. That's the power of humility and that's the power of Know Thyself.

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Philosophie et théologie

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Publié par	TAN Books
Date de parution	22 juillet 2019
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781505112870
Langue	English

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KNOW THYSELF
100 Guided Meditations on Humility of Heart
PRESENTED TO
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NAME
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DATE / OCCASION
PERSONAL NOTE
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KNOW THYSELF
100 Guided Meditations on Humility of Heart
Adapted from the writings of Rev. Fr. Cajetan da Bergamo With thoughts from the saints, prayers and scripture readings
Edited and compiled by Ryan Grant
TAN Books Charlotte, North Carolina
Know Thyself: 100 Guided Meditations on Humility of Heart © 2018 TAN Books
All rights reserved. With the exception of short excerpts used in critical review, no part of this work may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in any form whatsoever, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
This compilation is derived from the TAN Edition of Humility of Heart by Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo, Capuchin, 1660-1753, Translated from the Italian by Herbert Cardinal Vaughan, 1832-1903. First published circa 1905. Published by TAN Books in 1978 by photographic reproduction from a 1944 reprint edition of Newman Bookshop, Westminster, Maryland. Selected, retypeset, with minor copy editing, and republished by TAN Books in 2006. Quotes from saints and prayers compiled from public domain sources.
Unless otherwise noted, the editor’s use of the Douay-Rheims Version for biblical quotations has been retained. Typography and changes in this edition are the property of TAN Books and may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher.
Cover & interior design by David Ferris, www.davidferrisdesign.com
Sacred Heart cover image adapted from Holy card, dedicated to the Sacred Heart, 1906 (printed card), French School, (19th century)/Private Collection/Bridgeman Images
ISBN: 978-1-50511-286-3
Published in the United States by
TAN Books PO Box 410487 Charlotte, NC 28241
www.TANBooks.com
Printed in the United States of America
Virtus humilitatis augeatur obtrunceturque vitium superbiæ omnibus membris Ecclessiæ militantis .
†
In all the members of the Church militant, may the virtue of humility might be increased and the vice of pride and all evils flowing from it might be extinguished .
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Meditations
Prayers for Humility
Scripture Verses for Humility
Bibliography
INTRODUCTION
T he spiritual writers assure us that humility is the foundation virtue, the beginning of the spiritual life, the thing necessary for our prayers to have any merit whatsoever, and so on. There are many sentiments of the saints in regard to our need for humility. St. Augustine of Hippo tells us: “In the soul where this virtue does not exist, there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.” St. Thomas Aquinas notes that “humility properly regards the subjection of man to God.” 1 St. Cyprian says it is “the foundation of sanctity.” St. Jerome says it is “the first Christian virtue.” St. Elizabeth Anne Seton warns us that: “The gate of Heaven is very low; only the humble can enter it.” Conversely, pride, the vice opposite to humility, is the font of all vices, just as humility is the foundation of all virtues.
Yet, what really is humility? We can quote scholastic definitions, or the catechism, and these are all important and have their place. Nevertheless, do these tell us what humility is for every man, a clear do this and you will attain it? Interestingly, no, because the self-same virtue must also be applied to each and every individual, and he may do acts that for him are true acts of humility, and for another man would be the height of pride. Humility is a virtue which carries with it a lot of apparent contradictions. On the one hand I must possess it, on the other hand, if I think I have it then I am not truly humble. Then, there are those who inadvertently cultivate a false humility, because they take pride in trying to practice humility in their actions, and feel even more pride when someone notices. Others imagine they are humble because they have many virtues, and it seems to them as they must possess humility then, when really they don’t. It is said that in the ancient world the philosopher Plato invited the philosopher Diogenes to dinner. Diogenes made it a doctrine to despise gold, the trappings of wealth and power, as well as worldly gain. When he appeared in Plato’s house in his filthy rags, he noticed expensive drapery had been hung up. Then, the humble dinner guest tore one down and stamped on it. “What are you doing?” Plato inquired. “I am trampling Plato’s pride,” was the reply. To this, Plato answered: “You are indeed, but in doing so you are showing your own pride, but in another way.”
This paradox of humility often confronts those embarking on the spiritual life. If knowing I am humble means I am not actually humble at all, and knowing I am prideful usually means I am actually quite proud, how in the world does any man attain humility?
The process is a daily battle, and does not have an end. It is said of St. John Vianney that the devil came to tempt him to pride on his death bed, but while the devil was in the process of praising the saint for how humble he was, his retort was, “I’m not dead yet.” Certainly the holy Curé had developed the virtue of humility, but he was blessedly unaware of it, and even at the moment of death was still working on cultivating this virtue.
This book, Know Thyself is intended to assist the reader in the same process. The meditations are drawn from Cardinal Bergamo’s Humility of Heart , lightly edited and arranged in logical order as well as combined with a quote from a saint. An appendix has also been provided with scripture quotes as well as prayers from the Church and saints to assist you in examining every aspect of your life where you could go astray on the path to humility. Frequent meditation in this area will help us whittle away our own contradictions, see our hidden vanities, and root out our false expressions of humility and virtue. The thoughts and meditations contained here will help a man in any state of life examine himself frequently so that, reminded again and again, he may make his life an imitation of the virtue of humility in Christ. Indeed, if Christ is God, yet chose to empty himself and take the form of man, what right have we, dust and ashes, to think so highly of ourselves? Every last thing in this work points to Christ, meek and humble of heart, Who would have us share in His humility if we are willing to enter into the combat.
–The Editor
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1 St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, II-II, q. 162, a. 1c
MEDITATIONS
MEDITATION 1
If men would consider how glorious a thing it is to imitate in this life the humility of the Son of God, and would picture to themselves to what a height of glory this humility would lead them, we should find very few proud men. But since the majority of men measure everything by their senses and by human considerations, we must not be astonished if the number of the humble is small, and the number of the proud infinite.
–St. Robert Bellarmine

J esus Christ calls us all into His school to learn, not to work miracles nor to astonish the world by marvelous enterprises, but to be humble of heart. “Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart” ( Matthew 11:29 ). He has not called every one to be doctors, preachers or priests, nor has He bestowed on all the gift of restoring sight to the blind, healing the sick, raising the dead or casting out devils, but to all He has said: “Learn of Me to be humble of heart,” and to all He has given the power to learn humility of Him. Innumerable things are worthy of imitation in the Incarnate Son of God, but He only asks us to imitate His humility. What then? Must we suppose that all the treasures of Divine Wisdom which were in Christ are to be reduced to the virtue of humility? Humility contains all things because in this virtue is truth; therefore God must also dwell therein, since He is the truth.
The Savior might have said: “Learn of Me to be chaste, humble, prudent, just, wise, abstemious, etc.” But He only says: “Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart;” and in humility alone He includes all things, because as St. Thomas so truly says, “Acquired humility is in a certain sense the greatest good.” Therefore, whoever possesses this virtue may be said, as to his proximate disposition, to possess all virtues, and he who lacks it, lacks all.
MEDITATION 2
We must never glance at what is good in ourselves, much less ponder over it, but we should search out what is wrong and what is lacking. This is an excellent way of remaining humble.
–St. Vincent de Paul

T here is a kind of humility which is of counsel and of perfection such as that which desires and seeks the contempt of others; but there is also a humility which is of necessity and of precept, without which, says Christ, we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven: “Thou shalt not enter into the kingdom of heaven” ( Matthew 18:3 ). And this consists in not esteeming ourselves and in not wishing to be esteemed by others above what we really are.
No one can deny this truth, that humility is essential to all those who wish to be saved. “No one reaches the kingdom of heaven except by humility,” says St. Augustine.
But I ask, what is practically this humility which is so necessary? When we are told that faith and hope are necessary, it is also explained to us what we are to believe and to hope. In like manner, when humility is said to be necessary, in what should its practice consist except in the lowest opinion of ourselves? It is in this moral sense that the humility of the heart has been explained by the fathers of the Church. But can I say with truth that I possess this humility which I recognize as necessary and obligatory? What care or solicitude do I display to acquire it?
How and when do I practice its acts, acknowle