Strength in Humility
In the 21st century, we often seek approval from society. We need to learn to let go of the desire of being approved by others. As Catholics and as Christians, we need to understand that we will certainly run into people who despise us for who we are and for what we believe. But, are we supposed to run away or stand up for what we believe? The answer is not to fight by using violence, but to grow in humility. As Christians, we need to embrace our crosses and grow in humility, instead of pleasing people for the sake of our own ego and bowing down to societal pressure.
Recently, I have been praying and meditating on the Litany of Humility and one line stuck out to me: “That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus grant me the grace to desire it.” What does this mean? We need not be afraid of being less successful than others. It is time to stop comparing ourselves to others. Are you envious that you did not receive that promotion at work, but your fellow co-worker did? Are you envious of others when others get better grades on tests? Do you sometimes wish you had someone else’s good looks or talents? Embrace that cross, and squash your feelings of envy. It is God’s perfect will that you have what he gave you and nothing more. Keep faith. God’s love is only going to shower you more in the future. We need to pray to God that He may give us the graces we need to desire in order to live a life full of humility, rather than envy and disappointment. Life is not a race to the top. It is not a competition between men. In the same regard, holiness is not a race to the top, nor is it a competition. We are all called to be holy men and women of God and to have an eternal outlook. We need to set our priorities straight and do all we can on this Earth to get to Heaven. So, there is no point in making it into a competition.
In a world filled with competition, the virtue of humility is often overlooked. Who wants to be the little guy? Who wants to be the guy who gets stepped all over like a “Welcome Home” doormat? That was me - the one guy that didn’t stand up for himself. I was ridiculed, outcast, humiliated, and thrown under the bus. I learned quite the lesson. And I grew in humility because of it. Contrary to what society might tell you, it’s perfectly fine not to suck up to people just to get approval from them. “But, that way, it won’t get you anywhere! You won’t succeed!” Yes…and? Why does it matter? You must be willing to let go of that desire to always succeed and be ahead of others. “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34). Are you willing to deny yourself, take up your cross and embrace it, just like Jesus did? Are you willing to let go of your desires of being praised, of always being the center of attention, of being prideful? If you are, put it into practice, in school or at work. If not, take some time at the end of the day, or whenever you have time, and pray about it. It’s not the easiest thing to pray about. You can’t just write about humility; it has to be experienced out in the world. It’ll take some time. But in the end, I hope your pursuit of this virtue will help you share the beauty of humility with friends and family.