The Act of Humility
“I will speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes.” – Genesis 18:27
The act of Humility is the second point in the preparation for Mental Prayer. It is very certain that those who consider attentively the grandeur, the majesty, and the supreme eminence of God, ought necessarily to recognise their own vileness and to acknowledge their unworthiness to appear in the Divine Presence. Nevertheless, because God is the sovereign goodness and an ocean of infinite perfections upon which our whole good depends, we can take the liberty of presenting ourselves before Him, in spite of our base- ness, in spite of our nothingness and of our ordinary faults, in spite even of the most enormous sins which make us rather subjects for His rigorous justice than objects of His compassionate mercy. This is why, in profoundly adoring His supreme grandeur, we should humble ourselves in the depths of our misery, earnestly beseeching God to deign to hear us in His mercy, although we be but so much dust and ashes, poor worms of the earth, the height of imperfection, and the slaves of many vices; and although we have trod His divine inspirations under foot, and carried our effrontery to revolting against His dread Majesty.
We can prostrate and humble ourselves in the Presence of God in different ways:
First of all, as rebellious vassals who have taken up arms against their lawful Prince, and who, at this moment, counting on His mercy, come humbly to demand pardon, and with His pardon hope to receive of His divine liberality.
Secondly, as the miserably poor who exhibit to the rich and the compassionate their sores, their ulcers and their extreme want, in order to receive some help.
Thirdly, as subjects who present petitions and requests to their Sovereign, in order to obtain some gift or the fulfilment of their desires.
Fourthly, as prodigal children who return to their Father’s house with fear and confusion; or even as children high-born and virtuous who approach their Father respectfully to treat with Him of family affairs.
The act of Humility which we make in the Presence of God should not go all alone: it should be accompanied with great confidence in the Divine Goodness which, in spite of our baseness, incapacity, and unworthiness, allows us to present ourselves before Him, nay, even draws us thither and makes our wants known to us in order that we may represent them to Him, and that He may thus succour and assist us with His grace to relieve our miseries.
An Example of the Act of Humility
“He looketh upon the earth and maketh it tremble; He toucheth the mountains and they smoke.” – Psalm 103:32
O Ineffable Goodness! O most merciful Father! O God Whose mercy is eternal! The angels in paradise and the holiest of men tremble in Thy Presence; the columns of heaven shake before Thee; the leading Seraphim beat their wings incessantly at the appearance of Thy dread Majesty, and the foundations of the earth tremble before the awe-inspiring glance of Thy eyes; and yet Thou allowest me, who am but dirt and corruption, to approach Thy Throne, to contemplate Thee, to speak to Thee, to deal with Thee familiarly as a friend with a friend.
Alas! What can I do, what should I do, but admire Thy sovereign grandeur, throw myself at Thy feet with a humble and contrite heart, and boldly avow that I am still only too content to remain prostrate before Thee with fear and confusion, since, being a mass of misery, darkness and sin, I deserve to be eternally banished from the sight of Thy fatherly goodness, and be dismissed with the damned rather than be allowed to appear before Thy Divine Majesty. Nevertheless, as Thou art truly a God full of goodness and mercy, Who wiliest not the death of a sinner, I address myself to Thee to know Thy adorable will, and to consider the strict obligation I am under to acquit myself perfectly of holy obedience.