Both you and I have a long way to go to
humility. We don’t know what humility is, for it is an attribute of the saints. Thankfulness is an attribute that we — each one
of us — can acquire at any moment.
Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh
***
- What is humility?
- Humility
is the ability to stick to God’s will always, in any situation and at any
moment.
- This is not the definition of humility that
we’re used to. How do we tally it with the understanding of humility as
“feeling inferior to others”, which is typical of so many spiritual books?
- Metropolitan
Anthony of Sourozh used to say that we must be very cautious when talking about
humility, for it is an attribute of the saints. Their works are written in
plain language; when we read them, it appears to us that we understand what the
holy authors meant. Yet, the Very Rev Dr John Behr, a famous Orthodox
theologian from St Vladimir Orthodox Theological Seminary, who spent twenty
years researching the works of the Holy Fathers, points out that they had a
radically different way of looking at things. That is why it isn’t enough for
us to pick up certain seeds of wisdom from their books. What we should begin
with is learning to perceive things their way.
- How is humility born?
Humility
is the fruit of love. Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh stated that humility is
born when a human is amazed at God and God’s love. One starts to humble himself
when he discovers that the LORD is good (Ps. 34:8). At that point, God’s will
is revealed to that person not as something external and coercive but as the
innermost law of life, and a more abundant one (Cf. John 10:10). This is when
an individual begins to trust God for real and to rely on his will and his
commandments as the best possible path and the best answer in any situation. As
a rule, we force ourselves into submission to God’s will. However, true
humility, rooted in the knowledge of God, loyalty, openness, and amazement at
the love and the goodness of the Lord, unveils God’s will to us as the greatest
and the most suitable option. The true humility based on the knowledge of God
and genuine love is natural. When we suddenly decide to be humble, it’s merely
an imitation, a fake. That is, we approach humility from the wrong direction.
- What should we do to master true humility?
According
to Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh, we should first of all learn to be honest
with ourselves, God, and other people. Honesty is the beginning of true
humility. You can’t build genuine relationships of love and friendship with
another person if you lack honesty, trust, and openness. When you use tricks
and lies, your relationships break up immediately. Likewise, you can’t have any
relationship with God if you aren’t honest with yourself and with God in your
prayers, your repentance, and your confession; if we don’t fight the desire to
look at ourselves with someone else’s eyes and to make a false impression.
Of
course, we should learn from Jesus Christ by reading the Gospel and following
his example: Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29). Let
this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of
God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no
reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the
likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:5-8).
Remember his Prayer in the Garden: Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup
from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. (Luke 22:42). Jesus
Christ has two natures, the human and the divine; He has two wills, and his
human will was voluntarily conquered by the Divine will through obedience,
openness, true humility, and self-sacrifice. God does not suggest that we do
something that He didn’t do, something that He didn’t set an example of when He
walked among us. When He became human, Jesus has shown to us full humility,
obedience, and openness to the will of God the Father; He wants us to come and
partake of his life, his attributes and traits. So be it, O Lord!
With that
in mind, aware of the plentiful God’s love, how can we forget about being
grateful and faithful to Christ? Honesty and thankfulness are at the outset of
our path towards humility, and therefore, to Christ and His Kingdom. That is
how Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh saw it.
Prepared by Nun Matrona (Lukashova)
August 13, 2018
St.
Elisabeth Convent
CONVERSATION