Day 11: The Way of Humility (Imitation of Christ. Book 3. Chapter 7-10)

Day 11: The Way of Humility (Imitation of Christ. Book 3. Chapter 7-10). Humility is keeping God’s grace quietly hidden, trusting His timing, and placing Him above all else.

• Purify your affection, which is so often badly bent back on itself and toward creatures.

• Those who cast aside all fleshly (bodily) pleasure for love of you will discover (enjoy) the most tender (sweet) consolation of the Holy Spirit. 
• [I easily find comfort and consolation in my work, my family, my favorite food--which comes 1st and God 2nd. Lord, have mercy!]

• Left to myself I am nothing (but a zero) and totally weak (abound with frailties). [Hold on to this.]

• Everything I have is Yours, everything I have to serve You with. But in reality it is the reverse; You serve me more than I serve You. [God is the Source. God is the Fount. God is the Summit. God is the Reason.]

• God's grace should not elevate you, nor should you speak about it much, or give it much regard.
• [You don't have to broadcast to the world everything God has done in your life, or everything you have done for God. There's something good about being discreet and demure. You don't have to share all your thoughts, feelings, successes or failures.]

• It is rare for people who consider themselves wise to allow themselves to be directed humbly by others.

• One who gives himself over entirely to joy is not acting with good discernment.

Ch. 7: Keep grace hidden under humility's watchful care. It is more beneficial and safer for you to hide the grace of devotion. It should not elevate you, nor should you speak about it much, or give it much regard. What you should do instead is to disregard yourself in fear that you are unworthy of the grace that has been given you. Think about how wretchedly poor you are without grace.

• Progress in the spiritual life comes not when you have the grace of consolation, but when you bear its withdrawal humbly, patiently and with self-denial.
• It is rare for people who consider themselves wise to allow themselves to be directed humbly by others.
• One who gives himself over entirely to joy is not acting with good discernment, forgetting his original poverty. 
• Regard himself as nothing and despise himself in truth.

Ch. 8: Having a low estimation of oneself in God's eyes. Become the dust that I really am (Gen 18:27).

• Left to myself I am nothing (but a zero) and totally weak (abound with frailties).
• My own weight (heaviness of my sins) always drags me down to the depths.
• By loving myself in a bad way (as I should not have) I lost myself, while by seeking you alone and loving you purely, I have found both myself and You.
• My dearest sweet Lord, treat me in a way that far surpasses what I deserve, far beyond what I dare hope or ask.

Ch. 9: Everything must be referred back to God as its ultimate goal. 

• Purify your affection, which is so often badly bent back on itself and toward creatures.
• If you seek yourself within you (will) fail within and dry up.
• You should not ascribe any good to yourself nor attribute virtue to any human being. Rather give everything to God, without whom man has nothing.
• God is quite exacting in his requirement for thanksgiving.

Ch. 10: Having spurned the world it is sweet to serve God. When I strayed far from You, You led (brought) me back. How can I ever pay you back for this grace?

• Everything I have is Yours, everything I have to serve You with. But in reality it is the reverse; You serve me more than I serve You.
• Those who cast aside all fleshly (bodily) pleasure for love of you will discover (enjoy) the most tender (sweet) consolation of the Holy Spirit.
• Free online copy of The Imitation of Christ.

• Daily Reading by Fr. Mike Schmitz.

• Excerpts from The Imitation of Christ.