The suggestion that humility offers cure to our social ills sounds naïve in a culture that values ambition, boasts of its independence, and demands its rights be recognized and honored above all others. The demand for autonomy appears to eclipse submission to anything. However, Benedict reflected on the teachings of Jesus who said, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12). As Benedict drafted a standard of cultural norms to sustain healthy communities, he carefully constructed a model for growing in Christ-like humility. Humility possesses the quality of strength found in the meek whose inheritance is the earth itself.[1] Rather than a lack of self-esteem, humility permits the humble to be open to the condition of others. Benedict credits humility as the attitude that reveals our place in the world and in relation to God, as well as others. Humility enables the humble to lower their defenses and see others through the eyes of Christ. Desert Mother, St. Theodora said, “It is neither asceticism nor vigils, nor any other work that saves us; only sincere humility.”[2] The world declares that we must demand our rights, protect ourselves, and defend against all threats. Holiness calls us to humility. The fall of humanity ushered arrogance into our lives. With a single bite we valued ‘god-likeness’ over ‘God fulfillment.’ The Gospel is not a message reacting to the fallen nature of humankind, but redemption from such reaction. “Jesus’ remedy for human arrogance is humility. For humility is the basis for right relationships – right relationships with our neighbor, with our world, with our God.”[3]
Humility is the prize of a challenging journey, the reward of a disciplined climb to great heights, a prize gained in degrees as one ascends toward realizing heavenly grace. Benedict constructs a model for obtaining humility as climbing a ladder toward this pearl of great price. However, like Jacob’s vision, Benedict described the journey as ascending and descending. The disciple ascends by humility and descends by the desire to be exalted. Each rung of the ladder is a step toward ultimately attaining the prize. However, no rung is a goal in itself that one can obtain and move on to the next. Each step is to be remembered, practiced, and continually experienced with the next steps. We constantly review and hold to each rung as we ascend, and at times we must descend to that rung on which we have slipped. We realize even in our quest for humility (perhaps we realize all the more from our humility) our total reliance on the grace of our Lord.
Painting a picture of humility with his words, Benedict describes a ladder that reaches from our lives to heaven. It is a ladder erected by God Himself for us to climb. The ladder is composed of two sides and twelve rungs (steps). The sides signify our physical body and our spiritual body. The physical and the spiritual align to afford strength to the rungs so that they may bear the weight of life’s experiences. Like forgiveness, humility may appeal to our spiritual self, but challenge the ego of physical self. St. Matthew records Jesus’ story of the unforgiving servant who gladly received forgiveness of his enormous debt, but who was unwill to forgive the small debt owed to him by his fellow servant.[4] The steps are disciplines that carry us upward in body and spirit, preparing us for communion with God.
The first of the twelve steps that hold the sides of body and spirit in union is to continually recognize the awesomeness of God Himself. On that first rung we come to face with God, who challenged Job, ““Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?”[5] Job stood firmly on the first rung of humility’s ladder and said, “God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.”[6] Our humility is not grounded in ourselves, but in God alone.
When I consider myself in comparison with God, then I am struck with humility. My desires, my plans, my rights are for naught except in their place in God’s desires and plans. Then they are transformed into strength to stand on the second step. That rung is the step of surrender. Here the disciple is exhorted to constrain their selfish wisdom and seek God’s will. Benedict declares that having realized the majesty of God on the first step, here on the second “I have come not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.”[7]
The first two rungs of the ladder rely heavily on the spiritual. The third rung shifts weight to the physical. We can pledge obedience to the God we do not see while we reject the guidance of spiritual leaders, but Joan Chittister notes that Benedict does not allow us the illusion of this fantasy.[8] We are to obey our spiritual leaders. This is not a call to blind obedience, but a call to mutual accountability. In humility we recognize our personal limits. We do not have all of the answers. So, we are open to hearing God speak through the lives and lips of others. Benedict urges us to stand on this step and obey those who we hear God speaking to us through them.
The fourth rung awakens both body and spirit to the hardships that await us. Benedict does not paint a rosy picture of a prosperity gospel that proclaims that all is easy and smooth if we only have strong faith. He is a realist who warns that challenges lay ahead of us all. However, our confidence in God’s love will be proven worthy by His grace and mercy. There are times when beautiful words comfort us and give us hope for tomorrow. However, Benedict admits that there are other times when the words of our spiritual leaders will not be enough. Benedict calls us to persevere. This is a hard lesson when society seeks to avoid hardship. Whether in birth, life, or death, social responses often seek the shortcut that sidesteps hardships. The fourth step is a different lesson of humility. Joan Chittister observes, “This is the degree of humility that calls for emotional stability, for holding on when things do not go our way, for withstanding the storms of life rather than having to flail and flail against the wind and, as a result, lose the opportunity to control ourselves when there is nothing else in life that we can control.”[9]
By the time one reaches the fifth step of humility we are stripped naked. This is the rung of transparency. Here we are come reconciled before God, submissive to spiritual leaders, and not hiding our faults. We stop hiding our struggles and take off our masks of pretense. We are not perfect, and we accept the grace of others who are familiar with our faults because they reflect their own imperfections. There is a gentleness on this step. No attempts are made here to shame anyone. This is the place where the infection is lanced. Here is the place that humility offers healing and the energy previously wasted on hiding our faults is now available to restore both body and spirit. Here we see humility for what it is.
The sixth step is the surrender of position and acceptance of the lowest station of life. This is a hard step, especially for those of us who have tasted privilege. Many of us fail to even recognize the privilege given us by our place of birth, ethnicity, or gender. We truly take these things for granted until we are challenged to surrender their benefits. This is the step where Jesus challenged the rich young man to “Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”[10] The sixth step is a long process. It is an attitude toward others that regards their well-being over my own. Humility becomes very real on this step.
The seventh step builds upon he sixth by becoming convicted in my heart of what I had said with my words and actions. It is possible to give to the poor, to serve in food kitchens, and comfort the sick, but maintain a heart of superiority. There is a difference between being of service and being a servant. In the first, I use my position as a lever to others physical benefit, but I also value the benefit to my ego as being the provider, the benefactor, or the sponsor to those poor souls. On the seventh rung of humility’s ladder, my inner pride is sacrificed by the heartfelt conviction that I am nothing. As in the prayer of General Thanksgiving, we truly mean the words as we confess, “Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks…” The desert fathers found they could not do the good they wanted to do. However, the verses of Blessed Mary’s Magnificat sing out, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on me in my nothingness…the Almighty has done great things for me!”[11] Though we see no good in ourselves of ourselves, we see great goodness in ourselves and others because of God’s creation of us and His great love for us.
The disciple is now prepared to recognize the journey of others as they ascend and descend on this ladder of humility. The eighth step requires an accountability with them to progress “further up and further in,” to use a phrase from C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. David Robinson, in his book Ancient Paths, writes that the eighth rung hold us accountable to Christ, to the authority of Holy Scripture, to spiritual mentors, as well as priests, pastors, and teachers.[12]
The ninth step reemphasizes the discipline of listening. We are so very quick to offer an answer before listening to the question. Sr. Chittister discusses the pride that erupts from our unquenchable desire to speak. She writes, “Our opinions become the rule. Our ideas become the goal. Our judgments become the norm. Our word becomes the last word, the only word. To be the last into a conversation, instead of the first, is an unheard-of assault on our egos…humility is the ground of growth and graced relationships on earth. Humility is what makes the powerful accessible to the powerless. Humility is what allows poor nations a demand on rich ones. Humility is what enables the learned to learn from the wise.”[13] Chaplain ministry teaches the importance of remaining present with others where they find themselves. Journey with them in their story. Suffer with them in their pain. Too many times we speak because we are uncomfortable in the silence and the pain of the other. We want to relieve their pain so that we may find relief of our discomfort. The words we use are often hollow when the silent companion is what the other truly needs.
Benedict’s description of the tenth step may be troubling in its first quick read. He appears to forbid laughter. However, I have heard laughter in the monastery where I find spiritual renewal during personal retreats. As someone who enjoys laughter, this was disconcerting until I recognized that Benedict makes an important distinction writing that monks should not be “given to ready laughter.”[14] There are many shades to humor. While laughter can be the natural response to joy and creativity, spiteful or destructive humor finds no place in the humble. C.S Lewis describes various forms of laughter in The Screwtape Letters. He categorizes laughter as joy, fun, the proper joke, and flippancy. The first three forms are responses to the joys of life. The beauty of nature can be revealed in the creative squirrel collecting treasures for winter. Laughter may respond to game play, or the cleaver tale of a comedian. However, flippancy is Lewis’ category for ill-tempered or gross humor that tears down what God has built up, as well as hardening the heart of the soul. Robinson writes, “Such laughter dishonors God and God’s creative work within the soul. On the other hand, joy, fun, and play build up the soul, allowing us to take ourselves less seriously, and to learn to take delight in God’s unfolding new creation.”[15]
The eleventh step of humility’s ladder is a place of gentleness. Humility seeks to do no harm. Just as the Boy Scout practices how to enjoy nature without littering and destroying the beauty of creation, the disciple practices humility by respecting others and treading gently into the sacred space that surrounds them. This rung in the ladder is practiced by speaking gently, avoiding disruptive chatter or boisterous laughter. Being aware of the needs of others and contributing to an environment of peace.
Standing on the twelfth step, the disciple discovers the culmination of all of the previous steps that have contributed to a humble presence. This is where the very presence of the disciple speaks humility. The saying attributed to St. Francis of Assisi states, “Preach the Gospel always, and when necessary use words.” Here the disciple personifies humble spirituality. Rather than humility being an external practice of the brother or sister, on this final rung humility has become the essence of life itself. In its presence there is power. Not power of the disciple, but power of God radiant through the disciple who is Christ’s vessel.
Much of society appears to be speeding toward a collision with itself. We fail to acknowledge the fears and desperations of others. Others are tired of being tired. There is little room for grace. Little compassion to offer another a helping hand that they may not have earned. Little mercy to forgive. Instead there is demand for my rights, my desires, my dreams with little consideration for yours. Our social institutions are failing in their attempts to find the illusive answers to fulfill everyone’s demands. Our politicians turn on one another and the voiceless remain without an advocate. The answer to this is not what one would expect. The answer is not for a powerful hero to take the stage and overturn the scales. The answer lays within each one of us. Perhaps that is a reason that the solution to social ills are so very illusive. The answer goes against our inclination to “fight for my rights.” The answer lays in the seventh chapter of The Rule. The answer is humility.
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[1] Matthew 5:5.
[2] Chryssavgis, John (2008), In the Heart of the Desert: Revised Edition: The Spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers (Treasures of the World’s Religions), Bloomington, Ind.: World Wisdom. pg. 29–32.
[3] Hartmann, Steele, Humility in the Rule of Saint Benedict, accessed from http://www.cistercian.org.au/media/RB%20Humility.pdf.
[4] Matthew 18:21-35.
[5] Job 38:2-4
[6] Job 37:5.
[7] John 6:38.
[8] Chittister, Joan, A Spirituality for the 21st Century, New York, NY: Crossroads, 2016. pg. 84.
[9] _____, 87.
[10] Luke 18:22.
[11] Luke 1:46 and Hartmann, Steele, Humility in the Rule of Saint Benedict, accessed from http://www.cistercian.org.au/media/RB%20Humility.pdf.
[12] Robinson, David, Ancient Paths, Brewster, MA, Paraclete, 2010. pg. 35.
[13] Chittister, Joan, A Spirituality for the 21st Century, New York, NY: Crossroads, 2016. pg. 84.
[14] The Rule of St. Benedict in English, Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1982. pg. 37.
[15] Robinson, David, Ancient Paths, Brewster, MA, Paraclete, 2010. pg. 37.
