Humility: the mother of freedom
Sermon preached in St Salvator's Chapel, St Andrews on 18th October 2009 by Raphael PavourisReadings: Job 38: 1-7 and Mark 10: 35-45
If there is a virtue that the world today tends to underestimate this is humility. We are encouraged to 'sell' ourselves, to advertise our qualities in order to succeed. We are told that we can develop ourselves by utilising our inner powers. We often tell our children that they should believe that they are the best.
But does this approach make us more confident? Does it give us the fulfilment we all look for?
Our Christian tradition takes a different approach. In it humility is at the centre and has a very special depth and meaning.
In his first Beatitude the Lord said that the 'poor in spirit', the humble, will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. To begin to appreciate the importance of humility of our spiritual development we need to look
1. Pride the cause of Fall of Angels and Men
Angels
According to Christian teaching the first fall was that of an angel, Lucifer, who thought of becoming equal with God. The acceptance of a proud thought caused him and his angels to fall from the dignity of communion with God simply because God is Humble and there is no possibility of a proud being sharing in His life (cf Isaiah 14: 12-26; Ezekiel 28: 2, 12-15, 17).
Men
The second fall was that of the other order of personal beings that of humans. The latter fall was influenced by the former as the Devil was the one who suggested to Adam and Eve to try to achieve God's status without trying to resemble God, without first practicing obedience and humility. Adam and Eve, naively, accepted this proud suggestion and lost communion with God.
So pride caused division between God and men.
In Genesis 11 we read:
4 Then men said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth."
5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the sons of men had built.
6 And the LORD said, "Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; and nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.
7 Come, let us go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."
8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth,
First, pride caused division between God and men; now between men themselves. The world became fragmented.
The Fall resulted in human nature falling ill and the image of God becoming tainted (though not completely destroyed). Man became a wound:
Isaiah 1:5-6 The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 6 From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and bleeding wounds; they are not pressed out, or bound up, or softened with oil.
The results of the Fall (though not guilt) are inherited from one generation to the other. The core of the ailment of humanity is that pride became deeply rooted in our mindset and, as result the various passions which grew out of it rule and enslave us. Greed, Fornication, Love for money, anger, grief, sloth, vain glory, are all children of pride. The fear of death makes men more selfish and self-centred. They see the other as a threat and enemy.
Our thoughts and desires are often selfish and conflicting. We often know what is good but we do not do it because we cannot resist the passions that drive us. In the words of St Paul:
Romans 7:14-24 4 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. 17 So then it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self, 23 but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
So pride, the root cause of the passions which make us selfish, caused a division and fragmentation within man himself.
2) Redemption through humble love
The Christian teaching is that man cannot heal himself. Only God could do that for us. He who created them, He only could fashion them again.
How did He do that? By the only way which befits Him: that of humble love. Rather asking us to go to Him, He came out of Himself and became what we are. He put on our nature so that He may heal it and restore to its original beauty. He became man so that we may become God. He did that with His Incarnation which meant that humanity was united with divinity and thus it became cured. He also did that by His life, teaching, death on the Cross and Resurrection.
All of these, have, among other God-like attributes, one central, all pervasive characteristic: humility. God is love we read in the Scriptures; those who experienced say that He also is Humility.
The entire history of creation and salvation is one descend on the part of God. Especially the history of salvation in Christ is one of self emptying, of kenosis.
Fr Sophrony, a modern day Orthodox staretz, who lived in England in the second half of the twentieth century, likened the whole creation with an inverted pyramid. The tip of the pyramid is down and its base is up. On the base of the pyramid are all of us whereas at the lower part of the pyramid, at its tip, where all the weight is concentrated, there is Christ. Christ has put Himself under everyone so that He can hold us all up.
The mistake of the first Adam then was corrected by the second Adam, Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God who emptied Himself taking the form of servant. Adam accepted a proud thought; Christ was the Humble God Incarnate. Adam disobeyed God; Christ was obedient to death. As we read in today¿s gospel reading He came to serve and not to be served. Through His humble love Christ gave us a new life in His Body; a life which over-flowed from the empty tomb.
3) To follow Christ is to seek to be humble
This new life is given to all as gift. But the gift has to accepted. We are free to accept or reject it. If we do accept it we need to be baptised and live the life of God in His Body, in Christ.
All Christians at their baptism have promised to serve the Lord. And if one wants to serve the Lord he or she has to follow His way (John:12, 26); the way of coming down; the only way which leads to the Kingdom. It is not a coincidence that that the Lord in His beatitudes blesses first the poor in spirit.
Baptism itself is a coming down with Christ into His tomb so that we can be resurrected with him. This Resurrection requires death on the Cross and death on the Cross means to follow not my own will but that of the Father.
4) Humility attracts grace
Those who have direct experience of God say that if we seek to do that then we attract God's grace. Then our healing begins and we begin to be set free from the enslaving passions. To seek to bear the Cross of Christ is not to seek sorrow and grief and misery but joy and freedom; the freedom which is experienced when the pressing need to satisfy myself is removed.
St Siluan the Athonite talking about humility he says: It is a great sign of grace to learn Christian humility: life becomes easier and more joyous, and everything becomes dearer to the heart. Only to the humble does the Lord show himself through the Holy Spirit, and if we are not humble, then we cannot see God. Humility is that light, by means of which we can see the Light of God."
St John of the Ladder says that humility is a mystical activity of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the person who has acquired it and cannot be described. It is only known to those who have it.
But it must be pursued by all. How can this be done then? Once I asked an elder this question and he answer was that pride is a monster that we need to hit on the head continuously.
St John Chrysostom says that we should remember the sins we have repented and asked for forgiveness for, for one reason: to humble ourselves by remembering how low we can fall and thus not judge others but turn to God and ask for His mercy more fervently.
We must remember that by ourselves we can do nothing. One becomes humble not only though his or her own efforts but by the grace of God.
Humility is really the result of experiencing the Lord who Himself is meek and humble. St Siluan writes:
The Lord said, "Learn from Me to be meek and humble of heart." There are many types of humility. You can be obedient and reproach yourself in everything - this is a form of humility. Another can repent his sins and count himself the lowest before Christ - this is also a form of humility. But when a soul sees the Lord through the Holy Spirit in all His meekness and humility, then it also becomes humbled. This is a special sort of humility which cannot be described, it can only be experienced through the Holy Spirit. And if people could experience the Lord through the Holy Spirit, they would all change - the wealthy would despise their wealth, the powerful their glory and authority, and all would be humbled and would live in great peace and love, and the earth would be filled with great joy. He who has experienced God through the Holy Spirit has a different understanding and taste.
The soul which has not felt the sweetness of the Holy Spirit, feels joy in the vanity of earthly fame or wealth, but the soul that has experienced God through the Holy Spirit, desires only the Lord, and places no value on wealth or earthly glory.
If we were humble, the Lord in His kindness would show us everything, reveal all secrets, but we are not humble, we are proud and vain over all details, and in this we suffer ourselves and torment others.
The Lord does not reveal Himself to proud souls. The proud soul, even if it has read all the books, will never understand the Lord, for in its pride it does not allow any room for the grace of the Holy Spirit, and God is only experienced through the Holy Spirit. Pride does not allow the soul to enter on the path of faith. I give this advice to the unbeliever: let him say, "Lord, if You exist, then enlighten me, and I will serve You with all my heart and soul." For this humble thought and preparedness to serve God, the Lord will certainly enlighten him.
The Lord, though He is merciful, tests the soul with hunger and does not bestow grace until it learns humility. The proud person fears reproach while the humble does not. Whoever has acquired the meekness of Christ is always prepared to reproach himself and welcomes abuse, and sorrows when he is complimented. But this is only the first step in humility; when the soul experiences the Lord through the Holy Spirit in His humility and meekness, then it sees itself as worse than all.
To those who started walking the way of the Lord, sorrows and trials will come. But these will be permitted by the Lord so they may learn humility. St Siluan writes again:
The Lord loves people, but sends them sorrows, so that they can understand their weakness and be humbled, and for their humility they can accept the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit all is good, all is joyous, all is wonderful.
One might suffer greatly from poverty and ill-health, yet not be humbled: and so suffer in vain. But whoever is humbled is happy with any fate because the Lord is his wealth and joy, and all people will be amazed at the beauty of his soul.
You say, "I have great sorrow." But I say, or rather, the Lord Himself says, "Have humility," and you will see your sorrows change into comfort and peace, so that you yourself will be amazed and say, "Why did I previously suffer and torment myself so?" Now you are joyful because you have become humble and the grace of God has descended upon you. And should you even remain alone in poverty, joy will not leave you because there is the peace in your soul of which the Lord said, "I give you My peace." Thus does the Lord give His peace to all humble souls.
The soul of the humble person is like the sea: cast a stone into the sea, and for a moment it will disturb its serenity, and then sink to the depths. Sorrows sink in the heart of the humble because the power of the Lord is with them.
Previously I thought that the Lord performed miracles only in response to the prayers of saints. But now I know that the Lord will perform a miracle even for a sinner as soon as his soul is humbled, for when a person learns humility, then the Lord shall hear his prayers.
6) Humility liberates
The humble person is free because he has entrusted all his life to God. In the Orthodox Liturgy we say let us entrust ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God. There is nothing more liberating than that.
We all know how tyrannical pride and self centeredness are:
We are sad when things do not turn out the way we want; when are corrected or reprimanded; we get discouraged when people do not pay attention to us; when they do not appreciate our qualities. We can bear our husband or wife because we think we deserved better. We remember for a long time a bitter and offensive word which were told and cannot find peace.
We love and expect to be loved back but when the latter does not happen we get hurt.
Although we often regret our mistakes, pride makes us feel too sorrowful for them. We cannot accept that we could have done such a thing. Humility teaches us that we are very capable of making such mistakes and the only way to get over them is to ask for the Lord's mercy and accept it.
7) How it is achieved: some practical steps
We said that humility is a gift from God. But our cooperation is required. Our salvation is the result of a synergy between God and man. So we ought to do something and the saints suggest amongst other thing the following:
1) Fear God. Live this fear especially in prayer. Not to be scared but to have deep reverence.
1. Give glory to God and assign to Him all good things and gifts we have and thank Him.
2. Abba Dorotheos advises us to do what we can to keep the commandments of Christ. We cannot do a step in spiritual life if we do not begin with the resolution to keep the Lord¿s commandments (I am not saying that we will always succeed ---alas we very often fail to do that--- but we must want to do it and try as much as we can. And when realise that we have failed to turn to God at once and ask for His mercy).
3. Then we ought to ask Him to guide us. As in everything prayer is where we will find our nourishment for spiritual growth.
4. Ask God to give you a spiritual guide who you can trust and share with what goes on in your life. If you tradition allows for it go to confession which opens the closet of our heart so that light can come in. We should remember our sins for which we have repented and asked for forgiveness from the Lord not to feel guilty and despair but to retain contrition in our heart. The Lord will not despise a broken and humbled heart.
5. Treat your neighbour as superior to you
6. Have faith; if you have not got it, ask for it. Say continuously: Lord I believe, help my unbelief.
7. Avoid judging others.
8. Be simple and straightforward in your conduct
9. Avoid the praise of men. A heart which wants to acquire this grace will seek human praise and vain glory. It will rather honour and give priority to other people taking care at the same time not to harm them spiritually.[ The saints say that we should honour and praise those who are discouraged and on the verge of despair, always asking God to give us discernment.]
10. Examine and judge yourself
11. Think about the love of God expressed on the Cross
12. Try to act lovingly towards your brother even if this involves suffering
13. Do not justify yourself. If you can, be silent in the face of unfair criticism unless this will cause grater harm. When you are wronged turn your sorrow into prayer not retribution
14. Reject every thought that is not pleasing to God.
15. Ask God to show you your faults (though God does not show us the magnitude of all our faults least we despair).
16. Entrust our life to God.
17. Forbearance
18. Learn to ask God's will and do it.
19. Obey the Gospel in everything.
Abba Poimen asked once Anthony the Great what he should do to be saved. St Anthony answered: Admit your mistakes with a contrite heart and be humble before God. Bear the trials and temptation that are falling on you and be assured that you will be saved.
8) One world week :
We mentioned above the pride caused the fall of humans and division among them. As this week we are reminded of the need for unity in the world we Christians should bring to mind that this can be effected only by the grace of God when we humbly seek it.
In fact this unity has been granted to us on the Day of the Descend of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. As a result of the Prayer of our Lord that all might be One, the Father sent the Holy Spirit Who united the believers and continues to unite in Christ all those who want to be one with God and with one another, with a mystical bond which stronger than any other.
In the Orthodox tradition the idea of Pentecost being the reversal of the confusion in Babel is emphasised. On the day of Pentecost the Orthodox sing:
When the Most High came down He divided the nations by confusing their tongues; but when he parted the tongues of fire, he called all to unity, and with one voice we glorify the all-holy Spirit.
This is the gift of Pentecost to all people. But there is something that the omnipotent God cannot do: to force this union upon us. We have to want it.
If humility and love become the modes of our conduct then we will be become kinsmen of Him who is love and humility and who alone can unite us; Who alone can make the World, His World, One. It is He who in with the mouth of St John Chrysostom a 5th century Church father tells us:
"I, your father, I, your spouse,I, your home, I, your nurse,I, your root, I, your foundation.Whatever you want, I will be.You lack nothing. I will work for you.For I came to serve and not to be served.I will be your friend and your host,your head and your brother,your sister and your mother.I will be everything.Only be intimate with me!I will be poor for you, errant for you,on the Cross for you, in the tomb for you.Above I plead with the Father for your sake,on earth I became intercessor to the Father for your sake.You are everything for Me,brother, co-heir, friend and member.What more do you want?"