This is a guest post by Jane Knuth.
The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility. For, as he does not know at all how to employ it, neither does he know how to defend himself from it.
—Saint Vincent de Paul
Over the past few months I have enjoyed being a guest blogger here on PFO. You have each been a companion on the spiritual journey for me in different ways. Thank you for your responses to my posts, especially when your comments are vigorous—I am learning a lot!
Now I have a request.
As a student of Vincentian spirituality, I read St. Vincent de Paul and Frederic Ozanam frequently. The above quotation is one that puzzles me. I would love to hear your thoughts on what you think St. Vincent means and how this wisdom can be applied.
Thanks, everyone!
Jane Knuth is the author of Thrift Store Saints: Meeting Jesus 25¢ at a Time and the upcoming Thrift Store Graces: Finding God’s Gifts in the Midst of the Mess. She has been volunteering at the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Kalamazoo, Michigan, for the last 15 years.
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{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
This I “think” was written by Henri Nouwen. It’s lengthy, but so simply understandable. It’s titled “A Preacher’s Prayer” and I don’t think I can say it as well as he did, so I’m going to steal his words.
Dear Lord,
You have sent me into this world to preach your word. So often the problems of the world seem so complex and intricate that your word strikes me as embarassingly simple. Many times I feel tongue-tied in the company of people who are dealing with the world’s social and economic problems.
But you, O Lord, said, “Be clever as serpents and innocent as doves.” Let me retain innocence and simplicity in the midst of this complex world. I realize that I have to be informed, that I have to study the many aspects of the problems facing the world, and that I have to try to understand as well as possible the dynamics of our contemporary society. But what really counts is that all this information, knowledge, and insight allow me to speak more clearly and unambiguously your truthful word. Do not allow evil powers to seduce me with the complexities of the world’s problems, but give me the strength to think clearly, speak freely, and act boldly in your service. Give me the courage to show the dove in a world so full of serpents. Amen. ”
Hope that helps, tho’ not mine, I can’t think of a better teacher.
I love this quote Emma, many thanks for sharing…
Me too!
I tried to post on your blog last weekend when you were speaking of the criticism that you’ve fallen under of late. Please know that I’ll miss you there this week! Tho’ I rarely posted there, I have benefited immensely from what you shared. Please don’t let others discourage you. You have my full support and prayers always. Brightest Blessings!!
Emma, you did leave a comment, and I thank you!
Fran, might I also add I appreciate your blog.
I know I don`t leave comments.
Your postings help to open my world and nurture my faith.
I have discovered more places to view.
Prayers and Blessings
carol
Hmmm…From the moment we are baptized, we are thrown into conflict with Satan. His purpose is to draw as many Disciples of Christ to his side, and destroy all that God loves.
We will be tempted. When temptation comes, we need to remember as Disciples of Christ, we are called to imitate Christ. When Jesus was tempted in the desert, he refused to accept all that was offered to him by Satan through incredible humility.
So, when we are tempted, and we are tempted pretty much on a daily basis, we need to remember to imitate Jesus in His humble obedience to God. Whatever we do, we are to do it as Jesus did for the greater glory to God.
Staring down and walking away from temptation is no easy task. It is in the power of the Holy Spirit, who lives and reigns in unity with Jesus that enables us to be strong, if we only remember that God always has our back.
Jesus turned Satan away in the desert. Jesus defeated Satan with his death and resurrection. Satan cannot stand up to Christ’s humility. I wish I would always remember this…
Have a great week everyone!
Jane – welcome!!
I’ll take a stab at your question. Wasn’t it pride that drove Satan and the other devils out of heaven? They wanted to be equal to/greater than God? If so, then wouldn’t humility, the complete opposite of pride, totally confuse them? It’s not in their arsenal so they don’t have a way to overcome it.
Just a thought.
Have a wonderful week, everyone.
Bob
Jane, I can’t be bold enough to try to imagine what St. Vincent means but I will try to explain what the quote means to me. I have been learning recently that humility comes from complete dependence on God, knowing that I am nothing without Jesus. If I am totally dependent on my Creator then I won’t be easy prey for the one who is not God. Having said that, I need to recognize and accept this dependency on God constantly just as Paul encourages us to “pray without ceasing”.
I am certain that someone else will be able to put into words exactly what it is that I am thinking so this should be an interesting discussion today.
I’m not sure I can explain it but my experience bears out the truth of what he is saying.
Whenever someone comes at me in anger, justified or un, I have found that the best reaction is sincere appology. What can be said in the face of those simple words that acknowledge that we are not perfect. Sure some people may continue to rail but most are disarmed by the humble act of surrender.
It is much easier to discuss both sides of a situation calmly than in anger.
As I often tell my son when he complains about this one or that one that he doesn’t like in school or on a team. Kill them with kindness.
Becoming the evil of hate, anger, mistrust etc. that so often surrounds us will never transform the world into God’s kingdom. Only the witness of loving even those who come at us with evil in their hearts can change the world.
And, did you ever notice that when someone comes at you shouting angry words, that if you respond to them by lowering your own voice, they then have to quiet themselves in order to hear what you’re saying? often, a soft, calm voice stills and comforts them and disarms them.
Just like singing to a baby
What comes to my mind is that humility comes from knowing that I am created and sustained out of Godde’s love. All that I am and have comes from Godde’s love and generosity. Thus what would I have to be proud of?
Humility would also mean that I do not cling to what I am and possess. I would live in the now, in the presence of Godde, and the Devil would simply find no hold to toy with me with one thought or another.
The Devil might want to scare the humble person with the idea that Godde may not love her or him, but the humble person, I assume, would find Godde even in Her absence.
As I am not humble, Jane, all this is my imagination trying to find an answer for you
Jane, thank you for all of your words – both here and in your very fine book!
This reminds me of the story of St. Francis that I read about in detail in another fine book, The Saint and the Sultan by Paul Moses. Francis troops through a veritable field of fetid death and decay to find the sultan, near Damietta, Egypt in 1219, I believe. In any event, without fanfare, without weapons, without pride, but filled with Christ, thus humility, he journeys and makes peace.
What can the devil do with that? Arms and weapons lead to more arms and weapons. Pride leads to other pride. Having the last word is always met with someone else’s need to have the last words. (Something I know – regrettably so – too much about!) The devil is diabolical in this, thus dividing.
Humility is a form of unity, best seen in Christ.
Gosh, I love to talk about this but I suck at actually doing it! Thanks for this provocative question Jane, thank you.
For me, humility means putting others first. Life isn’t really about us. We are to assume the servant mentality of Jesus, and minister to the needs of those around us with selfless love and joy. How can anyone who is not a Christ-bearer understand this notion?
If you’re a candidate for canonization, it’s got to be extra-hard to be humble. You’ve got to know that others consider you extraordinary, so how do you keep the importance others place on you from going to your head? “No, you can’t put me on hold! Do you know who I am?? I’m Mother freakin’ Theresa!” (No, that’s not an actual quote.)
Even for the rest of us, pride is what causes us to get into egocentric conflicts, hold grudges, envy the success of others, hord our wealth, etc. Humble people would tend to forgive others and use what wealth they have to help others with less, without envy toward those who have chosen to burden their souls with money. Even if we got all that right, it would be hard not to become proud of our humility, passing judgement on those who succumb to greed, lust, hatred, and so on.
So, maybe St. Vincent wanted to draw our attention to humilty because, if we made true humilty a major focus of our lives, we would tend to avoid all sin, including the sin of feeling self-righteous about how little sinning we do. We would also be less likely to induce others to sin. It’s hard to hate a truly humble person (and it’s really your problem if you do).
It’s great to read the different experiences shared on humility. My own experience of humility is to accept what challenges that come, and be open to what living with those challenges might be saying to me. Often times, it means just listening quietly for God (or remembering previous encounters with Him) in the maelstorm of deadlines, “interesting events” and so on, without getting worked up over or caught up in some concern or other.
I find that I’m usually driven to distraction by my own short-sighted rationality – so I guess my being humble is one way of always trying to be open to God. When I trust that God is trying to say something (by trying to be still and listen to Him or remembering Him), I guess the devil has less influence over my situation.
Approaching this solely from a supernatural perspective; we all must be humble enough to acknowledge that on our own, we are no match for satan. What he would not anticipate, is in our human condition, our acknowledgement of that. We’re very prideful ourselves. I know I am. It always seems to me, that when I most need Him, I forget to call out for help and think I can manage on my own. We must have the humility in circumstances when we’re confronted with evil, to cry out to Christ for help. We must be humble enough to acknowledge that only Christ has the power to defeat those forces. Then, trust that “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” : Have a good week all!!
Humility is truth and Satan is the father of lies.
I stopped trying to be humble. It always makes me crazy. I just do the best I can, pray for God’s grace, and that’s it! God bless all who have humility. Please pray for me.
Yes! It’s only through God’s grace that we get out of this with our soul’s in one piece. That is my only hope anyway.
Thank you PFO’rs! I loved all your responses. I’ve compiled your wisdom and plan to meditate on it for Lent:
Humility = innocent as doves, and paradoxically, = clever as serpents
Humility = obedience to God = rejection of temptation
Humility is the opposite of pride, which confuses prideful demons
Humility = constant acceptance of complete dependence on God
Humility = sincere apology in the face of anger, which disarms the anger
Humility = owing all to God. Even the seeming absence of God points to God
Humility = unity in Christ. The devil always divides us.
Humility = putting others first.
Humility = avoidance of sin, even the sin of self-righteousness
Humility = looking for God’s message in every challenge
Humility = admitting that we are no match for Satan on our own. He will not anticipate that.
Humility = truth, Satan = lies
Humility is impossible. Pray.
I think that humility is a true reflection of Jesus’s way and life. Growing more and more into living out of cherished values that have taken root and silently grown in His grace – really unaware of it, but it is visible to others. I see this in some people around me and kneel in admiration and awe. A giving of self in uncounted ways.
Maureen
Hi Jane and thanks for initiating this great conversation about humility. I commented at length about this on my blog, Catechist’s Journey, this morning (http://ow.ly/94fzr) but here’s a short excerpt: “I can never resist making a comparison to sports. If I do not know how to employ a certain move on the field, the court, or the ice, I will personally be unable to effectively defend against such a move when my competitor employs it. It’s like a boxer being unable to defend a punch that he never sees coming because he himself does not know how to disguise his punches. Practicing humility is like throwing a punch that the devil cannot see coming because he doesn’t know how to throw that particular punch himself.”
I like it. Quite like the reverse pass I never managed to master