Humility

Recently, a friend of mine and I were talking about the virtue of humility and about its central role in the Christian lifestyle. Since then, I've been struck by exactly how central it is. I've noticed how many occasions throughout the day we have for pride. Whether it be something happening at work or at home, there are so many instances where our pride rears up, and we feel wronged by the situations around us.

As fallen human beings, we tend to believe in ourselves far more than we should. We often have a disordered desire to be seen as important or noteworthy to the world around us. This is something universal to human experience throughout the ages, but there are so many examples of it in our own times. I believe the obsession with fame witnessed through the phenomenon of reality TV is largely a result of this desire for importance. Similarly, many of our politicians are in office not because they necessarily feel called to the self-sacrifice of leadership, but rather they wish to be viewed as powerful. Or, when I become jealous because a conversation has turned away from me to another person, this is another example of pride. 

There's a particular temptation to pride, also, when one possesses the truth. This is something we see even in Jesus's time in the example of the religiously orthodox Pharisees. How many times in the Gospel are the Pharisees shocked that Jesus associates himself with sinners? They are appalled that this man, who claims to be "the way, the truth, and the life" eats with those who don't follow the Jewish regulations. For the Pharisees, they have fallen into this mindset of "We have the truth, and these sinners do not, why does he socialize with them?" It's their pride that blinds them to who Jesus is, and I can't help but notice that I and others within the Catholic Church sometimes have this attitude as well. We look at those who disagree with us: proponents of same-sex marriage, advocates for abortion, immodestly dressed women and like the Pharisee we say, "God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers" instead of repeating the prayer of the publican: "God, be merciful to me a sinner!"

The effects of our pride, though, are the same as the effects of the Pharisees' pride - we are cut off from Jesus Christ. How can we recognize how important we are to Him, if we are constantly seeking to be important in the eyes of others? How can we see Truth in our souls if we are focused on His apparent absence in others? Humility is not a degradation of one's self, but rather it is an opening up of the heart and mind to God. By removing ourselves from the center of the universe, we allow God to bring us in to the center of Himself. This is primarily done, though, in the smallest situations of day to day life. It involves accepting the injustices that come, and not dwelling on the faults of others. It means that we must always be mindful of the thoughts we are entertaining and the emotions we are actively engaging in. But most of all it means recognizing our littleness and pleading for Christ's help. Lord, that I may be humble, so that I might love!   

Regarding Dwarves and Giants

"Bernard of Chartres used to say that we are like dwarfs on the shoulders of giants, so that we can see more than they, and things at a greater distance, not by virtue of any sharpness of sight on our part, or any physical distinction, but because we are carried high and raised up by their giant size."
                                                      ~ John of Salisbury, "Metalogicon"

Before I go too far along with this blog, I want to say a few words about its title, as it expresses a conviction about knowledge and life that is rather central to me. The phrase "on the shoulders of giants" comes from the above quote and, as you can see, expresses the view that any insight later ages possess comes from the monumental work and vision of those who came before.

This view is one that is especially important in my own life, in both a Catholic and more natural sense. As a Catholic, I am struck by the fact that I am an inheritor of a great Tradition. So many men and women who have come before me bore this Tradition, this Gospel, throughout the years of history. Today, especially, is an important day to remember that since it is the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. Peter and Paul, two incredibly strong men, sacrificed everything they had, their very lives, for the Gospel that was given to them. As Catholics, we stand on their shoulders. Through their faith and work, the small fledgling Church got off the ground. They gave so much out of love for Christ, and out of love for us. It's amazing to think how many blessings we owe to them, blessings that we are now charged to keep safe and give to future generations.

Of course, there are so many more men within the Church that I feel close to. Great thinkers such as St. Augustine, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, and St. Thomas Aquinas have had such an impact on my own thinking. When I write on this blog, I hope to stand on these men's shoulders and not betray the vision they have passed on to me, though I know in my weakness I am bound to from time to time. Saints like Therese of Lisieux, John the Apostle, and Padre Pio have helped form my love of God. And of course, there are so many more saints praying for me who I don't even know! The Communion of Saints is such a living thing, and we have our place in it. We are part of community that quite truthfully spans the halls of time.

On a more human side, I always try to remember the men and women in my own family who came before me. My parents and grandparents are easy to think of since I know them, and I know more intimately the sacrifices they have made so that I might live, and live well. But my mind goes back to all those family members that came before them that I don't know. When I graduated from high school, my Grandma McMenamin gave me a small metal cross about a foot high. It looked old and a little bent up, and it appeared to be changing color in a few places. Grandma told me that this cross had come across the Atlantic from Ireland with my Grandfathers relatives. It still strikes me when I look at it to think of those men and women from over a hundred years ago, gathered around that cross in prayer. I owe my faith to them, I owe it to their relationships with Christ, and I pray that they are now enjoying His company for all ages!

My point is, we are not alone in this travel through time. It seems like the present age would like to think of itself as springing fully grown from nowhere - owing nothing to the past generations. However, in reality we do owe so much to them. There have been so many truly wise men to come before us, and it is quite literally discriminatory to consider their views wrong because they are "antique", "old fashioned" or "medieval". We are truly dwarves standing on the shoulders of giants, and if we chose to jump off, we will certainly lose our view of reality (and perhaps our very lives, since these giants are tall). It's my goal to always ride these shoulders.