Asking God for Humility

This morning prayed for the Lord, His Real Presence, to teach this nothing what is humility.  St. John Climacus brought up such an excellent thought in his writings after having heard previous holy men's definitions of humility, prior to his 6th c. time on earth.

But John Climacus realized none of those definitions seemed accessible to him, personally.  The Scripture in Matthew 11:29 spoke:  Learn from Me, for I am meek and humble of heart.  John asked and received what the Lord wished for him to grasp of humility.  He gave him a definition.  [This definition is shared in previous post.]

So nothing has asked for what His Real Presence may desire it to grasp further, of humility--beyond the marvelous definitions and wisdoms given by some of the holiest pilgrims who breathed earthly air.  One thought that came fairly early in this day is that humility is transient.  Perhaps more than most of the virtues, humility is sensitive to the present moment.  In one instance humility is planted solid and deep; in another moment humility can dissipate like a passing cloud.

Thus, this nothing Catholic hermit spent some time watching clouds in the sky while resting the very painful back.  Then a young wife and mother emailed, asking input for some temporal-spiritual issues.  They had to do with what may enter into their lives in the next several months:  a change in job, perhaps, and thus location.  Nothing had been struggling with similar, as finances are dwindling due to the amount of renovation involved in Te Deum Hermitage.

Humility, like clouds, or like concerns beyond the present moment, can be visible or not.  No matter, it is always in flux while we are in our earthly progression.  While writing some ideas for the young wife and mother, with clouds as an example of humility and present moment existence, a cloud dissipated as if before the eyes.

Clouds remind us of God's creative power, omniscience, and ever present love...and humility.  In His grandeur, God is humble, yet He is eternally humble.  At some point, when we love more truly and purely, and when humility wraps itself around love like clouds seem to embrace the sky, we may find more moments of humility, present humble moments building one upon another and lingering some, rather than being so transient.

But already today, when the pain rose and obstacles to manual labor tasks banked like foreboding storms threatening to disrupt progress, where was humility?  For a bit it seemed as if frustrated anger rolled in; but soon enough the clouds shifted, and humility was recognized in the reality that today's tasks had to be placed on hold until tomorrow.  The obstacles were impassable for the time being; there is humility in this reality, as well.

Presumably the definition of humility will change just as much as the presence of humility can fluctuate.  It depends upon what we are capable of grasping regarding this most precious grace given us by His Real Presence (for the asking).  Each soul can learn special aspects regarding humility as God wills and provides, in whatever ways we need to learn and are capable of learning.

God bless His Real Presence in us!  All His graces and love and power and might are in Him, and He in His Abode, within us!  Think on that truth!  But we mostly are not able to yet absorb so much, such as purity of love and constancy of humility.  Someday, though, and increasingly so, we pray for increasingly constancy of humility, as we climb the stairway to heaven!

Little children, let us love one another!  Let us love and pray to be humble, and to be humbled.