How do you know if you have humility or not?

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Elena321

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Generally speaking,I never think anyone is higher than other people-eg:I don’t “esteem” celebrities or wealthy people as being higher or better than very poor or homeless people and I would never give someone preferential treatment based of these factors but at the same time I don’t know if I personally have humility or not?
 
Below is a great litany for humility. You might want to read it over and see if anything fits you. I was surprised when I realized how UN-humble (prideful) I am. But this litany helps me to focus more on others. Hope this helps (also hope I copied and pasted right 🙂

www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/humility.htm

God Bless you.
 
If you think you are humble, you probably aren’t.

Don’t worry though. The passage of time will humble us whether we want it or not.

I recall a priest once saying that “human” and “humble” have the same root.

ICXC NIKA
 
Elena321 said:
Generally speaking,I never think anyone is higher than other people-eg:I don’t “esteem” celebrities or wealthy people as being higher or better than very poor or homeless people and I would never give someone preferential treatment based of these factors but at the same time I don’t know if I personally have humility or not?
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Summa Theologica, St. Thomas Aquinas, Part II, II, Q 161 Humility, Article 1. Whether humility is a virtue?

I answer that,

As stated above (I-II:23:2) when we were treating of the passions, the difficult good has something attractive to the appetite, namely the aspect of good, and likewise something repulsive to the appetite, namely the difficulty of obtaining it. On respect of the former there arises the movement of hope, and in respect of the latter, the movement of despair. Now it has been stated above (I-II:61:2) that for those appetitive movements which are a kind of impulse towards an object, there is need of a moderating and restraining moral virtue, while for those which are a kind of recoil, there is need, on the part of the appetite, of a moral virtue to strengthen it and urge it on. Wherefore a twofold virtue is necessary with regard to the difficult good: one, to temper and restrain the mind, lest it tend to high things immoderately; and this belongs to the virtue of humility: and another to strengthen the mind against despair, and urge it on to the pursuit of great things according to right reason; and this is magnanimity. Therefore it is evident that humility is a virtue.

Reply to Objection 1.

As Isidore observes (Etym. x), “a humble man is so called because he is, as it were, ‘humo acclinis’” [Literally, ‘bent to the ground’], i.e. inclined to the lowest place. This may happen in two ways.
  1. *]First, through an extrinsic principle, for instance when one is cast down by another, and thus humility is a punishment. *]Secondly, through an intrinsic principle: and this may be done sometimes well, for instance when a man, considering his own failings, assumes the lowest place according to his mode:
    thus Abraham said to the Lord (Genesis 18:27), “I will speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes.” On this way humility is a virtue. Sometimes, however, this may be ill-done, for instance when man, “not understanding his honor, compares himself to senseless beasts, and becomes like to them” (Psalm 48:13).

    Reply to Objection 2.

    As stated (Reply to Objection 1), humility, in so far as it is a virtue, conveys the notion of a praiseworthy self-abasement to the lowest place. Now this is sometimes done merely as to outward signs and pretense: wherefore this is “false humility,” of which Augustine says in a letter (Ep. cxlix) that it is “grievous pride,” since to wit, it would seem to aim at excellence of glory. Sometimes, however, this is done by an inward movement of the soul, and in this way, properly speaking, humility is reckoned a virtue, because virtue does not consist in externals, but chiefly in the inward choice of the mind, as the Philosopher states (Ethic. ii, 5).​

    newadvent.org/summa/3161.htm
 
Elena321 said:
Generally speaking,I never think anyone is higher than other people-eg:I don’t “esteem” celebrities or wealthy people as being higher or better than very poor or homeless people and I would never give someone preferential treatment based of these factors but at the same time I don’t know if I personally have humility or not?
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Does that count for humility? 🙂

We are all created equal before God and that is how we should see them.

But we live in a society too. There are certain positions, in the government/corporate bodies or spiritually, that we may have to respect. It is more of respecting the positions.

About personal talent and capability, St Paul exhorts us to consider others as better and more knowledgeable than us (paraphrase).
 
Humility beckons people to accept that which they need. Are we open to receiving graces from God, & trusting fully in the Holy Spirit? St. Bernard has written about twelve degrees of pride and humility.
 
Humility is knowing you true worth before God - knowing that anything good that has come through you was by God grace and all evil was by your hand - humility must be determined as you stand before God not before humankind and if you are truly honest with yourself you will get a true image of yourself without pride or ego - that pumped up version of yourself is not humility its your false sense of yourself.

If pride and ego are present then you do not have humility.

Self-esteem is another thing and what we should strive for - not pride and ego.
 
I believe that we all experience humility, compassion, patience and the like throughout our day. We are not always patient, compassionate, or humble yet there are times during each day that we probably experience each of these.
We experience humility when we think of ourselves less and what we want, not when we think less of ourselves. We’re not experiencing humility when someone rolls there eyes at something we’ve said or done and we get agitated or angry at that person simply because they disagree. This is when the ego has been challenged, bruised and has been offended.
I believe we can become more humble, compassionate, and patient with practice(practice thinking of ourselves less), but that for most of us egotism will get in the way and cause us suffering until we leave this life(and maybe beyond).
 
GEddie said:
If you think you are humble, you probably aren’t.

Don’t worry though. The passage of time will humble us whether we want it or not.

I recall a priest once saying that “human” and “humble” have the same root.

ICXC NIKA
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Very succinct, yet kind. I like it 🙂
 
Reuben_J said:
Does that count for humility? 🙂

We are all created equal before God and that is how we should see them.

But we live in a society too. There are certain positions, in the government/corporate bodies or spiritually, that we may have to respect. It is more of respecting the positions.

About personal talent and capability, St Paul exhorts us to consider others as better and more knowledgeable than us (paraphrase).
Click to expand...
In my view,everyone should be respected equally whether a politician,policeman,baker,or hairdresser etc.
 
Elena321 said:
In my view,everyone should be respected equally whether a politician,policeman,baker,or hairdresser etc.
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There is a difference between equality of dignity (all human beings being treated with a certain dignity as so to speak “endowed by their creator with certain rights”) and a difference in authority. For instance, everyone in the church is equal in dignity, but some have greater authority than others.
 
peter26 said:
There is a difference between equality of dignity (all human beings being treated with a certain dignity as so to speak “endowed by their creator with certain rights”) and a difference in authority. For instance, everyone in the church is equal in dignity, but some have greater authority than others.
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I see what you mean.
At the same time,I would never treat someone better (or worse) based on their occupation or whether senior/junior etc like for example an airline might give an upgrade to someone that’s a “celebrity” or Politician or welcome them into their “exclusive” lounge but not act the same way for a homeless person (for example).
 
peter26 said:
There is a difference between equality of dignity (all human beings being treated with a certain dignity as so to speak “endowed by their creator with certain rights”) and a difference in authority. For instance, everyone in the church is equal in dignity, but some have greater authority than others.
Click to expand...
I see what you mean.
At the same time,I would never treat someone better (or worse) based on their occupation or whether senior/junior etc like for example an airline might give an upgrade to someone that’s a “celebrity” or Politician or welcome them into their “exclusive” lounge but not act the same way for a homeless person (for example).
 
Most people are not completely humble. Some more or less than others. I am sure you like anyone else is dealing with some sort of pride.
 
I’m reminded about some religious type who, when asked what he thought his best characteristic was, replied: “My awesome humility!”

:):)🙂

Like I said before, I don’t worry about humility. If life doesn’t humble me on its own (it almost certainly will), Death is certain to humble me completely. The same is true for everybody.

Rather than worry about whether or not you are humble, quit analyzing yourself at all, leave that to your spiritual advisor, and concentrate on living life!

ICXC NIKA
 
GEddie said:
I’m reminded about some religious type who, when asked what he thought his best characteristic was, replied: “My awesome humility!”

:):)🙂

Like I said before, I don’t worry about humility. If life doesn’t humble me on its own (it almost certainly will), Death is certain to humble me completely. The same is true for everybody.

Rather than worry about whether or not you are humble, quit analyzing yourself at all, leave that to your spiritual advisor, and concentrate on living life!

ICXC NIKA
Click to expand...
True. Sooner or later the universe will humble you.
 
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