Meditation for January 22, The Privilege of the Humble

There is place for all in "the Wound of the Heart of Jesus," Madeleine Sophie Barat said to her daughters, "but one must be very little to penetrate into the depths, into the secrets of the Divine Heart."

On another occasion she said, "We must be meek and humble with Jesus and like Jesus; see Him alone; then we will be true reli­gious, and the Divine Heart will produce fruits, first in us, then through us in the souls of those confided to our care."

Our Lord spoke of meekness and humility with so touching an accent, because He considered them the chief virtues of the soul, Learn of Me, for I am meek and humble of Heart. (Matt. xi, 29.) He even went so far as to say, Unless you be converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. xviii, 3.)

Not only does He invite us to humility, He even proposes to us His own example.

Alas! It may be that we have faults and even serious faults, and more than once we are tempted to think that they are going to paralyze the work of grace in our souls. If we humble ourselves and make an effort to combat them, nothing is lost.

The saintly foundress of the Religious of the Sacred Heart very justly remarked:

"Faults and failures do not destroy the work of the Good Master, if when we recognize them, we abase ourselves in humility and de­tachment from self. Mercy then acts freely and that is all God wishes; He is powerful enough to compensate for all our deficiencies and to act through us as soon as we, having become cognizant of our nothingness, let Him be Master."

"O Jesus, teach me Your two great virtues, meekness and hu­mility. However imperfect I may be, take me to Your Heart. I will make myself so little that there will be place for me there, a most secret place in its very depths."
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Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)