Other than humble

No one is exempt from the Enemy's traps. The struggle lasts until the last breath, even for those who have made a decisive choice for God's field: indeed! One of the favorite deceptions with which temptation tries to trip those who have already progressed in the spiritual life is false humility, which naturally comes to life with all the appearance of the real one.

Let us have this explained by an undisputed master like Saint Ignatius of Loyola, author of one of the best-selling books in the world, the Spiritual Exercises, born from a profound observation of one's inner movements.
"Your letter is excellent proof of false humility," Ignatius wrote bluntly to a longtime friend of sister Teresa Rejadel. I quote freely: «You write:“ I am a poor religious. It seems to me that I want to serve Christ Our Lord… ”.

Instead, you should fearlessly proclaim: "I am his servant and I will die rather than give up serving him ...". To explain myself better, I will tell you the language that the Enemy uses: he uses the flaw he discovers in us. If he finds a person with such a broad conscience as to let sins pass without seeing their gravity, he makes every effort so that venial sin becomes null and mortal sin little. If, on the other hand, he finds a person with a delicate conscience, which in itself is not a defect, it makes him believe that what is not a sin is sin, insinuating a defect where there is none, in order to confuse and afflict.

For the mocker to remain mocked, the way forward is to do the opposite: if the devil presents justice, I immediately see mercy, if he speaks to me of mercy, I remember justice ... Whoever starts the fight must be on guard. Do we feel consolation? Then we will humble ourselves, thinking that the test of temptation will not be long. The temptation comes.
tion, darkness, sadness? We will go to meet her without pain, patiently waiting for the consolation of the Lord ... who speaks to his heart without the need for words and raises us to his divine love without the possibility of resisting him. If the sentiment comes from God, it is humble, that is, obedient to the Church and to superiors ... ».

As Father Marko Rupnik, a Jesuit, puts it in current terms, false humility throws me into the worst pride, giving more importance to my feelings than to the Church, which has prayed for me and forgiven my sins. If I come to the conclusion that I am not worthy to serve the Lord, I am not humble at all, quite the contrary: I am only affirming my self. My limit continues to remind me of myself, instead of Who welcomed and forgiven me as I am: limited. The space of infinity is my limit.

Flaminia Morandi
NP August / September 2019