Lest You Remain

6 “Blest are you among women” (Luke 1:42). Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, but she did not try to elevate herself above the Virgin Mary. She considered herself inferior to Her, and praised Mary as blessed and most holy among women. This is the result of the working of the Holy Spirit: not throwing slander on others, but rather praising them, recognizing attributes they are filled with, rather than denying them out of jealousy. It is a sign that a heart is given to God, when it extols other’s traits, while forgetting one’s own. Learn to praise the virtues of others (yet without adulation), and to hide and explain their vices. Then you could believe you are filled with the Holy Spirit. ( Inspectio Cordis ) 7 Do not do what exasperates others; do what brings them joy, however not sin- ful joy. Believe that you deserve punishment for other sinners. As far as possible, avoid high ranks, desiring praise and honors, unless they are given or bestowed on you without soliciting them, by the decree of God. Even then, accept them in humility, and although unwillingly, you can tolerate them. It would be the height of humility, if acting in this way, you will not be con- scious you are humble, and would not be convinced of that at all. You are going to behave as if you did not know what humility was, or rather, you would accept and profess it. Even if you fulfilled all that was enumerated above, you would never reach this perfection and the height of humility, which was achieved and gained by its Master, Jesus Christ, or which other saints climbed. But, so as not to drift away from Him as His disciple did, try to at least fulfill these duties and acts which the Savior performed, or at least admire and praise them! Try to understand, that even with the humility of all the saints, you will not be able, in the slightest, to equal the humility of Christ. In the end, ask the One, who alone, can make you humble, the One who “deposed the mighty from their thrones and raised the lowly to high places” (Lk 1:52). ( Inspectio Cordis ) Fr. Founder’s Selected Thoughts on the Religious Life 163