5 14510010 The 10 evangelical virtues of Our Lady Humility is the virtue of recognizing our dependence on God, and also the virtue most pleasing to God. It is a virtue that is paramount to spiritual growth. When Gabriel came to Mary and said, “Hail, full of grace”(Lk 1:28), she was initially troubled and made fearful by Gabriel’s praise. Yet, the Blessed Mother gave a beautiful example of humility at the Incarnation when she replied, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38). While Mary wondered how all this could be as she had no husband, she recognized God’s will. She did not answer with false humility, saying, “I could never do that as I am not worthy,” but instead, with true humility, she gave her “Yes!” for she realized that it was God’s plan, and that with God all things are possible. The Blessed Mother realized that she didn’t deserve to be addressed with “Hail, Mary.” It was a gift of God that she became the Mother of God, not because of anything she did but because of what God had done for her. She was immaculately conceived — meaning she was born preserved from original sin, and only God could do that. The fact that she knew God had done great things for her made her a humble person. In today’s world of consumerism and materialism, humility is often viewed as a sign of weakness. Being meek and humble of heart is not a weakness! Scripture tells us “… whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Mt 23:12). But do we really believe it, and even more importantly, do we practice it? So how do we cultivate this important virtue of humility? Some of the best ways are a frequent examination of conscience and a confession of sin through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. These are good ways to cultivate humility because they help us to better understand ourselves. They foster the practice of looking at ourselves with an honest eye and realizing our dependence on God. Our Blessed Mother was able to accept that God could work a miracle through her. This required humility as she realized that God was the source of her strength. When you have a balanced view of God and His relationship with you, then the medium of extremes will be found between seeing yourself as worthless and seeing yourself as a being of perfection. You will better understand our human frailties but also the beauty of life and the wonder of God. Reflect on Mary as she says, “The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name” (Lk 1:46-55). Her whole song is all about how glorious God is and all the great things He has done for her. It isn’t about her at all. Mary is our model of humility, and may we have a similar humble outlook on our lives. Let us realize all the great things that God has done for us, and may we give Him unceasing praise. By Dr. Bryan Thatcher The Congregation of Marian Fathers were the first and remain the only community of male religious based upon the Rule of the Ten Evangelical Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. Most Sorrowful Most Merciful Most Patient Most Poor Most Pure Most Obedient Most Devout Most Faithful Most Humble Most Prudent © 2022 Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M.
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