This is a monthly series on Francisco de Osuna’s The Third Spiritual Alphabet.1 In each post, we reflect on one letter from his Alphabet. The Alphabet was written as an aid to recollection. Recollection (being recollected in God) is both a form of prayer and a way of being in the world. This month’s letter is H.
This Letter Speaks of Humility, Saying: May Humility Increase So You May Progress Well. Humilidad crezca contigo para bien aprovechar.
What is Humility?
Disclaimer: I tend to disagree with some of the traditional accounts of humility found in Christian literature. Traditional accounts, including some of what Osuna says about humility, are too often degrading, emphasizing our faults to an inordinate degree and, thereby, missing the point. Humility is not so much a matter of self-abasement as it is the acquisition of an honest, realistic assessment both of oneself and of others. At their worst, traditional accounts imply that we are worthless and should see ourselves as such. I could hardly disagree more. We are magnificent creatures, created in the divine image and deeply loved by our Creator. The wonder of our being and the inherent dignity and value we possess are as much the reality as our faults and foibles. The only real difference is that we can always do better, whereas the wonder, dignity, and value of our being never changes. Humility, then, takes into account the full scope of what it means to be human.
We are wonderful creatures, and we are also creatures with inherent limitations. Firstly, we are inherently fallible, entering this world in a state of ignorance so that we must learn and grow into maturity. Humility accepts this fact, recognizing both own need to learn and grow and that others are doing the same. Secondly, we are wholly interdependent creatures, depending not only on the goodness of creation to sustain us but on one another to flourish. Humility understands this interdependence and cultivates an awareness of others and their needs in the context of the created order upon which we all depend. Finally, we are finite creatures, always faced with the brute fact that we must give it all up, and we must do so all at once. Humility accepts this fact, as well. Humility sees how we possess nothing; we simply participate in the goodness that is present. All that to say, humility is both an ability to see ourselves and others as we truly are and a willingness to accept this reality and live within it.
That, rightly or wrongly, is how I understand the virtue of humility. I simply reject notions of humility that fail to take into account the wonder, beauty, and goodness of the human creature. It’s not honest, at least not from the perspective of Christian faith, and I don’t find it helpful. There’s no doubt we can be humbled by a recognition of our faults, and that has some purpose, but that approach can also be temporary and fail if those faults are eventually overcome and replaced with pride. But when we are humbled and awed by goodness and beauty, which are always present and always transcend our individual selves, then they give us proper perspective, and the humility we gain remains with us as we grow into their likeness. At any rate, that’s my take on humility. Despite my own misgivings, I do agree with Osuna that humility is an essential virtue that we can acquire through recollection and that works in conjunction with our love.
Humility and Recollection
“The purpose of humility corresponds to that of recollection, for in both we are to become emptied of ourselves so that our hearts may be filled more with God.” (SA 495)
“Quiet is a property of recollection and gentleness of humility, and both virtues are proper to the person of heart who is the inner, spiritual person who hides within in order to find God who dwells with us.” (SA 495)
Humility, understood as a realistic and accepting assessment of oneself, is cultivated by keeping a practice of recollection. As Osuna indicates, just the act of turning our whole attention toward the divine presence is an act of humility whereby we turn from ourselves toward the divine reality that abides with us. Of course, when we first attempt to keep a practice, it might seem like we can hardly get away from our own thoughts and keep our focus. But, as we develop a consistent practice, we can begin to experience what Osuna calls “learned ignorance” (SA 507).
During recollection, we begin to forget ourselves as the primary focus of our attention. We begin to forget our conceptions of God as we experience a presence that transcends our conceptual framework. Surprisingly, perhaps, we find ourselves letting go of our death-grip on passing time, forgetting the fears that seemed all-too pervasive, and finding that the moment, in and of itself, is sufficient for us. Somehow, as we sit in the stillness and silence, we begin to experience a fullness that defies the emptiness of all we’ve forgotten. All this, too, can become part of our realistic and accepting assessment.
Humility and Love
“In order for you to gain some insight into the majesty of this virtue, understand that humility and magnanimity are such beloved sisters and companions that one is not found without the other.” (SA 496)
Love desires and seeks what is truly good for oneself and for others. I think humility, as a realistic and accepting assessment, is essential for love’s flourishing. How could it be otherwise? How can I even begin to love someone else unless I see them, and see them as they are? But if I see the wonder and goodness of their created being, if I recognize their inherent dignity and value, and if I understand our interdependence and mutual need, how can I not love them and desire for them the same goodness I desire for myself? In this sense, humility and love invariably work together.
Concluding Thought
Self-abasement is not humility. And there’s no need for self-abasement when we can clearly see the beauty and goodness, the dignity and value of which we are a part. When we see things aright, we find our proper place in them. That is the purpose of humility. But I do think we need time to forget ourselves for a bit in order to see clearly the beauty and goodness that both includes and transcends us. Recollection can help give us perspective. Becoming recollected in the stillness and silence of the divine presence gives us the opportunity to see things aright and find our place in them.
Francisco de Osuna The Third Spiritual Alphabet (Trans. Mary E. Giles; Preface Kieran Kavanaugh; Paulist Press, 1981)