Presentation about St. Benedict's teaching on humility, given at the Duluth Benedictine Oblate meeting on February 12, 2017.

1. Ascending by Descending:
St. Benedict on Humility
Sister Edith Bogue
Duluth Benedictine Oblate Meeting
12 February 2017

2. 2
HARD SAYINGS
(A RECAP)
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3. 3
HARD SAYINGS:
SEEM
WRONG
CONFUSE
US
MAKE US
RELUCTANT
PhotosfromSeptember2017Oblatemeetingslides.

4. 4
Whose Will?
 Jesus' hard sayings
call on us to…
• Do things that seem
contrary to accepted
norms & practices,
• Accept statements that
we cannot grasp,
• Relinquish our will in
order to choose
God's will.
https://saintmichaelschapel.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/godswaymyway.jpg

5. 5
WHAT IS HUMILITY?
QuotefromC.S.Lewis

6. 6
Humility as a Job Skill?https://www.localjobnetwork.com/j/t-medical-scribe-e-elite-
medical-scribes-l-duluth,-mn-jobs-j22349165.html

7. 77
“What is humility?
It is that habitual
quality whereby we
live in the truth of
things: the truth
that we are
creatures and not
the Creator.
Bishop Robert Morneau
Image:http://craigfinnestad.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Humility.jpg

8. 88
 Humility is mentioned
93 times in the Bible
 Fruit of the Spirit
(Col. 3:12)
 “Live in a manner
worthy of the call you
have received, with all
humility & gentleness”
(Eph 3:21)
 “God resists the proud,
but gives grace to the
humble.”
(James 4:6)
Humility and Scripture
StatueofAmericanBenedictinenunpraying.
St.BenedictMonastery,St.Joseph,Minnesota

9. 99
Jesus and
Humility
http://www.roubaixinteractive.com/PlayGround/_kc/wtc/default.asp?cid=India
He called a child over, placed it
in their midst, and said,
"Amen, I say to you, unless you
turn and become like children,
you will not enter the kingdom
of heaven."
"Whoever humbles himself
like this child is the greatest
in the kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one
child such as this in my name
receives me."
(Matthew 18:14)

10. 10
Humility,byRev.AndrewMurray
“Humility is perfect quietness of heart.
It is to expect nothing,
to wonder at nothing that is done to me,
to feel nothing done against me.
It is to be at rest when nobody praises me,
and when I am blamed or despised.
It is to have a blessed home in the Lord,
where I can go in and shut the door,
and kneel to my Father in secret,
and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmness,
when all around and above is trouble.”
Andrew Murray

11. 1111
 Chapter 7 is the
longest chapter in
Benedict’s Rule.
 Chapter 7 is the
culmination of the
Rule’s spiritual
foundations.
 Many of prescriptions
of the Rule are specific
examples or methods
of living these 12 steps
of humility.
Humility and The Rule
FrescoofSt.BenedictbyFraAngelico.
MuseodiSanMarco,Florenz(FlorenceItaly)

12. 1212
 The ladder is a
dynamic symbol:
one moves up or
down on it
 This ladder is reversed:
• Exalting ourselves
brings us lower
• Humility brings us
higher
Humility Is a Journey…
GeorgeRoualut,fromThePassionsequence
https://www.mutualart.com/Artwork/Passion--set-of-17---Chapon---Rouault-25/DA2FBA5072C095CB

13. 1313
 The ladder encompasses
all of our lives:
body and soul
 The rungs are set by “our
divine vocation”
• We do not climb them
once and call it done.
• Our motion goes in
both directions.
• St. Benedict promises
that, as we progress,
the practices of
humility become sweet.
...not a destination
https://www.mountainproject.com/v/utah/moab_area/fisher_towers/2200005

14. 14
THE PRACTICES
OF HUMILITY
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/2f/44/e5/2f44e5abc213e555ab7634c36859c170.jpg

15. 1515
 Autonomy and self-determination are major
values in our culture
 The 12-Step (A.A)
groups say:
“Doing what I want
to do is what
brought me to
where I am now.”
 Humility shows us the truth of our limitations
 It sets us free from our unlimited desires.
Choosing Not to Choose
FromanexhibitionofAsianArt.Informationnolongeravailable.

16. 16
Patience
 Benedict tells us:
"When this obedience involves hard and
contrary things, or even when there may be
undeserved injuries, one’s mind quietly
embraces patience." RB 7.35
 We will experience things we think are
unjust or injurious.
 Our first reaction, and the social norm, is to
protest and struggle to right the wrong.
 Patience is conscious acceptance of pain.
• Easier when we can see the benefit.
• Most humble when we cannot.

17. 1717
One is content with the
lowest and most menial
treatment, and regards
oneself as a poor and
worthless worker.
RB 7.49
When we are treated poorly,
when we lack things we feel
that we need, when our world
is unmade: it is in those
circumstances that we truly
and deeply encounter the
reality of our self:
We depend on God for
absolutely everything.
All is gift. Nothing is
earned or deserved.
Imagesourceunavailable.

18. 1818
One not only proclaims
with the tongue but
believes with the deepest
feeling of the heart that
one is inferior to all and
more worthless.
RB 7.51
The center of the 12 Steps:
 Sincere awareness that, as
Pope Francis says, "I am a
sinner."
 Looking holy is a constant
temptation, especially in
religious life.
 Inner practices are the only
way to true humility:
• Acknowledge my faults
• Refrain from excuses
 This is the foundation for
growing closer to God.
Imagesourceunavailable.

19. 1919
 After Step 7, we are at a
place where others can
finally help us in our
climb to humility.
 We become "teachable"
and ready to focus on the
needs of all rather than just
our own.
 We do not strive to seem
better (compete) nor
appear to be special.
Community and HumilitySourceofimageisnotknown.

20. 2020
 From our new perspective,
we become aware of our
impact on our community.
Our highest desire is for our
actions to make it better.
 Gravitas is the custody of
our behavior as taciturnitas
is the custody of the tongue.
 We do strive to seem better
(competition) or special.
Silence and Gentle SpeechThomasHartBenton,TheLordisMyShepherd(1926)
http://collection.whitney.org/object/489

21. 2121
 Our heart becomes
attuned to the reality of
our souls.
 The humble actions we did
from obedience become
the desires of our heart.
 The fruit of humility is
inner and outer peace.
 "Success" is constant joy
in the everyday spiritual
practices.
Intentio cordis
Sourceofphotounknown.

22. 22
THE OCCASIONS
OF HUMILITY
FromTheGreatestStoryEverTold(dir.GeorgeStevens,1965)
Imagefoundathttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/-
Mmh48HU8nzc/VE2ecpabFgI/AAAAAAAADqc/6YzbMJMpfk4/s1600/greateststoryevertold-simonofcyrene.jpg

23. 2323
 We do make progress
on this journey.
 Yet each day brings its
trials and frustrations.
 A new perspective:
occasions of humility.
 We could protest,
demand, and sulk
OR
 We can use gentle quiet and calm
service to bring peace and joy.
Always We Begin Again
JohnAugustSwanson,TheWashingoftheFeet
http://www.anppm.org/NonProfitStore/default.cfm?BodyNav=DisplayProducts.cfm&id=73805

24. 24
http://combiboilersleeds.com/picaso/humility/humility-1.html

25. 25
Humility and the Paschal Mystery
 Slowly, humility leads to
the death of our false
self, the images we cling
to so tightly.
 Only with the gradual
demise of that false self
can God draw out the joy
and beauty of our true
self: the image of God.
Sourceofpaintingisnotknown.

26. 26
NELSON MANDELA ON
HUMILITY AND PEACE
Mandela and Oprah

27. 27
Humility: Growing Our Wings
Child'spaintingpostedonWilkinsonSchoolwebsite,1997.

28. Ascending by Descending:
St. Benedict on Humility
Sister Edith Bogue
Duluth Benedictine Oblate Meeting
12 February 2017