“Knowing therefore these things, beloved even if we should have mounted to the very pinnacle of virtue, let us consider ourselves last of all; having learned that pride is able to cast down even from the heavens themselves him who takes not heed, and humbleness of mind to bear up on high from, the very abyss of sins him who knows how to be sober.” (St. John Chrysostom)
Previous articles have explained that the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises are a school of prayer forming us in relationship with God. Foundational to this is the Principle and Foundation, which expresses the attitude of holy indifference of created things that is fundamental to living in Divine Intimacy. To grow in God’s love, to live in this Intimacy, He forms our character to be that of His own. We examen ourselves daily against the Two Standards to see when we’ve stepped out of Jesus’ camp and stepped into Satan’s. Then we ponder Ignatius’ teaching on the Three Classes of Men, honestly expressing to God our motives behind our choices and begging Him for the grace of change that we may selflessly love Him. Recalling that His creative power is always at work in and around us, we strive throughout each day to live His will in our choices, both small and great. The Spiritual Exercises give us the way to living in increasing Intimacy with Him.
But to do so also requires an understanding of true humility, which is our response of love to God’s grace. Fr. Joseph Tetlow expresses this clearly:
“The humble person accepts creaturehood as she finds it. She includes in this humankind’s sinful condition, and that sinfulness in herself. This acquiescence in the way things are—I do not mean connivance, and I do not mean passivity—flows from the decision to see things as they are and not to retreat into the subtle rejection of God’s creating and governing by refusing to see things as they really are.” … “She embraces having to depend entirely, in all, on God and actually delights in that.” (p. 162, emphasis added)
Humility, then, isn’t just speaking softly or using biblical phrases. It is a disposition of attitude that is grounded in honesty, embracing the truth that despite the sin and chaos around us, God’s governance and creating actions provide order within the disorder and a path to salvation that is paved in love. Ignatius presents humility as stages of growth often termed degrees, levels, or phases (Sp. Ex. 165-168). Each degree represents the retreatant’s generosity toward God. They prayerfully consider what each means and if or how it is exemplified in their life.
The first degree of humility is to reject mortal sin even if our life depended upon it. Ignatius states “This is necessary for salvation. It consists in this, that as far as possible I so subject and humble myself as to obey the law of God our Lord in all things, so that not even were I made lord of all creation, or to save my life here on earth, would I consent to violate a commandment, whether divine or human, that binds me under pain of mortal sin”. This desire for obedience to God is itself a gift, followed by the grace to live it. (Sp. Ex. 165). The retreatant is experiencing God’s love in new ways that are made possible by freedom from sin. Thus, humility goes beyond our own ‘willpower’ and self-mastery, and by God’s love the retreatant begins to understand this difference.
The second degree of humility is that total self-giving of love to God represented by having a holy indifference to, and detachment from, created things. I want to go beyond obeying God; I want to love Him. This is the person who, by God’s grace, is living the Principle & Foundation to the best of their ability. They do all they can to avoid venial sin, wanting to have no barriers to their loving relationship with our Lord. In the previous meditation on the Three Classes of Men, they are in the third or highest class. This is the person trying to fully live the Christian life. No one does this perfectly; after all the just man falls seven times (Proverbs 24:16). But in confession, we reach out for God’s hand and He lifts us up, strengthening our virtue so we less often fall prey to our own inclinations.
Finally, the third degree of humility goes beyond this and wishes, by Divine inspiration, to actually suffer for Christ. More than being indifferent to suffering poverty, humiliation, etc. and as long as it would serve God’s praise and glory, they wish to suffer these so as to be suffering with Him. They have been given the gift of a heart of reparation, one that loves Jesus so much it wishes to console His heart and bring salvation to others in this way. Important to note is that authentic humility of this level is never derived of one’s own actions. That would be grandiose, a form of pride cloaked to look like humility. Rather, it is a response to grace; the person may never actually suffer in these ways their entire life. It is God’s choosing, not their own. But the genuine desire is present in their heart.
Most of us are still trying to get to that second degree of humility! But now near the end of Ignatius’ “2nd week” in the Exercises, the retreatant has become aware of hidden sin and is cooperating with grace with all their might to conquer it. They are developing the habit of examining their day, discerning the spirits that thwart their efforts (Sp. Ex. 313-327). And through the guidance of the Director, the retreatant is learning that the devil has a much more sophisticated approach towards people like him/herself that are doggedly moving closer to God. In Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises, this is known colloquially as the “2nd week rules” for the “higher” discernment of spirits (Sp. Ex. 328-336). The devil, disguised as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14) gives consolations that closely resemble those from God. Little by little, he brings the person to believe these are of God. By following the devil, one’s soul is formed to view faith and life from his skewed perspective. It is a battle of the will in which the retreatant exercises much honesty with God, examens closely their prayer and thought experiences, and suffers the tension of denying oneself these tendencies and temptations. All the while continuing to meditate on Sacred scripture, letting the Word speak truth into their heart. All of this exercises humility in the soul.
The three degrees of humility are stages of perfection of the soul, and the Spiritual Exercises are our initial ‘practice’ at seeking that which is most perfect while turning away from that which is less perfect (Instructions, p. 176, #73). It is the practice of seeking God for the purpose of loving Him. Obedience is the foundation to authentic humility. But when you truly love someone, you want to do as much for them as possible rather than only what is required. Thus, it is by the increase in charity that we develop higher degrees of humility—humility is our response to God’s love. It is the fruit of this exchange of love which takes place in relationship. And since the nature of love is that it cannot be contained, our growth in this love overflows into our relationships with all of creation, especially other people.
All for the greater glory of God!
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References to specific sections of the Exercises are adapted from The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Rev. Elder Mullen, transl. (1914) P. J. Kennedy & Sons.
Instructions on the Spiritual Exercises come from On giving the spiritual exercises: the early Jesuit manuscript directories and the official directory of 1599. Martin Palmer, ed. (1996) The Institute of Jesuit Sources.
Insights from Fr. Joseph Tetlow are taken from Choosing Christ in the World (1999) The Institute of Jesuit Sources.
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