On True humility in The Book of Heaven by the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta

The Book of Heaven by Louisa Piccarreta is really a gem in living in not simply doing, the Divine Will. What is true humility?

This is what Luisa writes in her second tome of The Book of Heaven, on April 3, 1899: Humility without confidence is false virtue. After going through several days of privation and of tears, I found myself all confused and annihilated within myself. In my interior I kept saying, continuously: ‘Tell Me, O my Good, why have You moved away from me? Where have I offended You, that You no longer make Yourself seen – and if You show Yourself, You are almost concealed, and silent? O please, do not make me wait and wait any longer, for my heart cannot take any more!’ Finally, Jesus showed Himself a little more clearly, and in seeing me so annihilated, He told me: “If you knew how much I like humility… Humility is the littlest plant that can be found, but its branches are so high as to reach Heaven, wind their way around my throne, and penetrate deep into my Heart. This little plant is humility, and the branches which this plant produces, are confidence; so, there cannot be true humility without confidence. Humility without confidence is false virtue.” From the words of Jesus it shows that my heart was not only annihilated, but also a little discouraged.

How bold is this teaching! Humility without confidence is false virtue! Jesus kept insisting on it even when he speaks to Luisa regarding her relation with her confessor. On May 2, 1899, when she writes on how all Heaven is veiled in the Church, Luisa writes:

While Jesus was saying this, I saw the confessor near Him. Jesus stared at him with His penetrating gaze; then He turned to me and told me: “I want you to have full confidence in the confessor, even in the smallest things; so much so, that there must be no difference for you between Me and him, and according to your confidence and faith in his words, so I will concur.” In the very act in which Jesus was saying these words, I remembered about certain temptations of the devil which had produced a little bit of distrust in me. But Jesus, with His vigilant eye, immediately corrected me, and at that very moment I felt that distrust being removed from within my interior. May the Lord be always blessed, who has so much care for this soul, so miserable and sinful.

Having full confidence in Jesus and in those who represent Him, the priests, is a great way of living true humility. If I truly trust in Jesus I do not cultivate the desire of being esteemed, the desire of being loved, the desire of being extolled, the desire of being honoured, the desire of being praised, the desire of being preferred to others, the desire of being consulted, the desire of being approved, the fear of being humiliated, the fear of being despised, the fear of being despised, the fear of suffering rebukes, the fear of being calumniated, the fear of being forgotten, the fear of being ridiculed, the fear of being wronged, the fear of being suspected

Let us daily pray, with great faith, the litany of humility, which is the result of absolute confidence and trust in God!

 

O Jesus meek and humble of heart, Hear me.  

From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver, me, Jesus.

From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me Jesus.

From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver, me, Jesus.

From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, Jesus.

That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus grant me the grace to desire it.

That in the opinion of the world, others may increase, and I may decrease,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be praised and I unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may become holier than I, provided that I become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

 

Fr Mario Attard OFM Cap