Except from the Rule of Saint
Benedict, from Chapter 7 On Humility.
1 Brothers, Divine Scripture calls to
us saying: Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself
shall be exalted (Luke 14:11; 18:14).
2 In saying this, therefore, it shows
us that every exaltation is a kind of pride, 3 which the Prophet indicates he
has shunned, saying: Lord, my heart is not exalted; my eyes are not lifted up
and I have not walked in the ways of the great nor gone after marvels beyond
me.
4 And why? If I had not a humble
spirit, but were exalted instead, then you would treat me like a weaned child
on its mother’s lap.
5 Accordingly, brothers, if we want
to reach the highest summit of humility, if we desire to attain speedily that
exaltation in heaven to which we climb by the humility of this present life, 6
then by our ascending actions we must set up that ladder on which Jacob in a
dream saw angels descending and ascending (Gen 28: 12).
7 Without doubt, this descent and ascent
can signify only that we descend by exaltation and ascend by humility.
8 Now the ladder erected is our life
on earth, and if we humble our hearts the Lord will raise it to heaven.
9 We may call our body and soul the
sides of this ladder, into which our divine vocation has fitted the various
steps of humility and discipline as we ascend.
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