NOW understand; for having made humility the base of everything, we
must speak first of it. Humility is the desire of abasement or of
depth--that is to say, an inclination or internal desire for
abasement of heart and conscience before the sublimity of God. The
justice of God exacts this submission, and, thanks to charity, the
loving heart cannot abandon it. When the loving and humble man
considers that God has served him so humbly, so lovingly, and so
faithfully, and then that God is so high, so powerful, and so noble,
and that man is so poor, little, and base, there is born from all
this, in the humble heart, an immense respect and reverence towards
God; for to reverence God in all works, within and without, is the
first and most delightful work of humility, the sweetest work of
charity, and the most suitable work of justice. For the humble and
loving heart cannot pay honours to God and His noble humanity, nor
abase himself so deeply as to satisfy his desire. That is why it
seems to the humble man that he always does too little in honour of
God and in his humble service. And he is humble, and venerates Holy
Church and the sacraments, and he is temperate in meat and drink, in
his words, and in all relations of life. He is content with poor
raiment, with menial employment, and his face is naturally humble,
without pretence. And he is hunible in his practices, within and
without, before God and before men, that none may be offended by
reason of him. Thus he tames and removes far from him all pride,
which is the cause and origin of all sins. Humility breaks the
snares of sin, the world, and the Devil. And man is ordered within
himself, and established in the very place of virtue. Heaven is open
to him, and God is inclined to hear his prayer, and he is loaded
with graces. And Christ, the solid stone, is his support, and he who
builds his virtues upon humility cannot go wrong.