brian daley on humility

8/18/2019 Brian Daley on Humility

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"To BE MORE LIKE CHRIS

THE BACKGROUND AND IMPLCAONS

OF "THRE NDS OF ULY

ntroductio

In 1965, shotly aer I aived at Sb Oak the piosophate of the NewYor Povince o te Society o Jesu to begin sdying pilosophy s ae schoatic I ha my st inteiew with te man who to e my

ptal fthe. He a quiet gente i peson ith extremey ght anetatng eyes and a o oeat rega voice; he mie a goo d t

n't ay ve mch ettng me ty-with my a inoeance o ienceto e gaps in he conveaton I ha jt come rom the novtiate an ee fo a whe about how that epeience ha gone and aout what Iepected postivey an negatvey om phosophy. Then sdeny heewee me wth a irect eston: "What o yo tn te hea o

Igatian spiitaity? I mmaged uousy n my min tng to thn ohat might e the eat tp ting to ay on the as o my ve imteeperence an na anee he t degee of hmiity I sppoe e


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4 BRIA E. DALEY SJ.:;,-Y'8

sacce his or her best nersts s reay a way of ontrong other by nduing gu o doing wha mos nined to do IMany o us, undobedy have eperencd some o hs mbivaence ihe coue of esng o own mnses "I enjoyed you homy a feml:studn old me nesy one dy las yea e I had ceebed a schooltgy; bt I eay dsgee wh you stmn ht Chisn dspshmeans 'sef .empying sece Ths u anohe nam r sbgaon! Men

1onng sae self-eement o humly n a semon will amos alwayoch someones sensve ne have isoved and on esus n emar om n ngy worshppe on he wy ou o huh Conempoyprcte n dreng he Spua Excss oo, nds o strss mosecusvey h need o encourge the eteatan to epeience Godsnondiona unquetionng, aeping ov he sense o confronton andudgmen aso amed at n he medaons o he Fr Week or he invaon obe dawn no he dminshmens of Jeus way ha pays suh an mpoantpat m �he eond pesents many detos oday wih n apparenly noubepze 1 seems to mny o be a par o the Exers sxeenthnu tabaggag h can bes be e at he door As a s, he onsderaon of The

Knd of Humy ha Ign oers n mmediate pud o h econ isoday I ssp, ofn smpy omtd fom he pogam of th Eerses asmseadng or even poeny hamf

Hene seems uefu o oo on again ony bfy a hemann g o humy n hs mous tt o a wha h noion mght hav ean n he onte of he ong adon of Chrstan sprualy Ignatiu hadnhed, and wha oe the odeon o The Knd o Hmily plays inhe s o he ond Wk and o he ers as a whoe Aganst thisbkgound wi be eas nd moe u to consd wha mpoance

5 I he perceptive Jtle book f rections earl ·desert piritulity, To La AsG �v : Cnn wi th Ely Chuh Phladelpha: Foress 987), Robea Cod ponts ut hat the preentati o humilty b claic ritin spiritul write sto mny people tod both negatie ad repule. Acros he m centuries f theChrsta e up t the modern wrld when women he bn xhr;ed to e humblehumility includ a oe ts compont beng bdiet t teir hubd fthe bohes :nd(? p iests. Humilty hs been hhnd word fo ognizng nd aceptig infeiposton n the world . . The rel diculty s ot so much ht wn hae bee tught terve but tht sevice see to demnd los of self. The vey phrse 'el loe raie aspecter of womn wthout ny ned dei r even peont of her own (43f. Formny too he agues humlit i ssciated with mnpultive elf�rcethe vou takehe only g ch tttudeo with the cultivatn o ujtid fe f il with"delibete akig on ourselve a [ow eJftm" 45) ond rigl es that humli

the Chriin piriul tradition auall ha nthig o do with a low sel�nage (44 and selly necear prt of the rd reism freedom ad love mirrong the humlty oGod (ee pp. 4656 04.

"To Be Mre like Chist + 5

ly hs o hos oday who re ryng o ve ou her commimnt to Gpel of Chst wh n Igna haism nd moe speay hu humly migh mean n he ght o our een gena onggons n the shfng mt nd opporunes of ontempray Jesu fe We owe o ou own spu hetage o ry.

Humlty before Igntus

Th Gk hhc d

In anen Medterranan tue humy w no n se, pzed ahan vue I he Geek dton the key to mora and spu ceence easonabl ondene n ones own powes and godness based onistc sf-knowedg and eadng n he long m o sefsuencyom nd ontenmen. Balanc a an del o human goodness fondprsson n h poes mam Nohng in exess and n


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populr phosophe in ways reminscen of he Gd f Ira, putng"

the prud and eang h humble'

For all his sbry and cautin, howvr, he Grks respcted peopwho had a rastic appreciaton of her own wh. Arstoes fmus dcton f the qals hat revea the v f mgm (t-aXfvx dpica natr arstocrat who "ays caim t ga hing whn h s worthy

hm Th f

undon of magnanmity, fr Arisole i h whe rang olothr vres of whch t s the crownng rnament The magnnimo�pn knws he is gninely god, able o pfm w in mst humrespcts and is wiing to mak f hs gfs and accp h rward thebring n a realisi way Since he ates rward of all, red vn t thgods s r, he magnanmos pon rady o caim his st sha of thatas well; bt h dos so wh moderion, t a he acceps wath, power s1stau, evn god uk n a odrat way •and w not be verjofl at gf ne r O>r·srrowfl a bad frtune H s, n fac, a an of nderen ar as eahy rwards are oncerned sngemnddy pursung inrnhman xcll of whoe reazatn h lne is th nal udg Aristoemagnanimu peron s also corags whn need ars s t onferbents n hers mre than he ls rvng them, stand n hs met whedling wh mprn people b is asy nd unprenios n dang wthths s iprant than he, and ony bstirs himself t mpe for xtrnalprzs ha ar y dstinguished He s straightorard i speech res mrefor h Truth than for wha pop hnk, avod gossp and sander and showshis ndpendene of nd by likng own beautifl rahr han uul thnEven hs bdy anguag suggs qaiy, Aro observes wih amst coicprcision: h lvates a dignd, cndnt barng waing sowly andspang i a dp voce 3 Magnanimy s a ve partilry ond n yung

pop, Arsol rmark in th Rhtrc: hey end o thn themsvs wohy grat thngs bas thy ar stl fl of hpe nd have not yt bnhumbld by if Agng maes s mor rac perha, but aso maks s"smll-mindd

8 Se, Hesiod Works and Dy Sf Xnpho He/e£c 642; Aa 210Doe Lacru Vi phlaphu 69.

9cmch EhicJ 4J (123bf fr h 'hol derptn o the anaupmon s 1242536 alo £ E, 35 23-25) Postr Alytc 23

7b5-25.Nu. E 24a" Ib 24a5.12 Ibd 24b928.Ib 24b272!

"T B Mr lik Chris 7

Concr Aristles porti is hs man pn s mphasz he

t bwen h magnanimo prsons selfesm and hs r hr rl woth.o laim grat hnr when one is wohy of l s be vain (a vic), tl when ne s why of gra honr s to be sm-sued a woseic! whie o deserve le and clm tle is smply to be tempte (a vie a deren knd Magnanmty islf s a man bween arrgnc andtiidity, rooed bh in real human cnc and n an acurate and objetve

s-awaness

Ltr scho of ancient phlsphy cnnued t ncd magnanmtyang h viues, b dnd i n a varey o wa Th Scs for instane,ho did no hare Arioes cndne n the possby of ndng happnesand scuriy in the vrdy world of the potcal cmuny concivd of tin more inernal, oral erms: a a obination of th cr t exeris wllhatver conrol on can vr ones aairs and th ptc undrg wellha mut smpy b ndurd But wh mt ancint mora writer gred nhir conemp for a frms o vanty and prenson1 h word humbl or

Jwy (Grk: 'e


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2 BRIAN E. DALEY, S.J

virtue can be brogt o fl relizion p from humilty 31 f m


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14 BAN E. DALEY, S.J

for a rsnable mtive,42 Bernard himself recogizd our need fm W nims fde, by which we ake serouly the "capciy r eteal thgs�ht IS ur rel natural greatnss, and bldly each outreyig al h while oChriso assaul' th Kingdom f even.3 Yet humiliy in hs view, imre than smply anthe vue aidng us on our wy t G: it is he stripn of the JOurney the rs step i a mvemnt f deepening wledge alve f

. uelvs,

ur neghbr and God th ends i he contemplaive uni

f beattude. It 1s bth he oigin nd he orrhing hme of Christgrwth

Ber d delight. s in schmtc arragemets, and his lists f the steps b�

wh ch hum lity gws nto th l ve or God e o alw ys identcal. I som texts he distinguishes bewee he mre ndamental humilit y of elistic selfknowledge, b y wh ch we cg z that we r sn ul creatus-mde n Gd's mge, but wkned b y sinand deepe hmilit y of the will nd th a tions b y which w f y accept ths knowledge of ouelves nd let ideermine the wy w

? treat others ad God" The rst kind

f humilit y hee, although pr upps1on r the e ectvens of gace, is smply the ntulwok of humn reaon; but the se od in volvng a trans rmat f h will b y lo ve, s par of the grac that mak us rghteous S in anthr f mu p sage, Bnard spas of "three dege f justice r gheouns whch ae m f ct thee pogressi ve l vls of ths deper humility f a ect and will: strct tice ( tht s endering e h his du), whi h s nt t prr yuself t yureq uals ad not to mpare youself with yur sup riors; "highe justice, which �s no to cmpre yurelf wth your eq us and ot to pf er youself yun eor nd "th hghest ustice whch o show by acton ht yu conside yur elf f erir e vn to you ifeiors.45 The point here-e xprssd in

padoxca terms chracterisic f feudl sciet ys proccupati with shm d ho-sems to be that the Gd gi ven righteousnss f grace cosists in

movngfrm the minima

ustice f repecting human lionshps and e ·

spon1b les as the y bj


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18 RIAN E DAY S J T B M lik Ch " + 19


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18 RIAN E. DAY S.J

made stn I led it e joy. , F by suly n myse Ilos myse, bu by see y aoe ad ovng yu weedy I veound bo myself d you nd by t e ave been utterly bled . Tu us bk yue, s t we may be nkul umble d vg;f yu ae ou avan ou bldness ad u ste5

For the writer of the dti mda, the embodiment of thshumlty which is bth the highest human self-knowledge and the wrk f puregrace s the peron f Jesus whse whl lf from the moment f the Wrd'sincarnatn n the womb f the humble Ma t the mment f hs dath inutter povery n the cross reves the pradoxical love f a God wh emptieshmself into the wrld for its salvatin." Humlity e Christinevenacceptng th cntempt and hstlity of othebcms easy when n thinof the psin of Christ; and humility makes ne hs discple " you arehumble and peaceabl Jsus wll be wih yu

One nl mple of ts late-medieval stress n hmility as central tthe prctical ollwng of Christ is th is n Humi by GiolamSavonarla the rorming Dmnicn precher of lence who wa burnd atthe stake n 1498 r hs critical stance towards Chuch authties Wtten r

a group of cntemplative nuns n 492the year presumably of Igntissbihthis smpl and pwerl lttle tact begins by denng hmility in earut Thomistc terms and ers ten simple cncee practies t help a persongrow in the virue: Reect n ne's expeience f depending on Gd r evervue eercise neself n selfnowledge contemplate the greatness of Godmedtate n the Incarnation and the Passon of Jes and s n Savonarolathen discuss the successive f hmility by whi on apprahe

" Ibd 8 (r. Knott 13).0 S Thom a Kempis Prs and ' o the L of C L4: "f pai

and magnify you Cht] fo volunarly emptyng urself o you uln and or grcioulyang upon yosel ou weak d gaded nae apabl of seing nd of dth; that you migh ll u by emptyng yolf might ave u by you suerng migt re u byyo lowlness mght tenhen s by your weakness, nd by yor dea mght bing us to gloious mmolty" tns l. Duhoit [London: Kegan Paul, Trenh bner 908 3[ modenz.

1 Imon of 28 trans Kno 94) f bid 2 I yo r wh deoionto the won nd precous scas of Jesu you wll nd grat omfo in touble. You willnot mnd much f pepe despis you ad you ll nd it y to her whn they speaganst you .. f you had once ented ompletely into te heart o sus and hd tsted jsta litt o hs burning lov then you would ae nothng abot yo own onvenince orinonnince Instead yo would eoie when inslt ws oer yo-fo the lov o Jemake prson nmndfl of hml ts nott 84f

2 Trao el'umil� n Beli d Snaol: L cur lle -c {Pd Meaeo 1983 12633. A r s I know this teatie not been ranslatd intoEnglh.

To Be Mor like Chst" + 19

oliness and perection Althugh he des nt dstngish these grades rm nnther with ll the clarty ne might wsh fr he seems to have ve n mndte rt three f which are early dependent n Bernards three degrees fjUtce• (see abve p. 16) The t kind f humlty whch is_

necessay rsvation Savnarola suggests s to submt urselves bedently t thecmmandments of God and to our legitimate sperirs th avoding moralin3 The secnd whch is more meritrous is t mve beyond the oblgatinf the commandments and t bsere the counsels> s well at the same time arn begns t humble hmself not only bere supero but even befreones equals t ee deeply n his r her own defets and on Gds greatg and to mke nw cncrete eos to practce the ther vu twards hisneghbor The third dgree of humlity s to humble neself en be re one'scil inriors and t epress this atttude n concrete a f harity towardthemnung a sick servant for example or occsonally ven sharng the serv' wrk A fourh degree, more perfect still s a humlity so cmpletelyinterorzed and so free of selfngrtulatn that t leds a person t reet nyrcognitn by othes of hs o her own holnss r humilty and t be tterlyamadas Ma wasat ny sign f vr o recogntn by Gd Ths is

indeed pet humilty n human tem Neveheless wrtes Svnrlat see ms o me a e mo pere ade of humiy ome af pn asqued l tho meoned above perm excee wors fo e ove ofGod nd te eare of h ehbo nd lng r owly thgs: t s to beprsud cumnaed abued by wked peons or t e n esm at on o onee S huy u Sav demonsaed he ld heafe dog e mo exeet ks e embad te ·est ts of -e hred o he Jews nd he dni of e rss. Bu h de ond w pa d vey edom61

Svnarola then conclud his treatse by summng up Bnedict's twlve ste

whch he interpretsn the light of Casanas signs of hertfelt humilythe than degees But the hea f this humility n his vew s clely notimply the pefection f mnastc viue but an assmilation to the lfemptynglve of Chst

By the eve of the efmatin thn and the beginning f the lif fIgnatius humii had acqured a prole of its own a one of the dstinctve

' Ibid 133 bid 1333." d .

f Ibid 37f He is eering, o or o Ms pzld racton o the ngestn Hal ll of gae! he Lo s withyo• n Lke 29

67 bd. 1398 Ibid. 139!


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characteristi of the Christian diciple mind ad heart. Loking back over thdevepment we have riey ketched here, we might um up it mainfeature in a w brad strke:

1 Chritia thikers were awar in varyig dgres f the tension thatexistd etwee the Greco-Roma ideal f human autnomy with its estemfor a l awareess of o' ow greatnes ad the Gospe ivitati to

join Je i "taking th form f a erant; some ik Origen and ThmaAquina ought t nd continuties and reoac betwee the tw whieothers emphaized the wess of the Christia way (Augutine Bonaveture)

As varius f rms of rigiu if wer devoped to provide scop fr anever deepr cmmitmnt t dcipship by the wh ft themeves calledyond ordiary Chista seanc Christke humiity ame to b see asn of its cetra vaues and princpal fruits asian Bendict Francis) Thmastic cmmuity existd in the yes f many a a hool f humiity

3 Fr hrtia write as for the anciet Greek the core f humility waseen to e sef-knwledge fr Chritians the recgitin of ur tatu as

unfithl creatus efre a vig ad t God and the ceptac of gce inits utter gratuty Augutine, Brnard Aquinas Thoma � Kmpi Savnara)4 Humiity efore Gd i a ationa vitue t egins i accptng the o

igatios f crturehdi impy keeping Gd cmmandment ecause wrecogie him to ur God u f alwed t gow, it move yndcmmandments t a deper commitmet and a mre earet ust for Godbyd craturely ligatin to the freedom f lfcnumig ove erard,Savoaa)

5 Humility is ao een i th asceti traditi t have direct implicatinsr ur reatio with our neghb whether they ae peer r les th peers

it ads to cmpai, charty and the ·orks f meryt miisteral engagmnt ernard Savaroa)6. Humiiy i essentiy dcipehip wig and paicipaing i the

way• f Jeu Chsom Augstie L Thma a Kempi Savoara Itsa uticati a a reigio viue com frm the distictive view of Godaving ctiviy in th word that i rad i the tahing the tyle adutimatey the death f Jes. Apat om Jesu it remai uinteigile rChrtias as it was for th Greek Apa frm humiity ad m the kd fo humiity brings to exprsion Jesu remai uniteligibe as well

"T Be More like Crst 1

Humliy n the Spritual Exercises

This brif suy of the Chrstian udertang of humiity as it grw ith cnturies bre gnatiu can prvide with at lat a bradctet i which to udertand the plac f humiity i the Spiritu

Eerciepaticua ry the conidratio on Thre Kins of Humility that

Iatiu e ust ere decriing th prc f lectin i the ScndWek What we have aid thu far is not a attempt to idtify any surce nhich ths tet in the xc may e bad athugh the parelism ithought ew gaius three kin and the ve step of humiityutlied y Savonaroa i paticulary trikng Bu a ses of the arierhritian prtua tdito may hep u t gsp sme f the rasns whyhumiity povery, ad "insult and contempt ar cosely idetied with theay of Chrt i the Secd Wek f the xrcies, ad may ao suggtsmethg of the rage of spiritu nntation humility mst hae had frgnatu a d h i contemprri i thir earch for that \ay �et us tur n

ow to

mind ourseveain in bad trokf the plac of th! dea w1h thmiar structur and process of th rcise themsv

69Fo th sggeston o a dit connion ee Heni Watignt La g€e sExs de aint lgna de Loa (Amiens 897 12 Tt i at est posibe that Ignts meto know Savonaol' ti on humility dug he fomative peiod of the tet of theEc$, bt\een the mid 152 and the ompetion o the s Ltn veron n 141. Somof h fiar's works in Spnsh traltion eem to hve bn publh as y 151 at the

behet of Crdnl Cisneros nd were dcted to Do Giomr dhess of Njera he ifeof Iats rs pron A Latin coletion inclding the trt n hmiy ws pubhed in1529 at Alcal by anoth friend nd ptron of Ignas Miguel de Egu who had asopubshed Sph transions of Ersuss Ehrd nd the Imn f in 1526 ASpanih transaton of Savonro's trt w certiny ailable before 154. Se M Bton"Sur l diusion des oeuvres de Svonre en Epe et en Pog -160 inAged ph/; d' d bau j. aJ Vn Par: L press rnais 93, 94f, 6 Lie Ermus, hose inne on the First Prinpe and Foundation o theExere hs ben sueted see J Caver nd C. e Dlm eds Sn Ia do E" SpUw, Monumeta storia Soitis esu vo. 00 [Rome 69 .),onaola enoy a very poitive reptation in Spain dring the r fe dde of thesixtnth centu bt me to be onsider dangerous in the 10s buse of hs emph �i

on ntern sntity nd his ritl ntipap osiions; hs wors ·ere pled on the Spnshndx in 15 (Btlon Sur a diuion 11. Signity rhps, Poanco reountstht a copy of Svonaroas work found n the Soiys hou n Rme in 5 andburned t tis' ordrs, bu hi piri rebiou towr the Aposo See eemed tohim no desevng of approv


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In Srucur ad Prc f xrc

he Firs Wk o he Exrc is ssenialy a prces prayeuslxmintion ledig t cnveio and he ideiati ne s alvd sinner the Snd ad subseqet Wek ar mor a process ofontempating he sory f Chi the myste o his prson and hi passagethrugh hman ie to deah and t if again in order o fram he rtraas

hie of th bt psible way to ow him ad idenied wih him. Thegoa o the who moveme is sggted by he Contmplatio r Obtiigthe Love o God, made prha svera time) durig he Fuh Week, inwhich a reogniio of Gods gis i al heir ad histo is meant o ead threreatat o ve himsel or heelf ortey ad tty o Gd i ret in mual hange ove whh at ha sage an only b expresed n rms ofidwling, paicipatio d mtica nio §2347)

Th Sed Wek which intrdues the rerta to the actua svimovmen or way of Christ, wih the purpoe of dawing him r her by freeommimen ito h way oes themaically frm the on wha ayixnheu rader fmiiar with the spiriu traditio would immediteyhav idenid a Chritia hmiliy The mediion on h Kigdom f Chri(§§9199), which gati apprey propos r the retreatants pryer o thday wee th Firt nd he Secd Wek ts he se i broad ddrmtic soks f r the whle sequece o ow The pn o God t save heword throgh he wy f Christ is put i terms caclated to appe, perhapto the idaim-th atural manimity Aritle woud ay-of th yongby beig compard with the grea and ob pubic cmpaign f a ttractivearthy leader The pin seems to be tht ayne who deire o ivlvd iuh proec mut me beyod mere ase and apprvl to perolinvlvmen ad cotly srice i imitation of th acries md by he

leader himelf. Confroted with he pl f God hldd i the Gpes theomig of Gods Kgdom hrugh ad i the perso o Jesus th beiver ca expeed not oly o sy Ame b o work aivly, treosy fr hecmig o that Kingdom: Whoever wishes o join me in hi terprise mut wiig to lbor with me, th by f llowig me in srig he may llowme i go §95)

B the rea hust he mediatio i applid i th a poit of heecond p, where Igati distingishs ordina" fom etrardincommitmet, ommad fom onwha al person who hav udgmetand reao" wld do rm wht those wh wish to give gater prof otheir ove and ditiguish hemeves i whaever concern the sice of the

era Kig ad Lord o wil or This ltter gop which the rtreatntis ivied at le to pir t join how their gar by moving bdimpe involvemen in h work of spradig h Kingdom and aowig i toom in hem a it m i the peon of Chri hrogh the elfemptyig

T Be Mre like Chst" 23

o e that led o the osmmati he ro S thy wi a gi heir

euiy and aal d worldly ove" agint heir norma hma driv

intert d slpreetion realize he dsire thy ow prs o

ate Y in bering al wrongs ad al abu ad l povry both atu adprit hould Your most holy mesty deig to hos ad admit m o suh state nd wy li §98)

No metion is made here of hmiiy yet th pcic rrence ohring the Lrds povrty ad abue whih will b idnied as the way of thhighest humiity ar i th Sed Week doubtss will alredy hav uggestedi to th mids of tho nrished wih he lat medil spiriu id of Themo of Cist d he Florei fiar r is an eeti peilyerrd to here s somehing t be coiderd in the dys ha wil foow yetthe reratat i urgd to express i h lemn rrondig of he whlehevey ou a ar dsire" d a deliere hoie to har i Jes�humiy a se nd way of if I a gimpe of the drama t ome ticipion of the commitmet o ccrte form f onscrated, aptli dicipehip hat Igiu eems to evisag a the gol of h mditatios of the

Scd WeekSignicatly the ely days of the Second Wk be re h aca

mulatio o an leio fc not th preaching or mini of Jes btimply on hi ifay and hi home life i an obsure Gaila vilage Igatiusws apparently m onernd tht befor coming to mak a ein of astate in ife h reratat avor h cost f he Icrion h hmiity exMprssed in God's hoi to becom a por frail kow huma being, hnth he or he ider he aa work of Jesu amog the peple f hi timeSo the s mditatio of the s dy of this Week, he otmplai of theIcrntion, srees ot oy the vioence nd igoran of the humancommity §02 §0, §108) b also the hmility (§108) and hcmpaion of the Trie G §102 §106 §108) The contempltin hatlws the Nativy of Christ a Igai pposs it aso oes tionon th hockig pradoxic pvery d obcriy f he Lord's bih in thespiri haper 2 f Lke Gopl ad concldes with a dramaic armtioo the aborious, sig humility of Gd: The chrcers ar mking the rey ad lbrig ht our Lrd might b born i exreme pvey and thater may labors ater hger, thirs, hat and cld ter ints d ourag,H might die on he cr ad all this f r me• §116) Apprpriaey thretreat i invited t bme p he see by imagiig hims r herlfa por ittle worhy saveby lettig himelf or he be dwn by

fny not only in h qee f even Luke narrates bu ito he spiri oh divin humiition itel

O th h dy o h Scnd Week, afer he rraa h petthre days cotemplating the bih d childhood of Js gati prepares

"T B M ik Ch t 25


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24 + RAN E. DALY, .

hm or her mor� mmediately or making a choice a state in ie by prposngtwo key non·scptura medtatons: the Tw Stdrds and the Three Pr rlsses o Persns The ntrouctn to the whe elecn prce whichprecede these tw medaton (§135 uggts ha the deep ernavesb _eeen whch ne lled t choo, as a belver-he alrnatv o simpy

lvng a good Chrisian lfe giving onesel to the work theCmmandments anyone of judgmen and reason wud do (see §96 and

tha o making erngs f greaer vue (§97 by embracing evangeicperfecinhave alrady bee mrrored n he evens of Jes' chidhowhch have bn ocupyng the retraan's prayer The medtaions o theTw Standard and Three ses are the next step in brngng these aernavesclser t he retreats actua choce hrgh leadng him or her o reect onhe nention f Chrs and his enmy Satn/ and so to ee how we ughto prepare ouseve, by depening the priy ur moivaon and goa "rrive a peecin n whatver state G movs u to chose.

he medtation n the Tw Sandard prde and humiy are penyprsnted as h ear hemac ner f h sraeges f owed by he wopwrs at wr f r domnan o the hman hear the Kingdom of God raze n Chris and he

ntKingd

f Satan. Satans goa o d a pepe

o vewng prd snce h s he surce f a other vice• (§142); heseps pride are rches and wrldy hnrs h possesos and socal satustha lead o the dmnaton ohe and to a cnvicn of r own selfconaned ecriy es on he other hnd mean to arac pple to umlya he staingpnt r a oher viues (§146 and he sp t hmy arepr csey the ab;nc o secre pssesson and so satu the hghesspl pvey, y ce and one ha a vcain fom Go f r alsoacl pvety p a dre r iss and contempt (bd) The rereatans ugd t pray earnesty n he rple coqy r he grace f harng hee

rs w seps owrd humlty wth Chrt a povey raled accrding ne s pa l r vc aon an� he op ny "bear nsls and rongs

hereby mae hm ber (§147. It lS m a ack resurcs nd soca staus acceped not simply deprivatins but s a brang gf f Gd tha herer aan becomes a rea discple and dcvers the undation fr all genneyChstan vue n Chrtlke humitv,

"• 70 The ul:te La

. n version of he Exc (157) coed by Polo peak o

�1nd o Ch and o he enemy: a menem ent, col/m um pos

irm. h Span aograph d h w Lan alan u he od"

nnon

(nn& � £nt) h ea puay is a a gna pupo or gy, a ply ooh h nd Saan Inolng men and omn n he pan. 71 Aograph sd ; he lt La aaon he antm

m he

\ulga > bah (h y {he p!] of pd-a poeulox ymr n o n Igatu ' s ginal).

"T Be Mr ik Chst 25

The medtation on the Three ae o ersons which lws at hispt ues a kind cae stdy t lead the retreatant to rect on his r hereest moves in apprachng the choce a tate n The ga ceary prmoe inderence detachment m the selinterest hat nrmally biasI ur choices all three clsses o pople in Ignauss suppsed cae want t free f ther obvous atachment o the mney they have aqured bt he tw avd the cs real inner deachment through the miiar tactics prrasnatin and

enal manipulation of h sues Member

�f he thrd

cass which clerly IS held up s the mde r he rereatans wn cmgdsns, genuinely strve et he wll of G as t inspir them n prayerd ther own desire o see God above a thngs b the soe norm howhey receive and e he god and pitns f this wrd 155) And toachev this sate of blance r nderencethe state f mind presentd n thet Prncpe d Fndation the Ft Week (§23 as the realton of the very purpose f ur existence as creaurete retreatant s rged actally tpry or pvey a hs r her prerred way t serve the Lrd t pray r whatwe have seen hrughot he Second Wek o be a prncipal gaeway hehmity f dscpeshp ways n the cnxt f ones paramount desre o

wrk f r the seice and prse he Dvine Gooness §157)

Ater a day spen on hee two pwerfl d challengng mtaonshe rereaant returns n he fth day f the Second Week cnemplatngthe sto of Jesus Now however the fcs s on he beginnng h publli a he leave hme t be bapzed a the Jordan and begn hs mns§1586 At the same time Ignatu insc (§163 the rreatant is to egnhe drec consderatin o wha sate f life he or she wil eect o enter, as heter rm or eaving hme himse r herel and oowng esus publicyn hs way. t s a time of ranton a me f decisn on h o focus oneeors and desires "labr f r the cming f Go Kngdom. And here nhe same fth day, a nal prelude t he elecon prcss tself Ignat paceshs dion Three Kinds Humiy (§§16567

n Knd of Hmy

I s imptan to nte ha hs text n presentd in he Eercses aa f rml mdiaton. gnat smply ay hat bere rahing a na chce asae n if "in order that we may be ed wth lve of he t dcrne ofhrst r Lrd w be ve usel cnider aentvey he follwng

Three Kinds of Hmlty The shud be thought ver frm ime to imedurng the whle day and the three cooqe shld also be addd (§164Th psag presens n other words, a cnsderaton hat the retreaant shdeep revlvng in h or her mnd and occionally low o spl ver no


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8 BR E D L Y S J


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8 BRAN E DALEY S.J

ttally depndent n Gd r bth beng and appne b pable f rjctitht depndene n fvr f cntereit and ltimtely detuctve elfueny-t rcgnie ly bth wht we are nd wht Gd s t realzwt Christan hmly at ts rt: nt feelng o unwrhiness nt wayf ptting oneself dwn fr n ppren reon, bt prical grasp tht Gn s ltmatly deirabl nd tt we ar not, n relve, wohy ltmtegal for nd ctn A Erich Pzywr bee follwng hm

Aqin in s great telgcl mmentry n th Sp xc, hmilits nt prmily wy of regardng urel ll, but i rverene bfore Gs creat nd sbmisson to Gd «n is nrete wll t se .5

t s n gntius tird knd f mlty tht ths reveren andsbmsson tae new nd mytriu tn levng te ralm f ethc nand cretrly selfundertnding t entr wit Jesus nto te ll nolding tht sng wll in hm histoy

Ths he mt prfe kd f hmty cnsts ths If we sppse hers d nd kd ed then whee the pri d gry of hev Mjesy ld b rvd order at d b r

mre k Chr r ord der d ch pover wth Chr porrhr h rch su wh Cht ldd wh hem rhr tha honrs; Idsr t be cond orhss d f for Chrs ther th bestmed se d prdn hs wrd. S Chr w red bfre m67)

Sevel tings shuld be nted bot ts llnging tex Frt itnew and string empasi n mttng Chrst Te rst tw inds f miltye decribd only n term of ur rltinip t God th ret rbng and as the n utmtely dsble gol of or hosing Hr wit ttreturely reaim ad tat ordeng f ti prirts presuppsed Cristn hmlty delbertely te to nf rm tself t tht mnd, wh s nCrt J" hl 2) by emptying tsl' n a wy tht reect nd rlte pttern by w Jsu reeald te elfmptying lve of God. All tetendency te Send Wee f th xers t ee humlit s the entralcarcterti o th avng ty of th Incrnton here r;e a kind ofclima n the diret ppel t let der f r th sme mlity-epreed lway primaly n term povey nd lck f hnor or sia sttbe thegidng ect elemen n te trtant decisn on how to hap s r hrwn sving hitoy ow to ralie h or hr wn ncanton a edicple and cmpnion

Seond it mpont t nt tht th trd kind f humility a

preetd h s mre quetn of ders of preference and vn predies

rh Prara Dew pr Afaior: Tlgie Exzitie (unh 16 32s also homas Aqun Suma Te/ l Il


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30 ·l BRAN E. DALEY, SJ.

dee the n caes whee pvey ad ack f peal h eem nt toimit the etveess f my t make Gd bette knwn and d i thewrd, I wi pre them myf impy a a way f beig me csy acncetey cmed t th md f Jeu. ct it may be impant rGd' serice that I make use me matea pseis ee cdeabeweath; it may make an apstlic dierence that I have me piti pmi�e

ce i pubic academc fe that I eceve sme pitve kd fecgt but a a prs csd aectiey th Ld I wi e a atua- speatra!hstat a ectance t accept thee thigs l theiapstc relevace cear Th bde f prf s t peak wi be thHy Spit t hw me that th les p s bce e hmble way i ict the way Gd i caig me t w

The meanig f th whe cnderat hmili becme ceaeth _ we emen ber tha: the Spua ses des t er t a a geerpc1ple the ptal but a a hep t pepar a chie a tae i that w be ee a pbe m graned elfcetedne as u a

eai atn as pibe e s cncete call t each dida t be � dscple

m h! ge F Igat t sems ad hi early wes th sse uuay at

stake i the eectin the Execies whe it wa may nd wa tche btween the "way the precept ad the way the cusels between ivig a gd Chsta i th eca wld tryig thee t keep thecmmadmets and d Gds w, and givig nse t the mre demadgrm ttal dedcatn t Gd that may d expessi th eigle If a pesn w t i a tate ea indieence with egad t thi eve chice he he w t cided eady t make a eecti n reedm andpennes t dvie gidance ad hld t b awed t g ad with itTh cideat Thee Kins f Hmiity em t hve bee meat bthas a hep tward sch ndeece and a test the eteatants eadiess the elect Thu Ignatiu himsef bsres i th bie ntes n givng the

Execses he dctated t PncF of al one must i that y who wi mak the on eer toth wih ompte rgation of h wl and t i possbe h ey:e _

h h hir d�ree o umity whc for eir pa they re morecJed o ·ht : more coormed to the ouels d to e exmp ofCr1t ur Lo God ud b equy ed. Ay who are not n theinderence o the cond degre re no redy o put themslv i tepoion of makng a choc nd s bter to e hem engagd i oerers bfore mong on to t.80

nSe Deer, "Note s tro egr& d'hult ul!e rvu holgiq 70 (94) 963-75 sp 972

!Di na Aut g , 7, , I pragurre MHSI o 7 o,955 7

"To Mr k Cht + 1

lnc hmself pa thi delicat pt m fy i h wn nnihdto f 157-5:

O the eeg o e if day [o e cod Wee ter te drecor sakd o n count of w as pned tt day, hold oce where retret s dposed s the ac i cocerd to ndertke teeecton or te retre dpoon hould b uch tat the t o

oowng he wy o te precep or he oune hi or her w s plac n e h nd o od, a n a d o bce; or rthr fa a e reratt oncerd, a he or e b ncled owa h de o e ons, f uchshoud be undeood to b e w o God But it s noic hat e wll iendig raher towrs the wy of e] rept, d shrk rom h wy of ousel e treatt is o wel dposd nor o b oped a he orhe w mae a good eleon For he e tat rnd wy fom the moreperfect wy d led towrd he e perfect w daw mnd o hiup ao ht oform o such ecve e Wh h pe, he,on hol o go on o the r tmes of mg a eeion {that i, $§7588] bu he cs o he ih dy od be gven to em, to medte onhem e nex day nd t pron ould be urged o dpoe m or

herel to bng God or rego to s wl by repeatg th exercise othe ree cls of pop nd te ree ds of humly, aig w avead above s more or equaly peg to God he mt ne osae ow hoosg h ounses raer n he preps

The cideati The Kind Humity i the xece then the mid Igatu ad hi ealy ascates is ay the ncudig pice atategy deped thght the Scd Wek f pepag the eteatant tbe ved th wk ad iftye Cht a y s psbe n a waycrmed t Gds ccete w f hi h pena hae avati h

ty Athugh the iga tts f th xcs alway spak the kids( Spansh maneas; i Latn mds) athe than dege gade humlty the eay dcte and eve at> w dctated te tenue the mre evalativ lagag dee thi impied t i thex' ntence that the cnd knd is mre peect tha the t ad thethrd me pefect th th cd Cealy the whe mvemet thecniderat s t ead the teatat twad actay watng th thid kid humty hime hee as f as tht is psbe as the ciairecrium 59199 bere These the des ny cta epncipa pit amely the de t attai that thid gree humity It iy i th dere t empty neef wth Cht that the ndeece the

1 Deorum P. Ji si d Po 78 M 769Dc cop uuR. P Cu qva 29 htHl, 77f


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34 B E D S T B M k Ch i " 35


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34 BRIAN E. DALY S.

xpresses ts sme rsh genosity in seking per ct indierence br th wllf God a habital inner bdience and reerent "f ar f the Lord tha Przy wr likn to Old Tetment widom-an attitude of rvrent openn be re the d ne mystey like that f Jb whch void Stic slf -uciencyreogniz ing the lmitatins f our own ntuition f or what is rght. 91 But tnly in th Third Knd of H milty n th smpl desir t har lly n thway f Jesus, that thse t tw Old Ttamnt f rm of humilty nd their!

lllment; r since ther is rly nly a snge rdr of slatin nd sinthis s th rder realz d n the scandl f the r and in bing id intthis same cand . , there is oy singl genun humility: th on'humliy of the mptied nd oppressed and humltd Christ Th Third1Knd of H umlity in a sens lets g of al the retreatnt' earlier alcltons of :wht is bettr r mor r the pras nd sevic of the Dne M jesty aimply desirs so fr s is pssble t nter into the mvment of Gd's lver th wrld to be drawn by ga, with th nrnate Wrd into n "rgreater decent int th ever grtr God9 It is the nl prepartn in trm of dsirs fr th nrete l chice that s t led th rtreatnt mslf into th Pchl My sty the raiztion of th e Kingdom f Gd n t

h crced andrin Christ into the Third and Furh Weks of th E xercises nd nto th l sealing f th m tal gfs of l prceivd and desired thghout thwhle ouy in simple trm f Take Lord, and reeie . all that I hveand pss In the self mpy ng f l e the humility f ming a god electionn nlly be sn fr what t is

Humility in Jesuit Life Today

At the end f this thr touous suy of th rl f humlty n thChristian spiritu traditon and n the gnatin Exrciss w mightwll still ak oursvs What u n we mke of all this tdy? How

ds it spek to our wn spiritual nds nd deirs� as mn ad women f thelate twentieth centry s humility still an intelligibl nd sueste tegr tose n tring to pres basic human sponses t the mysteri grde andgdness of God Cn we stil say s my nvic mter likd to say thry andmre y ago that th phras "humble sice ptres the ht of theIgatian del? These r qustons ah f must attempt to anwer frhimself or hrself but we might at lt drw f w genal, preliminrconlions fom ll w hv said hre

"Ibd 358J bid, 60lhd 6

To B Mo k Christ" 35

First th humlty hld p as an idl in th Sriptres and the Sptuls annot b jstied smply in philosophl or.psychologl trs It directly fm the pnce of bblial rlatn: frm th nqulyjo-Chtian inght nto ur stat a fre, lf-dtermning rtre of aGa on whm we uttey depnd fr r bng and who inite but d not

re us t acpt our dpndenc in gratitd nd to giv ur being back t

bm i lo It grws fom the unqly Chritian reogntn that Gd h so

ed the world that he sent his oy Son wh rvealed in h li ofurity eie and dlity unto death the lve that i nd who llu to nd or savation by ralizing h way of lov in uel Oohn 16f, 1Jo 4712) Bcuse it s s dtrmined by the bblal prsntation f thern and ts of Cht Chrtian humilty em to be n of thos fewtl tegories f fth tht bibli rigin de nt dw fom th wderre of humn wdm and that therfr will always apper paradoxcgrus en nonsensil t the eclr mnd. For ths vey rason humltyms to b n f the tegres tht dstingish Chritian lve nd Christan dss rm a loe nd gdn not llmned by fith It is n f ur bsicwy f rspondng in fith to th Christ Mytey

Second th hmilty Igntus describes as th third and highst knd rely w sid bo a questin of dsres, of preferenes rthr thn ofbitl oncret pctes t s an idl for our ultmate long sense tht in mst cnrete shpng f or lives unin with Christ he lived is wht went bove l things As uh t does not prempt pstlic dion mkingor use from gvrning ur dily lv by pden charity� d cmmn

ne Nr is it smthng w normy an expect to a rult ofthught and discipline a stble tage of spirtul gwh in whih we mayntually nd ourslvs; it is a grc t be pd for in th cntext of fee d

ion (68 dsir tht gtus hpd h mpans wuld t least dsieto eprince they set but fllwing Chrst

95 Ruh urrow wres foow: Naura rgon nay mn' or orch God Chrsany demand a dhj brng abou n o me mytrou wy manm de o hm n order o receve new a a pure g om God Wrong da ot deh hv d o a doon o chrny whh has rghy won conmp� bu weve o noe ha a rue undrsandng o or raher ha mur o undrndng whch wec an bere we oursve ener no and know baud mu cau revuson , , Il or a proound humy and humy s no n ade nave o ; no on he \·ru whch make u human ner h cene ony wh rveaon ony wih Jus humy perond h ov whh mpe n ord o gv e o h eovdd u h raon o he Fahr. Humy h evehing o do wh ove {T Belie]"' [London Shd and Ward 1978] 22}

6 S spay Ga Em 02 in Gorg , Gan ran unfe M eu (S ou nue o u orce 90) 1£.


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36 BRIAN E DLY, S.J

Thrd undod agan he backgrund f he earlie piriual ra•.dton humilty s n mply an nterir gif, but cars a snglcmmuntaran and apstic avor (ee epcay Phl 2:11) I ugg hece f ther ark 10345) involvement in the cncret wrld f imi�and sinful peple (Augutin vunta bdence teach and rlgoadrs Casian Benedict cmpassn and charty fr fellw caure�ernard h prctcal atempt o vrcme barrier f cls, wealh and sauSavnarla S undrtandab ha Igatu was dply cnrnd hho skng t derine h hap of heir livs a Chrisa-epallyoung candidae fr th oetyhoud pnc a f a posibl, he gf a creaury and Chrslike humiliy By fring u om h prayzng ilation f prd-from bng imprned withn our wn vws of he world uown drvs and motions ou own agend-humiliy allow us t walk and a with Chris rahing ou with hm oh and utmaely o Gd.

Furh, h Christan tradiin has gnrally sn humly as rted a reaitic knwldg of onf s epay Beard, Thoma : Kmpis) Fths reason Chian humiliy crainly nt oppd o the Aisolian dl

of maganimity an hne apprecaon f ns own peta a alancd snsf ne value befor Gd and n he human cmmunity Alhugh StBavnes argmn ha true maganimy really couragus Chrstianhumty may rike u day a a i fred the paradxa instnct Chrsian wit hat hese tw vrue a n fac cmplementay shuld notsuprie us if w undrand he term Ra! human greatness of oul, vn the eyes f he lasica phlspher, i anyhing ut lfpreccupaion and se·advriemn; i h nstnctve and unselfconciu aity imply, pubyunacdly o wha we knw we are at our b And Christian huty ot as we aid a h a a negaive selfmag r th conviction hat we arewothl; i s the ralization that w are snners, poentay and in fa

mthng that only he greats f raue ar pale f eingand h dlber dse in the fce of ur snu raty t draw clr t God ang theam way f elfemptying lv by which Gd ha drawn csr o us Frm aChran prsptive humiliy s the heigh f human eedm, ut as freedomis h gatest f human gis

Lastly h Sty f Jsus has always ulivad laal maganimiya an dea t has dfndd its puaton and jus inest rm prejudi andlandr, iven aftr quay in ts corpora nerprses, aciad iy whhe inunta in th wrld nouragd mpivne in it h ugd imem and fien t wrk and pry r gnersiy Ye in Igaiu ey

he Scey wa and huld way sk to remain, "h ls congrgatinYung peop dring become pa of th Siey were eted abv l

97 Gral xa [1 in Criutn> p 75 p 75 1.

"To B More lik Chst 37

hiian by a eri f dmac "expence of povery and submion ohe and Ignaiu cninued o deal ou humlatng eprmand and

ae o snr fathe:s even to h cl e asciate, apparnty a � kind f• nug frmaon a way f cnnually prbg and deepeng ho with h crucd Chris. The clmax f th Ethe bradcrpn of th Socitys idl and practce wren by Ignatius as a kind ofo pamphe r prpecve ndidatesis he famu pasag vvdyayng what he E call the Thrd Kind f Humlity a th ga ofut ceicism and th pirtua ba f Jsuit lf T b lhd wih the thng and unif rm f hr Lod-to b xposd t undred insud he hsiy of outsder and even fellow eus-is smethng ha hdidae alntd and idealisic a h s mut b ready o acp and urh patience hrough th help f Gd's grac° and vn see a enecial mthng ne migh a leas dire to desire/ as a way " mia adow him Thi parad of esuit das and bhavir shuld nt b wrtten simpy pat of h Baroqu horic f h 1540s eveal a nsin cnaly presen within h Socy endurng vocaion of preachng, in an ef

iv and humany araiv way, h humiliatd Cr s savor of hord

One nds h am non day f ntanc in our rcn emphsis th prferntia lov of h por a feely hen prnple guidng urhoi f minr and n f h ain rra f r nung h hnesy andcrdbiiy f ur wrk r th Gspel To concv of ou identition wthe matrialy pr n the way w lv and h work w d no smpy a pa a pogram of oial rrm, u as he epresin of a lve lk e Chrstsn and a way towards mmuon wih him n hi Kingdm, lo s temphi ne of Ignatu' wn na spiritual and apolic cncerne th am rn documens f he Socety ha comit u t denting

relves wih he poor ao sketch ou a vn f apsic atin tha

8 Grl &men, 80H90), n C u pp -C3. See the examples in De Giben T]�it 788 og wh De Guiber' own

cmmen Gal Ee, [0HlO C mt, pp. 079W Ibd 02 Csu p 09 Jd 00 n Coniuton 07fC See he dome f he Thny·hrd Geer Cogrego, Cmpanns f u

St n dy1 Wrd {S Lo: u o Sorc 984 5 ( 6

1° bd See r ae h eer d5d Ag 7 547 re by Poaco 'me o he esut n he lege Pd Ep. 8 [Epp g 57577; lo i Wlm J.Yog S . ls f Igu f Lca (Chago Lyol Uvery Pr 959 4 6-50


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brian daley on humility

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