Humility is defined as "a quality by which a person considering his own defects has a humble opinion of himself and willingly submits himself to God and to others for the sake of God." To be humble is to know truly the relationship between oneself and God. When the perspective is focused, the utter dependence of the creature upon God becomes evident. God is to be adored. He is to be loved above all and the neighbor loved for His sake and in Him. The humble monk is able to love God perfectly.
This view of humility is multi-faceted. It is like an entire arsenal to vanquish each vice, making room for every virtue. Our Holy Father Benedict teaches twelve steps of humility to his monks in the Holy Rule. St. Benedict teaches that a monk must:
- 1. Always be aware of the presence of God
- 2. Love not doing his own will but the will of God
- 3. Submit to the Abbot in obedience
- 4. Obey superiors even in hardship
- 5. Confess his sins to a spiritual father
- 6. Be content with his circumstances
- 7. Believe in his heart that he is least of the brothers
- 8. Follow the rule and tradition of the monastery
- 9. Refrain from excessive speech
- 10. Refrain from raucous laughter
- 11. Speak as is appropriate in a monastery
- 12. Keep a humble bearing in his body
The reward of these steps of humility is to "come quickly to that love of God which in its fulness casts our all fear." To follow this path is to act with prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude. With these cardinal virtues in place, the monk can fulfill the will of God and be raised by grace to the heights of holiness.
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