On Humility – St. Isaac the Syrian

                                       

   

 On Humility

The iniquitous mouth is stopped during prayer, for the condemnation of the conscience deprives a man of his boldness. 

A good heart joyously sheds tears in prayer. 

Voluntary and steadfast endurance of injustice purifies the heart. 

Patient endurance of injustice springs from disdain for the world; and a man endures calumny cheerfully because his heart has begun to behold the truth. 

Joy arising from voluntary endurance of calumny and injustice exalts the heart. 

They for whom the world is dead submit to contumelies with joy. 

But they for whom the world still lives cannot submit to injustice: either, moved by vainglory, they are provoked to anger and are troubled, being stirred up in the manner of brutes, or else they are overcome by grief. 

O how difficult it is to attain this virtue, and how much glory it procures from God! He who would attain to this virtue must depart from his kinsmen and live the life of a stranger, for he cannot attain it in his homeland. 

Only such as are great and mighty are fit to endure the anguish of this virtue among their kindred; to these the world has died, and they have no hope of consolation from this present age.

As grace accompanies humility, so do painful incidents accompany pride. 

The eyes of the Lord are upon the humble to make them glad; but the face of the Lord is against the proud to make them humble. 

Humility always receives mercy from God; but hardness of heart and littleness of faith contend with fearful encounters until suddenly and unexpectedly disaster rises up against them and surrenders them to speedy destruction. 

In all respects belittle yourself before all men, and you will be raised above the princes of this age. 

Anticipate every person with your greeting and your bow, and you will be more highly prized than those who bring the gold of Ophir as a gift.

Be contemptible in your own eyes, and you will see the glory of God in yourself. 

For where humility burgeons, there God’s glory wells forth. If you strive to be slighted openly by all men, God will cause you to be glorified. 

If you have humility in your heart, then in your heart God will show you His glory. 

Be disdained in your greatness, and not great in your insignificance. 

Endeavor to be despised, and you will be filled with the honour of God. 

Seek not to be honoured while within you are filled with wounds. 

Deprecate honour, that you may be honoured; and do not love it, that you be not dishonoured. Honour flees away from before the man that runs after it; but he who flees from it, the same will it hunt down, and will become to all men a herald of his humility. 

If you treat yourself with contempt so as to be honoured, God will expose you publicly; yet if you disparage yourself for the sake of the truth, God will move all His creatures to hymn your praise. 

They will open up before you the door of your Creator’s glory, and they will praise you like the Creator because you are truly in His image and after His likeness.

… Hold yourself a sinner, that you may be righteous throughout your life.

Flee vainglory, and you will be glorified; fear pride, and you will be magnified. 

For pomposity has not been assigned to the sons of men, nor haughtiness to the offspring of women. 

If you have voluntarily renounced all things in this life, by no means quarrel with any man over anything at all. 

If you have come to detest praise, avoid those who chase after glory. 

Avoid the acquisitive even as you would acquisition. 

Keep yourself form the wanton even as you would from wantonness. 

Avoid the intemperate even as you would intemperance. 

For if even the memory of the people mentioned troubles our thought, how much more will the slight of them and the life conducted by them? 

Draw nigh to the righteous, and through them you will come near to God. Associate with those who have humility, and you will learn their ways. 

For if the mere sight of those here mentioned is beneficial, how much more the example of their lives and instruction of their mouths?