To Grow Up, Grow Down!

On Trinidad lives a frog that is a foot long as a tadpole. As an adult it shrinks until it's a little over an inch long.

As one matures or "grows up" spiritually, he or she "grows down" in humility, as God's word so often attests: "Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 18:4). "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all" (Mk 9:35). "Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up" (Jas 4:10; see 1 Peter 5:6).

Humility is called the "authenticating virture." St. Augustine in his Spiritual Diary writes: "Humility is the foundation of all the other virtue. In the soul in which this virtue does not exist, there cannot be any other virtue except in appearance."

Mary in her Magnificat canticle acknowledged that the Lord had been "mindful of the humble state of his servant, " and that he "scattered those who are proud...but has lifted up the humble" (Lk 1:48, 51-52). In Jesus' own words, "Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Lk 14:11; 18:14); Repeatedly God's word promises grace to the humble (see James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). If we don't humble ourselves, God will do it for us. The upshot will be not humility but humiliation - to the extreme.

This excerpt is from the book One-Minute Meditations for Busy People, by John H. Hampsch, C.M.F., originally published by Servant Publications. It and other of Fr. Hampsch's books and audio/video recordings can be purchased from Claretian Teaching Ministry, 20610 Manhattan Pl, #120, Torrance, CA 90501-1863. Phone 1-310-782-6408 or www.Catholicbooks.net