Saturday, August 16, 2008

Saintly Quote - Humility


Whoever you may be who still desire the first place here—go and sit in the last place. Do not be lifted up by pride, inflated by knowledge, elated by nobility, but the greater you are, the more you must humble yourself in every way, and you will find grace with God. In His own time He will say to you: "Friend, go up higher," and then you will be honored by all who sit at table with you.

Moses sat in the last place whenever he had the choice. When the Lord, wishing to send him to the Israelites, invited him to take a higher place, his answer was: I beg you, Lord, send someone else. I am not a good speaker. It was the same as saying: "I am not worthy of so great an office."

Saul, too, was of small account in his own eyes when the Lord made him king. And Jeremiah, similarly, was afraid of rising to the first place: "Ah, Lord God," he said, "look, I cannot speak—I am only a child."

In the Church, then, the first seat, or the highest place, is to be sought not by ambition but by humility; not by money but by holiness.
Bruno of Segni ( died 1123 AD, bishop of Segni, great commentator on scripture who helped Pope Gregory VII in his reform of the Church.

Sue - Half the Kingdom

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