Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Saintly Counsel on Humility for Blessed John XXIII


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When the future Pope John XXIII was experiencing continual failure to overcoming his faults (that is as a teenage seminarian), he resolved to follow the counsels of St. Alphonsus Rodriguez* regarding humility.
"...From now onwards my particular examination will concentrate on the acquiring of humility, according to the resolutions I made during this year's Spiritual Exercises (note:  St. Ignatius of Loyola's), which I have in writing  and according to the sound principles which Rodriguez** lays down on this subject.  'Lord, have mercy on me!'"
September 15th entry, Journal of a Soul

**Alphonsus Rodriguez, Ejercicio de perfeccion y virtudes cristianas, (Exercises of Perfection and Christian Virtues), Seville, 1609, vol. II, treatise III, 'On the virtue of humility."

 An online version of his writings can be found here.

*To learn more about St. Alphonsus Rodriguez whose feast day happens to be today, please visit Jean's blog Catholic Fire.


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