During Wednesday's weekly catechesis, Pope Francis reflected on the virtue of humility. He said it is the “great antagonist of the worst of vices, which is pride.”
“Humility,” the Pope remarked, “helps us to place everything in its proper proportion: we are marvelous but limited creatures, with strengths and weaknesses.” He recalled the words of St. Teresa of Avila, who said, “humility is to walk in truth.”
SUMMARY OF THE POPE'S CATECHESIS IN ENGLISH:
Dear brothers and sisters,
We now conclude our cycle of catecheses on the virtues by reflecting on the virtue of humility, by which we acknowledge that we are creatures of God and strive to live accordingly. Humility is in fact the door to the other virtues and, with poverty of spirit, the first of the Beatitudes. We see this in a particular way in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her humility is seen not only in joyful acceptance of the Lord’s will, but also in charity toward her cousin Elizabeth, in perseverance beneath the cross, and in her prayerful presence among the Apostles in the Upper Room, as they awaited the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. May her example and powerful intercession help us to overcome our temptations to pride, to follow humbly in the footsteps of Jesus, and to bear witness to the joy and peace of his Kingdom.
I extend a warm welcome to the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially the groups from South Africa, Hong Kong, India, South Korea, the Philippines, and the United States of America. I invoke upon you and your families the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you!
JRB
TR: KG
