過去數週，我們談及「四樞德」的智德、義德和勇德，本週讓我們談談與「節德」有密切關係的謙遜。

根據天主教教理指出：「節德是倫理的德行，它調節感性樂趣的吸引，並使人在運用世物時，保持平衡。節德確保意志對本能的自主能力，使人的慾望維持在合乎正理的範圍內。」

節德管制飲食之慾，以正理抑制情慾，而它的夥伴就是謙遜。赤足聖衣會會士佳播神父說：「愛德是基督徒全德的本質，謙遜猶如愛德華廈的地基。」

謙遜的實踐是「只有真實」和「少有自我」。

只有真實

聖文生寫道：「天主為何如此鍾愛謙遜，因為祂鍾愛真理。謙遜之內只有真實，驕傲中只有謊言。」

瑪竇福音11:29記載耶穌說：「跟我學罷！因為我是良善心謙的。」謙遜的言行，來自一顆謙遜的心。內心謙遜的人，三緘其言、三思其行，成之內、形於外。

「虛無」與「聖寵」的真理使人謙遜。佳播神父又寫道：「假如從我們之中取走屬於天主的，我們便歸於虛無，甚至比虛無更壞；因為虛無不能冒犯天主，但我們有冒犯天主的能力。」聖女小德蘭說：「我時常記得自己的軟弱，以致虛榮無處藏身。」

更甚者，是我們需要耶穌的聖寵；祂謂：「離開了我，你們什麼也不能作。（若望福音15:5）」佳播神父補充說：「最緲少的超性行為，仍缺不了天主的聖寵，也只有依靠天主的寵佑護著我們，不致半途而廢。」聖保祿反問：「你有什麼不是領受的呢？既然是領受的，為什麼你還誇耀，好像不是領受的呢？（聖保祿宗徒致格林多人前書4:7）」

擯棄自我

伯鐸.奇斐在他的「回歸德行」的箸作寫著：「謙遜是忘我，而不是自卑。驕傲是故意妄自自大，並擅取那屬於天主的。」謙遜以天主為中心，驕傲以自己為中心。聖母說：「願你的話在我身上成就罷」。撒旦路濟弗爾說：「我不事奉」。

「順從主旨」和「服從長上」使我們能以天主為中心。原祖父母不謙遜，便叛逆了天主的聖旨；耶穌和聖母，因服從天主的聖意，療修了人類因驕傲造成的創傷。

在世俗中，個人的成就和進步往往以「獨立性」來衡量。但在神修生活中，我們愈進步就愈依恃天主。

「良善心謙的耶穌，懇使我等之心，仰合爾心！」

In the past three weeks we have looked at the cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, and fortitude. This week and next we are going to study two virtues which are related to the cardinal virtue of temperance: humility and chastity.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Temperance is the moral virtue that moderates the attraction of pleasures and provides balance in the use of created goods. It ensures the will’s mastery over instincts and keeps desires within the limits of what is honourable.”

The virtue of temperance regulates the use of food and drink. It also subjects concupiscence to reason. An important virtue which is allied to temperance is humility. Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, OCD, pointed out that “charity is the essence of Christian perfection,” and “humility is to charity what the foundation is to a building.”

There are two very beautiful definitions of humility: the first one is “humility is nothing but truth” and the second one is “humility is thinking less about oneself.”

Nothing but truth

St. Vincent de Paul wrote, “The reason why God is so great a lover of humility is because He is the great lover of truth. Now humility is nothing but truth, while pride is nothing but lying.”

Jesus said, “Learn from Me, for I am meek and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29). Humility in words and deeds must flow from humility of the heart. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, “An interior disposition to humility puts its seal upon the words, gestures, and acts by means of which that which is hidden within is manifested on the outside.”

There are two doctrinal truths which serve as the basis of humility: nothing and grace. We are created by God out of nothing. Father Gabriel wrote, “If we take away from ourselves what is of God, we will find that of ourselves we are nothing, or rather less than nothing, for nothingness is incapable of offending God, while we have this said capability.”

St. Therese, the Little Flower, said, “The remembrance of my weakness is so constantly present to me that there is no room for vanity.”

In the supernatural order we need the grace of Jesus, Who said, “Without Me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5).

Father Gabriel pointed out: “In order to perform even the tiniest supernatural act we need God’s help; we need actual grace which prevents us by its inspirations and accompanies us in the act until it is accomplished.”

St. Paul asked, “What have you that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift?” (1 Cor 4:7).

Think less about oneself

Peter Kreeft, in his book Back to Virtue, wrote, “Humility is thinking less about yourself, not thinking less of yourself. Pride is wilful arrogance, arrogating to yourself what is really God’s.”

Humility has God at the centre, whereas pride has self at the centre. Our Lady said, “Be it done to me according to Your word,” whereas Lucifer said, “I will not serve.”

Two important elements in our Catholic religion which enable us to focus on God rather than self are: conformity to the will of God, and holy obedience. Adam and Eve failed in humility by disobeying the will of God. Jesus and Mary repaired the wound of human pride through obedience to the will of God.

In the secular world, progress is associated with independence, but in the spiritual life, the more progress we make, the more completely dependent we become on God.

“Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto Thine!”