John Vianney
One
The Petition
One well-known story from the life of St. John Vianney captures the heart of true humility.
The people of Ars didn't quite know what to do with their parish priest. Fr. John Vianney was gentle and kind, but he continually called them to deeper conversion. He urged them to pray every day, to be faithful to Sunday Mass, to go frequently to Confession, and to love Jesus in the Eucharist. His love was relentless and not everyone appreciated it.
Some parishioners, and even a few fellow priests, decided he was too demanding. They wrote a petition asking the bishop to remove him from Ars and passed it around collecting signatures. A farmer who didn’t know Vianney handed the the petition to Fr. Vianney himself. Vianney read it and signed it.
Two
The Freedom of Humility
John Vianney could sign that petition because he knew three things. God gives us our identity. God gives us our mission. God calls us to eternal life. His identity did not come from the opinion of the people of Ars. His mission did not come from public approval. His calling came from God. If God wanted him to remain in Ars, no petition could remove him. If God called him somewhere else, no petition could keep him there. That is the freedom of humility.
Most of us spend far too much time worrying about what other people think of us. But the opinion that matters most is God's. When you know who you are in God’s eyes then you will be wonderfully free.
Three
Pride Makes Life Heavy
Why do we take ourselves so seriously? Because pride makes us afraid. Afraid of being unloved and unwanted. Afraid of looking foolish. Afraid of criticism. Afraid of failure. Pride constantly asks, "What do people think of me?” Humility asks, "What does God know to be true about me?"
The truth is, you can never satisfy everyone. If you succeed, some people will envy you. If you fail, some people will criticize you. And most people aren't thinking about you at all, they're too busy thinking about themselves.
G.K. Chesterton famously wrote, "Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly." Pride makes the soul heavy. Humility makes it light.
Four
Humility Is Seeing Reality as God Sees It
Humility is seeing reality as God sees it. Reality begins with two truths. First: I am not God. I have limitations. My weaknesses remind me that I need God every day. So when someone points out a fault, I don't need to become defensive. Some of what they say may even be true. Second: I am God's beloved child. My worth does not come from success. It does not come from popularity. It does not come from the approval of other people. My worth comes from my Father. He created me. He redeemed me. He is making me holy by sharing His own divine life with me.
Forget either of these truths and life becomes heavy. Remember both, and you become free and light.
Five
Joy Is the Fruit of Humility
Today, when one of your limitations, imperfections, or sins is exposed, resist the urge to defend yourself or make excuses. If it is simply a limitation or imperfection, say, "Yes, that's me." If it is a fault that has hurt someone, simply say, "I'm sorry. Please forgive me."
Acknowledge and move on. Don’t take yourself so seriously and have a sense of humor.