It has become clearer that humility is not devoid of humiliation and sometimes deprivation. Our holy mother explains it as a “cross” which we must bear with patience “and it will become light”. Humility is to be poor in spirit. To accept our weaknesses and seek God’s help. A virtue that will make us become part of the suffering of Christ and “a cure for selfishness”. St. Augustine says in one of his letters that “the way to Christ is first through humility, second through humility, third through humility” (Letters 118:22).
Let it be noted that humility is not bending the neck to an angle with our hands joined in prayer posture and embracing any and every humiliation especially in the face of injustice, that would be folly. It is not sitting and doing nothing when the “wine is finished” and someone is about to be disgraced and we would not act for fear of being seen to be too forward; we need to be “humble” so we allow things to go bad for our neighbor. It is not despising our spiritual gifts from God or taking as inferior our natural gifts compared with that of others. No, that is ingratitude for we must know the gifts God has given us (1 Cor. 2:12). Humility is not refusing to go for Holy Communion after confession, because you are a sinner and cannot approach Christ in the whiteness of the sacred host. You need him to grow in holiness. He is the source of your strength and cut away from him you can do nothing (Jn. 15:5).
Humility is going for confession regularly. It is reflecting not only on commission but omissions as well. It is moderating our speech even before our subordinates. It is saying sorry to our wives and husbands when we are wrong or right for the sake of peace. It is not seeing ourselves as holier than others knowing that we all have areas to work on or fix in our lives. Many of us cannot be subject to any authority. We find it very hard to obey both simple and difficult rules. We cannot take corrections, we take offence immediately when corrected. We cannot stand a less educated person or a poorer fellow, even in a simple discussion. Check thyself. Know thyself. Caution thyself. Only humility can make us come trembling before his throne in the Blessed Sacrament like the brother in Lk. 18:13, not the fellow in Lk. 18:11. In summary, humility exalts and ultimately wins us eternal life. It is the mother of all virtues. Conversely, pride destroys, goes before a fall and ultimately wins us eternal damnation.
Finally, our mother declares the result of her humility in this apparition: she has been crowned with glory by the Blessed Trinity. Earlier in the scripture she said that God has regarded her humility and from thenceforth all generation shall call her blessed (Lk.1:48). It really pays to be humble. Holy mother, help us to truly know our worth, to stay humble and to obtain grace for eternal life. Amen