Recently I offered an extended quotation from Ronald Knox’s classic, Enthusiasm. The import of it (which I state far less delicately than did Knox), was that enthusiasts tended to be somewhat presumptuous in their apprehension of the Holy Spirit in their personal interpretations of holiness. It occurred to me that there are those who would be puzzled, if not downright irritated, with Knox’s polite criticism, more so with my blunt restatement. What, they might say, could possibly be wrong with, as Knox wrote, “trying . . . . to be more attentive to the guidance (directly felt, they would tell you) of the Holy Spirit”?
Everything and nothing.
Nothing: certainly the world would be a better place if all men strove to exemplify in their conduct the lessons of Christ.
Everything: the first lesson, that which necessarily precedes all the others, is humility, the opposite of presumption. Surely, if the Holy Spirit guides us anywhere, it guides us first toward humble acceptance. Of what? I would suggest, of the teachings and the tradition of His Church, as opposed to the novelties, exaggerated gestures, and staginess of performance worship. The following prayer explains the differences beautifully, and contrasting it with the attitude described by Knox is instructive:
Litany of Humility
Everything and nothing.
Nothing: certainly the world would be a better place if all men strove to exemplify in their conduct the lessons of Christ.
Everything: the first lesson, that which necessarily precedes all the others, is humility, the opposite of presumption. Surely, if the Holy Spirit guides us anywhere, it guides us first toward humble acceptance. Of what? I would suggest, of the teachings and the tradition of His Church, as opposed to the novelties, exaggerated gestures, and staginess of performance worship. The following prayer explains the differences beautifully, and contrasting it with the attitude described by Knox is instructive:
Litany of Humility
by Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val, secretary of state to Pope Saint Pius X from the prayer book for Jesuits, 1963
O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, O Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I go unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as
I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
