Second Step of Humility – Rev. Peter M Preble

The second step of humility is that a man loves not his own will nor takes pleasure in the satisfaction of his desires; rather he shall imitate by his actions that saying of the Lord: I have come not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.” Rule of St. Benedict

The essence of the Christian life consists in the imitation of the life of Christ. He is the model. He is also the master and we are the disciples to whom he utters the invitation: “If anyone wishes to follow me, let him renounce himself, take up his cross and then follow me.” In order to follow Jesus, we must embrace the cross, the small crosses of everyday life, and follow the path of self-renunciation. This path is not easy, for we know it to be so contrary to human nature.

Jesus never promised us that the way to heaven would be easy. What he promised was to send us a Comforter who would remind us of Jesus’ teachings and, at the same time, give us the strength and the necessary fortitude to follow the ways of the Gospel, no matter how perilous they may seem to be.

In the Our Father we pray daily, “your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This is precisely what Saint Benedict encourages us to seek through the practice of humility’s second step: acceptance of the will of God in our daily life and in all of our actions. In accomplishing the will of the Father, we shall discover our true freedom, our only joy, our perfect peace. I think it was Dante who towards the end of his life stated, “In your will is my peace.”

Brother Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette
Blessings of the Daily, A Monastic Book of Days

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