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From the beginning of world God inculcated humility and lowliness of spirit upon women. Immediately after the Fall she was told that she must be in subjection, the practice of humility being thus imposed upon her as a punishment. On the other hand, the consequence of original sin, namely, the tendency of the human heart to evil, consists, in the case of the woman, precisely in a constant endeavor to rebel, in a spirit of pride, against the sentence of punishment pronounced by God.
The more firmly this tendency to pride is implanted by nature in the heart of a woman, the more edifying and meritorious it is when she, with the aid of divine grace, fights against the tendency and gradually eradicates it, planting in its stead the fragrant violet of humility, causing it to take root to flourish and blossom. The violet of humility is indeed one of the fairest ornaments of woman, and of the young girl more especially.
In order that you may learn to value this bright ornament more highly I will relate to you an example of the fatal effect of the poisonous plant of pride. A priest had not long been stationed in a certain parish when he noticed the extremely proud and haughty demeanor of a young girl who had only shortly before left school. And her behavior must have been very noticeable, for her companions had bestowed upon her a nickname of no flattering nature. With fatherly kindness, yet with all seriousness, the priest repeatedly waned the poor foolish girl. Yet his admonitions produced no effect; he began to fear he would have cause to grieve over this one of his parishioners, according to the true saying: “Pride goeth before a fall.”
Unhappily the presentiment of the good priest was only too fully verified. Before many years had elapsed the greatest misfortune which can overtake a young woman happened to this poor girl. She became a great sinner and an outcast.
Pride indeed “goeth before a fall.” Wherefore flee even the mere shadow of this sin; carefully practice the virtue of humility. Let us now examine more closely this bright ornament of the maiden.
God, in His infinite wisdom, endowed the maiden with beauty and power to please. He desired to teach her that, as she was externally adorned with beauty, she ought to beware lest her soul should not correspond to her physical attractiveness, but be, on the contrary, a wild and desert place. Your external charms should be a mirror in which the beauty of your soul is reflected. Remember the warning God gives to every maiden, in the book of Proverbs: “Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain; the woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised.”
Contemplate the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and your Mother also. Her whole life was a continual practice of humility. The more highly God exalted her the more did she humble herself. The angel saluted her as the Mother of God; she called herself the handmaid of the Lord. All self-love was banished from her heart: she had renounced all the vanities and honors of the world from the moment when, as a child, she offered herself to God in the Temple. Hers was a hidden life, unheeded by men, but all the better known to God and all the more glorious in His sight. She rejected even well-deserved praise, and felt confused when she heard the angel’s salutation. She ever sought to appear as a servant although she had been exalted to be the Mistress of the universe. She was in very deed the humble handmaid of the Lord, as she terms herself in the Magnificat.
Lay well to heart the glorious example of your Mother, and strive to imitate it. Distinguish what is really valuable from that which has only a passing and external worth. Learn to prize something more highly than the gifts of fortune, than wealth, honor, beauty, or flattering praises. Endeavor to be simple and unpretending in the eyes of men; seek before all things to please God, and to be beautiful in His sight. Employ the advantages God has bestowed upon you in such manner as to appear unconscious of possessing them.
Do not imitate the silly girls who try to attract notice by foolish airs and showy dress. Rest contented if you know that you have the approval of God; do not trouble yourself about the praise or blame of the vain world, and never torment yourself with idle fancies. Banish conceit and egotism.
Be like the violet, which blossoms unseen. This modest little flower grows in the midst of the loftier plants which surround it, being itself unheeded and unknown. Charming indeed it is in its robe of purple; delightful is the fragrance it diffuses; yet it knows not that it is so sweet and fair. Do you resemble this flower; be free from all pretension and never give yourself haughty airs, nor look with disdain upon others. Submit to advice and correction, and remember all your life long the wise counsels of your mother, teacher or confessor. Do not imagine yourself to be wise and prudent; be guided in a childlike spirit by those who are set over you; be grateful and obedient to them.
As a humble handmaid of the Lord place the most implicit confidence in God. Trust the guidance of your whole future life to Him your wise and merciful Father. Do not torment yourself with uneasy questionings about the time to come, and how you are to be provided for. Believe me, dear child, those are best provided for who place their future into the hands of their all-wise and all-powerful Father in heaven.
A young woman who is unduly anxious and troubled about her future, forgetting God and thinking only of procuring happiness in temporal advancement, often purchases what she seeks very dearly, and at the cost of many tears. For that is the fruit of pride, which despises good advice, and of vanity, which forsakes God and aims at pleasing men rather than pleasing Him. Therefore let humility be the foremost flower in your youthful garland.
Let humility be your ornament. Do not belong to the number of those thoughtless girls who do not value humility at its true worth, and do not try to practice it. Be not counted among those who fancy that humility is a virtue not suited for the young; not at least for young people in general, but only for those who have a vocation to the cloister.
Foolish and mistaken indeed is this opinion; it runs counter to all the doctrine and commands, all the example and actions of the Saviour, more especially to His weighty admonition: “Learn of Me because I am meek and humble of heart.” Young persons should study before all things to serve and please God; they can do this only by obeying His representatives; but true obedience is possible only to the humble Christian.
Let us to the violet turn,
Wisdom’s lessons from it learn;
To lead a quiet, useful life,
In this world of sin and strife.