Being humble

St. Mark the Ascetic, in On the Spiritual Law:

I have seen unlearned men who were truly humble, and they became wiser than the wise. Another unlearned man, upon hearing them praised, instead of imitating their humility, prided himself on being unlearned and so fell into arrogance.
("Philokalia (Vol. 1)", p. 115, text 79-80)

One who is repentant cannot be haughty...
("Philokalia (Vol. 1)", p. 134, text 110)

Just as water and fire cannot be combined, so self-justification and humility exclude one another.
("Philokalia (Vol. 1)", p. 119, text 125)

Censure from men afflicts the heart; but if patiently accepted it generates purity.
("Philokalia (Vol. 1)", p. 113, text 49)

When you have done something good, remember the words "without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5).
("Philokalia (Vol. 1)", p. 113, text 41)

St. Diadochos of Photiki, in On Spiritual Knowledge:

... For glory befits God because of His majesty, while lowliness befits man because it unites us with God. If we realize this, rejoicing in the glory of the Lord, we too, like St. John the Baptist, will begin to say unceasingly, "He must increase, but we must decrease." (cf. John 3:30).
("Philokalia (Vol. 1)", p. 256, text 12)

Humility is hard to acquire, and the deeper it is, the greater the struggle needed to gain it. There are two different ways in which it comes to those who share in divine knowledge. In the case of one who has advanced halfway along the path of spiritual experience, his self-will is humbled either by bodily weakness, or by people gratuitously hostile to those pursuing righteousness, or by evil thoughts. But when the intellect fully and consciously senses the illumination of God's grace, the soul possesses a humility which is, as it were, natural... The first type of humility is usually marked by remorse and despondency, the second by joy and an enlightened reverence... That is why the first is often undermined by material prosperity, while the second, even if offered all the kingdoms of this world, is not elated and is proof against the arrows of sin. Being wholly spiritual, it is completely indifferent to all material glory. We cannot acquire the second without having passed through the first; for unless God's grace begins by softening our will by means of the first, testing it through assaults of the passions, we cannot receive the riches of the second.
("Philokalia (Vol. 1)", pp. 292-293, text 95)

St. John of Karpathos, in Texts for the Monks in India:

The humility which in due time and by God's grace, after many struggles and tears, is given from heaven to those who seek it is something incomparably stronger and higher than the sense of abasement felt by those who have lapsed from holiness...
("Philokalia (Vol. 1)", p. 315, text 72)

St. Thalassios, in On Love, Self-control and Life in accordance with the Intellect:

Pride deprives us of God's help, making us over-reliant on ourselves and arrogant towards other people. There are two remedies against pride; and if you do not avail yourself of them you will find yourself given a third, far more painful to bear. Prayer with tears, and having no scorn for anyone, destroy pride; but so do chastisements inflicted against our will. Chastisement through trials imposed on us is a spiritual rod, teaching us humility when in our foolishness we think too much of ourselves.
("Philokalia (Vol. 2)", p. 327)

St. Theognostos in On the Practice of the Virtues, Contemplation and the Priesthood

I shall tell you something strange, but do not be surprised by it. Should you fail to attain dispassion because of the predispositions dominating you, but at the time of your death be in the depths of humility, you will be exalted above the clouds no less than the man who is dispassionate. For even if the treasure of those who are dispassionate consists of every virtue, the precious stone of humility is more valuable than them all: it brings about not only propitiation with the Creator, but also entry with the elect into the bridal chamber of His kingdom.
("Philokalia (Vol. 2)", p. 373)

©1999 by Deb Platt