Humility Revisited

"Humility, the Rule of Benedict says, is an antidote to violence and a key to mental health."

In her little book Twelve Steps to Inner Freedom: Humility Revisited , Benedictine sister, Joan Chittister lays out 12 steps of Humility which she calls the 12 steps to inner freedom. Chittister says that Benedict would want us to list these 12 steps of spiritual development in this order. (See below.) Then, in Benedict's words, we will "come to interior peace that is a sign of a life well lived."

(1) Recognize the presence of God

(2) Accept the will of God

(3) Accept spiritual direction

(4) Persevere

(5) Acknowledge faults

(6) Live simply

(7) Be honest about yourself

(8) Be willing to learn from others

(9) Listen to people

(10) Speak kindly to others

(11) Accept others the way they are

(12) Be centered and serene.

"God is not a goal to be achieved; God is a presence to be reckoned with," Chittister says, and thus to begin our journey to inner freedom, we must recognize the presence of God, centering our lives on God rather that God in our lives.

Not a bad way to journey through Lent. Yet another 12 steps we might follow!