MEDITATIO

When I say that God does not incline his ear to the rich man, don’t go so far as to think, my friends, that God fails to answer those who have gold and silver, servants and lands. If they were born in that state and occupy that class of society let them call to mind the saying of the apostle Paul: “Tell the rich in the present world not to yield to pride” (1Tm 6:17). People who do not yield to pride are poor before God, who inclines his ear to the poor and needy (Ps 85[86]:1). Indeed, they know their hope does not lie in gold or silver or in those things of which they have an abundance for a time. It suffices that possessions are not causing their loss and that, if they do nothing for their salvation, at least they aren’t an obstacle to it… Therefore, when someone despises those things that feed one’s pride he is one of God’s poor and God inclines his ear towards him, for he knows the troubles of his heart. It’s true, my brethren, that poor man Lazarus, covered with sores, who lay at the rich man’s door, was carried by angels into the bosom of Abraham. This is what we read and believe. Whereas the rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and feasted splendidly every day was thrown down to the torments of hell. But was it really the merit of his destitution that won for the poor man his being carried away by angels? And was the rich man delivered up to torment because of his lavish lifestyle? We need to acknowledge that it was humility that was honored in that poor man and what was punished in the rich man was pride.
Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team

“It is vain for you to rise early” says one of the Psalms (126[127],2)… Such were the sons of Zebedee who had already selected a position for themselves, one at his right, one at his left, before they had undergone humiliation in imitation of the Lord’s Passion. They wanted to “rise before the Light”… Peter rose before the Light, too, when he advised the Lord not to suffer for us. The Lord, in fact, had spoken of his saving Passion and humiliation, and Peter, who only a short while before, had confessed that Jesus was the Son of God, was seized with dismay at the thought of his death and said to him: “God forbid, Lord! Save yourself. No, that will never happen to you!” (cf. Mt 16,22). He wanted to rise before the Light, give advice to the Light. But what did the Lord do? He made him rise after the Light by saying to him: “Get behind me”… “Get behind me so that I can walk before you and you can follow. Take the road that I am taking instead of wanting to show me the road on which you yourself want to walk”… Why, then, sons of Zebedee, do you want to rise before the Day? That is the question we need to ask them. They won’t be annoyed since these things were written about them so that we, too, might know how to keep ourselves from the pride they fell into. Why want to rise before the Day? It is in vain. Do you want to rise before being humbled? Your Lord himself, he who is your light, was humbled so as to be raised. Hear what Paul says: “Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave. Coming in human likeness…, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this God greatly exalted him” (Phil 2,6f.).

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team

God’s providence, which is ever watchful to give each one of us what is for our good, has guided all things in our direction to lead us to humility. Since, if you take pride in the graces of providence, it will forsake you and you will fall back… Take note, then, that it belongs neither to you nor your virtue to resist evil inclinations, but that grace alone holds you in hand to keep you from being afraid… In time of testing groan and weep and call to mind your failings that you may be set free from pride and win humility. All the same, don’t despair. Humbly beg God to forgive you your sins. Even without works, humility wipes out many faults. Without it, on the other hand, works are useless – they even lead to many evils. Therefore, obtain by your humility forgiveness for your unrighteousness. What salt is to every food, humility is to every virtue; it can break the strength of numberless sins… If we possess it, it can make us children of God and lead us to God even without the help of good works. That is why, without it, our works are of no value, our virtues are vain, and vain, too, is all our effort.
Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team