The Glory of Humility

It is easy to think of modesty primarily in terms of hemlines and sleeve lengths and to forget its deeper significance. That is why it is nice to be reminded now and then of the other kind of modesty, the kind that is more or less synonymous with humility and the one to which external modesty is ordered. In a recent homily the preacher for the pontifical household, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, emphasized the importance of being modest in evaluating your own merits. By doing so in a sincere and unaffected (as opposed to the false modesty we are all too familiar with), we not only live a better life but we endear others to us. Modesty, Fr. Cantalamessa says, “conquers, makes those who practice it loved, makes their company desirable, their opinion appreciated. True glory flees from those who seek it and seeks those who flee from it."

This, of course, does not mean that one should be modest in order to get glory and recognition, for that would involve a contradiction in terms: the modest person is the one who doesn’t desire these things. But it does point to an interesting paradox often overlooked in our “Look at Me” age: the people who genuinely don’t seek the limelight are usually the ones most worthy of it.

 

Comments

[wendy]

Thanks for writing about this, Alexandra.

Often it is asked how Moses could have recorded in the Torah that he was the most humble man--isn't that a self-contradictory statement? And yet, Moses knew that his strengths were God-given.

When you have a strength, be it modesty or be it something else, modesty doesn't require that you pretend it's not there. Modesty requires that you attribute it to God.

[Heather]

Thanks for the reminder!

[Grace]

"Modesty requires that you attribute it to G-d."

So very true. I used to be a runway model, and when people tell me that I'm beautiful, I just say "thanks" and let it go. I've been accused of being "falsely modest", because some people really don't understand that I don't take credit for my appearance.

I realize that I have done absolutely nothing to get the looks I have. Everything is from G-d.

[Sheryl]

I love this post! I am a great proponent of modesty in clothing, yes, but also in our behavior, our attitudes, our lifestyle.
Thanks for reminding us that modesty goes beyond our appearance in dress.