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Chapter 26GradH.1.26

De gradibus humilitatis et superbiae

The Fall of the Proud

The author warns against pride by recalling how even the greatest of the proud—Satan himself—fell from heaven, and trembles at the thought of sharing that fate.

And this much about the proud. But what about their head? What about the one called the king over all the sons of pride?✦ And he himself, it says, did not stand in truth.✦ And elsewhere: I saw Satan falling from heaven.✦ Why this, if not on account of pride? Woe to me, if he who knows the deep things from far off should see me as one who is proud — and should thunder against me that terrible voice: "You were indeed a son of the Most High, but you will die as a man, and fall as one of the princes."✦1 Who would not tremble at the voice of this thunder?

The Healing Touch of Humility

The author prays that God would weaken his own strength through a humbling touch, so that in weakness he might find true progress and divine power.

Oh, how much more healing it is to be touched! The angel's touch withered the sinew of Jacob's thigh, but the angel of the proud one swelled up, vanished, and fell.✦✦ Would that an angel might also touch my sinew so that it withers — if perhaps from this weakness I might begin to make progress, I who from my own strength can do nothing but fail. I read indeed: What is weak in God's sight is stronger than men.✦

Power Made Perfect in Weakness

Through Paul's testimony of his thorn in the flesh, the author shows that Christ's power is made perfect in weakness, and that the virtue Christ most commends is humility.

So too the Apostle complained about his own affliction — which was not an angel of the Lord but an angel of Satan buffeting him — and he heard this answer: "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness."✦2 What power? Let the Apostle himself answer: "I will gladly glory in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me."✦3 But perhaps you don't yet understand which virtue he was speaking of specifically, since Christ possessed all virtues. But although he possessed all of them, above all others he commended one to us in himself — that is, humility — when he said: "Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart."✦4

Read the original Latin

Et hoc quidem de superbis. Sed quid de illorum capite? Quid de illo, qui dicitur rex super omnes filios superbiae? Et ipse, inquit, in veritate non stetit. Et alibi: Videbam Satanam cadentem de caelo. Quare hoc, nisi propter superbiam? Vae mihi, si et me viderit, qui alta a longe cognoscit, superbientem: et illam in me terribilem intonet vocem: "Tu quidem filius Excelsi eras, sed sicut homo morieris, et sicut unus de principibus cades". Quis non ab huius tonitrui voce formidet?

O quam salubrius ad tactum. Angeli nervus femoris Iacob emarcuit, quam angeli superbientis intumuit, evanuit, ruit. Utinam et meum nervum Angelus tangat ut marcescat, si forte ex hac infirmitate incipiam proficere, qui ex mea firmitate non possum nisi deficere. Lego profecto: Quod infirmum est Dei, fortius est hominibus.

Sic quoque Apostolus de suo nervo conquestus, quem angelus non Domini, sed Satanae colaphizabat, responsum audivit: Sufficit tibi gratia mea, nam virtus in infirmitate perficitur. Quae virtus? Ipse Apostolus respondeat: Libenter gloriabor in infirmitatibus meis, ut inhabitet in me virtus Christi. Sed nondum forsitan intelligis, de qua specialiter dixerit, quia Christus omnes virtutes habuit. Sed cum omnes habuerit, prae omnibus tamen unam, id est humilitatem, nobis in se commendavit, cum ait: Discite a me, quia mitis sum et humilis corde.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Job.41.25 — On earth there is none like him, made without fear.
  2. ↩Dan.8.11 — And even to the Prince of the host it was great, and from him the continual offering was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.
  3. ↩Luke.10.18 — He said to them, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning."
  4. ↩Ps.81.6-Ps.81.7 — He set up a testimony in Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt. A language I had not known, I heard: Ps.81.7 — I removed the burden from his shoulder; his hands were freed from the basket.
  5. ↩Gen.32.25 — And Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until the breaking of dawn.
  6. ↩Luke.10.18 — He said to them, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning."
  7. ↩1Cor.1.25 — For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
  8. ↩2Cor.12.7-2Cor.12.9 — And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, so that I would not be exalted beyond measure, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, so that I would not be exalted beyond measure. 2Cor.12.8 — Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it would depart from me. 2Cor.12.9 — And he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." So most gladly I will rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
  9. ↩2Cor.12.9 — And he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." So most gladly I will rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
  10. ↩Matt.11.29 — Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩The quoted voice ('Tu quidem filius Excelsi eras...') echoes Psalm 81:6-7 (Vulgate 82:6-7): 'Dii estis et filii Excelsi omnes; vos autem sicut homines moriemini, et sicut unus de principibus cadetis.' The speaker addresses the proud one in the voice of divine judgment.
  2. 2 ↩The quoted response echoes 2 Corinthians 12:7–9, where Paul recounts his 'thorn in the flesh' and the Lord's reply.
  3. 3 ↩Quotation from 2 Corinthians 12:9b.
  4. 4 ↩Quotation from Matthew 11:29.

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