3 Simple Ways to Practice Humility During Lent
By Alexandra Kubebatu, OCDS | As seen in the Apostolate of the Little Flower, Vol. 86, No. 1
“I, then, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace.”
- (Ephesians 4:1-3)
Lent is a season to engage in a spiritual purgation to nurture a more peaceful soul that is pleasing to God. It is a time to grow in humility. St. Teresa of Avila names humility as one of three qualities “to possess inwardly and outwardly the peace our Lord recommended highly to us” (W 4, 4).
Photograph by Carlos Ramirez of the Last Supper display at the Basilica in 2020.
Lent is more than just a time to quietly, or not so quietly, endure the pains of giving up sugar, soda, or chocolate. As St. Teresa of Avila and St. Thérèse of Lisieux can attest, Lenten prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, can bear much fruit.
These Lenten practices encourage us to be more deliberate in our spiritual development as we take careful steps to focus our gaze on Jesus. They are more than finding a way to “empathize” with Jesus and His passion, but to transform our souls into the image of Christ. However, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving this Lenten season, or fifty Lenten seasons, will bear no fruit without the cup of humility. Jesus’ suffering and dying on the cross was the ultimate demonstration of humility.
Humility is actively seeking self-denial. As the Catechism tells us, “He who humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we humbly acknowledge that ‘we do not know how to pray as we ought,’ are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer” (CCC 2559).
As Secular Carmelites, we learn from the Catechism that, “Contemplative prayer is the simplest expression of the mystery of prayer. It is a gift, a grace; it can be accepted only in humility and poverty. Contemplative prayer is a covenant relationship established by God within our hearts. Contemplative prayer is a communion in which the Holy Trinity conforms man, the image of God, ‘to his likeness’ “(CCC 2713).
Here are three simple ways to practice humility that can bear spiritual fruit if applied with prudence:
Do not interrupt when someone is voicing a concern. Instead of formulating a defense in your mind when confronted about a situation and jumping in with an excuse, simply apologize and move forward to mend the relationship. Give the other person their due apology without excuses.
Be more aware of the needs of others. It is human nature to firstly look after our own physical, spiritual, or emotional needs. Self-preservation is a human instinct that must be tamed lest we act to the detriment of others.
Be ready to put the needs of others ahead of your own and act with charity. Practice voluntary patience. Stand at the end of the line. Let other drivers go ahead of you at an intersection. Take the smallest piece or the last piece of the pie. Delayed satisfaction will help us train ourselves in patience, self-denial, and humility.
Humility is required for us to see the truth in all things. It is the unique quality that allows us to know ourselves and “see” who we are in relation to God, our Creator, as well as the relationship between ourselves and His creation. Humility opens the door to a poverty of spirit or complete dependence on God as our Father (CCC 2546). Practicing small acts of self-denial with humility will help make all our other Lenten sacrifices acceptable to God.
Alexandra Kubebatu is a parishioner at St. Matthew Catholic Church in San Antonio and a member of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites. She is also a Marian speaker for the Pilgrim Center of Hope. Alexandra conducts workshops addressing faith and family issues, as well as the art and science of Catholic journal writing. She has authored and designed five books including the 40 Days of Greater Peace and 40 Days of Greater Love series of Catholic journals and coloring book companions. Her greatest honor and joy is being a wife and mother of three lovely children.