“The one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11)
Humility, like the other virtues, is made manifest in concrete actions. When made Archbishop of Milan, Saint Charles showed his humility in a number of concrete ways. When famine struck his diocese, he begged others to help in feeding needy families. What was lacking, he paid out of his share of his family’s wealth, going nearly bankrupt in the process. He considered his hungry neighbor as more important than his financial status. When plague struck Milan, he exhorted his priests to go and visit the sick and console them with the sacraments. He then wrote out his will, and spent the next several weeks ministering to the medical and spiritual needs of those in the hospitals. He considered his plague stricken neighbor as more important than his own time and safety. When we consider Christ who humbled Himself for our sakes, let us ask how we can be true Christians and pattern our humility on Our Lord’s as Saint Charles did.