Pope Francis highlighted humility as a fundamental Christian virtue and crucial for achieving global peace and harmony within the Church.
This message concluded his catechesis series on virtues, delivered during his Wednesday General Audience.
The pontiff said humility counters the sin of arrogance, restoring balance to human self-perception.
“We are wonderful creatures, yet limited with qualities and flaws,” he said, referencing the biblical reminder from Genesis 3:19, “we are dust, and to dust we shall return.” He warned against the human tendency toward “delirium of omnipotence.”
“Humility is the great antagonist of the most mortal of sins, namely arrogance,” Pope Francis said. He explained how humility aligns our self-view, contrasting it against pride which “makes us think we are greater than we are.”
Pope Francis suggested that contemplating nature’s grandeur, such as a starry night, helps dissolve arrogance and fosters a sense of awe, quoting Psalm 8:3-4: “When I look at thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast established; what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou dost care for him?”
The Pope also emphasized the teachings of Jesus in the Beatitudes, starting with the call to the humble: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven” (Mt 5:3). He described humility as stemming from an “inner sense of smallness.”
The life of the Virgin Mary was presented as a model of humility, from her acceptance of divine will to her supportive presence with her cousin Elizabeth and her participation in the foundational moments of the Church.
“May Mary’s example and powerful intercession help us to overcome our temptations to pride, to follow humbly in the footsteps of Jesus, and to bear witness to the joy and peace of his Kingdom,” the Pope said.
Pope Francis reiterated that humility is not only the root of peace in the world and within the Church but also “the way, the path to salvation.”
He said that where humility is absent, there emerges war, discord, and division. Through the humility shown by Jesus and Mary, he affirmed, God offers a blueprint for our salvation and happiness.
