Quotes on Humility

To be taken with love for a soul, God does not look on its greatness, but the greatness of its humility.
--St John of the Cross, OCD

“There is something in humility which strangely exalts the heart.”
--Saint Augustine

“It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.”
--Saint Augustine


He who wants to learn true humility should reflect upon the Passion of Jesus. (267)
-- St Faustina, Divine Mercy in my Soul


The soul's true greatness is in loving God and in humbling oneself in His presence, completely forgetting oneself and believing oneself to be nothing; because the Lord is great, but He is well-pleased only with the humble; He always opposes the proud.
-- St Faustina, Divine Mercy in my Soul

Do you wish to be great? Then begin by being. Do you desire to construct a vast and lofty fabric? Think first about the foundations of humility. The higher your structure is to be, the deeper must be its foundation.
--Saint Augustine

We should let God be the One to praise us and not praise ourselves. For God detests those who commend themselves. Let others applaud our good deeds.
--Pope St. Clement I

'If humble souls are contradicted, they remain calm; if they are calumniated, they suffer with patience; if they are little esteemed, neglected, or forgotten, they consider that their due; if they are weighed down with occupations, they perform them cheerfully.'
--St. Vincent de Paul

'The first degree of humility is the fear of God, which we should constantly have before our eyes.'
--St. Louis de Blois

The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility. For, as he does not know at all how to employ it, neither does he know how to defend himself from it.
--Saint Vincent de Paul

Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.
--Saint Augustine

There is more value in a little study of humility and in a single act of it than in all the knowledge in the world.
--Saint Teresa of Avila


"It is no great thing to be humble when you are brought low; but to be humble when you are praised is a great and rare attainment."
--St.Bernard


Humility is the mother of many virtues because from it obedience, fear, reverence, patience, modesty, meekness and peace are born. He who is humble easily obeys everyone, fears to offend anyone, is at peace with everyone, is kind with all.
--St Thomas of Villanova

Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.
--Saint Augustine

Indeed a humble rustic who serves God is better than a proud intellectual who neglects his soul to study the course of the stars.
--Imitation of Christ

A proud and avaricious man never rests, whereas he who is poor and humble of heart lives in a world of peace. The humble live in continuous peace, while in the hearts of the proud are envy and frequent anger.
--Imitation of Christ


It is a virtue and a prize to listen patiently to and put up with insults for the sake of God
--Revelations of St. Bridget


Humility does not disturb or disquiet or agitate, however great it may be; it comes with peace, delight, and calm. . . . The pain of genuine humility doesn’t agitate or afflict the soul; rather, this humility expands it and enables it to serve God more.
--St teresa of Avila

"Speaking absolutely, humility excels virginity."
--St. Thomas

'As patience leads to peace, and study to science, so are humiliations the path that leads to humility.'
--St. Bernard of Clairvaux

"No one reaches the kingdom of Heaven except by humility"
--St Augustine

" There never can have been, and never can be, and there never shall be any sin without pride."
--St Augustine

"Humility, which is a virtue, is always fruitful in good works."
--St. Thomas

"You cannot attain to charity except through humility."
--St. Augustine

"I make bold to say that it is profitable for the proud to fall, in order that they may be humbled in that for which they have exalted themselves.
--St. Augustine

The highest point of humility consists in not merely acknowledging one's abjection, but in taking pleasure therein, not from any want of breadth or courage, but to give the more glory to God's Divine Majesty, and to esteem one's neighbour more highly than one's self.
--St Francis De Sales

'There is no doubt that God will never be wanting to us, provided that He finds in us that humility which makes us worthy of His gifts, the desire of possessing them, and the promptitude to co-operate industriously with the graces He gives us.'
--St. Ignatius of Loyola

Humility makes our lives acceptable to God, meekness makes us acceptable to men.
--St Francis De Sales