My Dear Friends,

Yesterday we celebrated the feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa). In last week’s homily I shared with you some of the list that she kept to acquire the virtue of humility. Here is the list in its entirety:

1. Speak as little as possible about yourself.

2. Keep busy with your own affairs and not those of others.

3. Avoid curiosity (this refers to wanting to know things that should not concern you.)

4. Do not interfere in the affairs of others.

5. Accept small irritations with good humor.

6. Do not dwell on the faults of others.

7. Accept censures even if unmerited.

8. Give in to the will of others.

9. Accept insults and injuries.

10. Accept contempt, being forgotten and disregarded.

11. Be courteous and delicate even when provoked by someone.

12. Do not seek to be admired and loved.

13. Do not protect yourself behind your own dignity.

14. Give in, in discussions, even when you are right.

15. Choose always the more difficult task.

Mother Teresa well said that humility is the mother of all virtues, and just last week Pope Leo XIV called upon us to embrace this virtue: “Let us pray that the Church will always be a school of humility for everyone, a home where all are welcome, a place where rivalries are set aside and where Jesus still speaks to us and teaches us to imitate his own humility and freedom.”

I invite you to meditate on this list. What applies to you? What can you eradicate from your life? Humility is the path to holiness!

God bless you all,