Movement II · The Second Week (Illuminative Way) · Step 23 · Threshold of Election
St. Ignatius of Loyola · Exx. 164–168
The Three Manners of Humility
The summit of the Ignatian heart: moving from First Humility (obedience that never breaks trust with God), through Second Humility (pure indifference of the balance scale), to Third Humility—desiring poverty and foolishness with Christ purely out of love.
18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” 20Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. 26Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast before him. 30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
Philippians 2:5–8 (NIV)
5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
2 Corinthians 8:9 (NIV)
9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
Luke 9:23 (NIV)
23Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
Points of the Mystery from St. Ignatius
First Humility—Faithful Obedience (Exx. 165): Necessary for eternal salvation—namely, that I so lower and humble myself that even if they made me lord of all created things on earth, or to save my own temporal life, I would not deliberate about transgressing a commandment of God.
Second Humility—The Pure Balance Scale (Exx. 166): More perfect humility—when I find myself at a point where I do not want, and feel no affection to have, riches rather than poverty, honor rather than dishonor, long life rather than short life, when the service of God and the salvation of my soul are equal; and not for all creation would I commit even a deliberate venial sin.
Third Humility—The Foolishness of Lovers (Exx. 167): Most perfect humility—when, even though the praise and glory of the Divine Majesty would be equally served, in order better to imitate Christ our Lord and to be more actually like Him, I want and choose poverty with Christ poor rather than riches, opprobrium with Christ replete with it rather than honors, and to desire to be rated as worthless and a fool for Christ, Who first was held as such, rather than wise or prudent in this world.
Step 1 · Entering the Hour (2 Minutes)
Before You Start
Read 1 Corinthians 1:18–31 and Philippians 2:5–8. Stand a step or two from your place of prayer for an Our Father (Exx. 75), reverence the Lord, and pray the Preparatory Prayer (Exx. 46).
Step 2 · Orienting the Heart & Imagination (5 Minutes)
The Preludes
First Prelude · Why Ignatius Places This Here (Exx. 164)
Before beginning any Election or Reform of Life, so that a person may be genuinely affected to the true doctrine of Christ our Lord, it helps very much to consider and ponder these Three Manners of Humility through the whole day.
Second Prelude · Composition of Place
See Christ our Lord standing before you clothed in the poverty of Nazareth, the simplicity of Galilee, and the approaching humiliation of the Passion—inviting you into His own heart.
Third Prelude · Asking for What I Desire (Exx. 168)
Ask Our Lady, the Son, and the Father in the Triple Colloquy that the Lord our God may be pleased to choose us to this Third and Greater Humility, that we may more imitate and serve Him—if it be for the equal or greater service and praise of His Divine Majesty.
Step 3 · The Body of the Exercise (30–40 Minutes)
How to Ponder the Three Manners of Humility
Ignatius says not merely to pray this for one hour, but “considering them from time to time all the day” (Exx. 164). Walk slowly through the three rungs of love:
The First Manner of Humility · Unbreakable Fidelity (Exx. 165)
“The first manner of Humility is necessary for eternal salvation; namely, that I lower and humble myself as much as is possible to me, to obey in all things the law of God our Lord, so that not even if they made me lord of all the created things in this world, nor for my own temporal life, would I be in deliberation about transgressing a commandment, whether divine or human, which binds me under mortal sin.”
Sit with this foundation and give thanks if, by God’s grace, your heart is settled here: you have chosen Christ as your Lord, and you do not want to betray Him for any price the world could offer.
The Second Manner of Humility · The Poised Scale of Indifference (Exx. 166)
“The second is more perfect Humility than the first; namely, if I find myself at a point where I do not want, and feel no affection to have, riches rather than poverty, to want honor rather than dishonor, to desire a long rather than a short life—the service of God our Lord and the salvation of my soul being equal; and, besides this, not for all creation, nor because they would take away my life, would I be in deliberation about committing a venial sin.”
Notice: the Second Humility is the Principle and Foundation and the Third Pair of Men lived to the hilt. It is the logic of rational stewardship: if riches serve God better, I take riches; if poverty serves God better, I take poverty. My hands are open.
The Third Manner of Humility · The Logic of Pure Love (Exx. 167)
“The third is most perfect Humility; namely, when including the first and second, and the praise and glory of the Divine Majesty being equal, in order better to imitate Christ our Lord, and to be more actually like Him, I want and choose poverty with Christ poor rather than riches, opprobrium with Christ replete with it rather than honors; and to desire to be rated as worthless and a fool for Christ, Who first was held as such, rather than wise or prudent in this world.”
Pause in awe at what Ignatius is saying here. Suppose two paths before you would give the exact same amount of glory to God—one path comfortable, respected, and prosperous; the other poor, lowly, and misunderstood. Rational calculation (Second Humility) says they are tied. Love breaks the tie. Because a lover cannot bear to live in luxury while his Beloved is poor and despised! Even if your vocation and marriage require you to steward resources in the world rather than enter a monastery, feeling a deep attraction and longing for this Third Humility is one of the surest signs of the Holy Spirit’s work in your soul.
How to Pray If You Long for the Third Humility (Exx. 168)
Ignatius writes in Exx. 168: “So that it falls well to him who desires to get this third Humility to make the three Colloquies of the Three Pairs set down above, asking that our Lord may be pleased to choose him to this third greater and better Humility, in order that he may more imitate and serve Him, if it shall be equal or greater service and praise to His Divine Majesty.”
Notice once again how Ignatius protects you from impulsive self-will: you do not choose actual poverty by abandoning your family or duties; you ask the Lord to choose you to it in the exact way, measure, and form that serves His Divine Majesty. Meanwhile, you can practice the Third Humility right today by choosing hiddenness over applause, simplicity over display, and standing close to the poor.
Step 4 · Friend to Friend & Looking Back (15–20 Minutes)
Colloquy, Post-Prayer Review & Repetitions
1. The Colloquy (5 Minutes)
Pray the Triple Colloquy (to Our Lady, to the Son, and to the Father) pouring out your desire for the Third Manner of Humility—telling the Lord honestly both where you still cling to worldly attachments and how deeply something in you longs for complete kenosis and poverty with Christ poor. Close with an Our Father.
2. The Post-Prayer Examen of Prayer (15 Minutes · Exx. 77)
After finishing the Our Father, remain quiet for ten to fifteen minutes (sitting or walking slowly) to examine how your prayer went. Ask: Where did my heart feel warmed, expanded, drawn to trust, or moved to tears (consolation)? Where did I feel dry, distracted, defensive, or negotiating with God (desolation or resistance)? Write down two or three honest sentences in your notebook.
3. Repetitions & Carrying the Mystery Through the Day
Carry the three sentences of First, Second, and Third Humility with you throughout the day, noticing which moments invite you to choose the lowlier, quieter seat out of love for Christ.
Primary Text · From St. Ignatius’s Spiritual Exercises (Exx. 164–168)
[166] Second Humility. The second is more perfect Humility than the first; namely, if I find myself at a point where I do not want, and feel no affection to have, riches rather than poverty, to want honor rather than dishonor, to desire a long rather than a short life—the service of God our Lord and the salvation of my soul being equal; and, besides this, not for all creation, nor because they would take away my life, would I be in deliberation about committing a venial sin.
[167] Third Humility. The third is most perfect Humility; namely, when including the first and second, and the praise and glory of the Divine Majesty being equal, in order better to imitate Christ our Lord, and to be more actually like Him, I want and choose poverty with Christ poor rather than riches, opprobrium with Christ replete with it rather than honors; and to desire to be rated as worthless and a fool for Christ, Who first was held as such, rather than wise or prudent in this world.
[168] Note. So that it falls well to him who desires to get this third Humility to make the three Colloquies of the Three Pairs set down above, asking that our Lord may be pleased to choose him to this third greater and better Humility, in order that he may more imitate and serve Him, if it shall be equal or greater service and praise to His Divine Majesty.