Humility – The Virtue the Devil Cannot Imitate

“It was pride that changed angels into devils, it is humility that makes men as angels.” — St. Augustine of Hippo

It is Pride that turned Angels into Devils and it is Humility that turns sinners into Saints. Humility is the only virtue that the devil cannot imitate; he hates humble souls—that is why he despises the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph so much. We should aim to make him despise us even more by being humble.

The devil fell through pride (Isaiah 14:12–15), while Christ exalted humility when He said: “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart” (Matthew 11:29). The Blessed Virgin Mary, in her Magnificat, proclaimed: “He has looked upon the humility of His servant” (Luke 1:48). It was humility that drew God down from Heaven into her womb.

St. Teresa of Ávila once said: “Humility is truth.” To be humble is to recognize our littleness before God and to rely on Him completely. St. Francis of Assisi echoed this by saying: “A man is just so much and no more as he is in the eyes of God.” These saints remind us that humility is not about self-hatred but about surrendering our pride and letting God be everything.

St. Joseph, though silent in Scripture, is known as the “Terror of Demons.” Why? Because demons flee from true humility and obedience. The hidden life of St. Joseph teaches us that humility is powerful even when unseen.

The devil cannot bear humility because it defeats him at the root. He thrives on arrogance, vanity, and self-exaltation. But when we bow low before God, we crush his head under our heel—just as Mary did.

Let us then embrace humility daily:

📝 By confessing our sins and depending on God’s mercy. In confession we acknowledge our weakness and need for God. This act of humility defeats pride and restores us to grace.

📝 By serving others without seeking recognition. True humility serves out of love, not for applause. When we help others quietly, God sees and rewards in secret (Matthew 6:4).

📝 By accepting both praise and blame with peace. A humble person is not carried away by compliments nor crushed by criticism. They remain grounded in God’s truth.

📝 By imitating Mary and Joseph in quiet obedience. Mary said “Be it done unto me” (Luke 1:38), and Joseph obeyed the angel without question (Matthew 1:24). Their hidden humility shows us that obedience to God’s will is greater than seeking human glory.

Above all, let us look to Christ Himself. Though He was God, He humbled Himself to the point of death—even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). He, the King of kings, became the sacrificial Lamb for our salvation. If we desire to reach Heaven, we must imitate His humility, for there is not a single saint in Heaven who was not humble on earth.

Therefore, let us rid ourselves of pride and the empty chase for earthly possessions, storing up instead our treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:20). May we desire always to choose what is holy, and may we remain humble like the Lamb who was slain. For in humility lies our strength, our victory over the devil, and our doorway into eternal life.

Let us pray;

Lord Jesus Christ, meek and humble of heart,

teach us the way of true humility.

You humbled Yourself to the point of death on the Cross,

that we might share in the glory of eternal life.

Grant us the grace to strip away our pride

and the love of earthly possessions,

that our hearts may treasure only You.

Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary,

the humble handmaid of the Lord,

and St. Joseph, the silent protector of the Church,

may we walk in humility all our days.

Keep us lowly like the sacrificial Lamb,

that the devil may flee from us,

and that Heaven may one day welcome us.

Amen.