Three Kinds of Humility

Ask God our Lord for the grace that all my intentions, actions and works may be directed purely to the service and praise of his Divine Majesty.

See myself standing before God our Lord, the angels and the saints who intercede for me.

Ask for the grace to reach the third kind of humility, if it be equal service and praise of the Divine Majesty.

1. The first kind of humility is necessary for eternal salvation: to lower and humble myself so that not for lordship over the whole world, nor to save my own life, would I consider breaking a commandment of God or of man that binds under mortal sin.
2. The second kind is more perfect: not to want or lean more toward riches than poverty, honour than dishonour, long life than short, where God would be equally served; and not for all creation, nor to save my life, would I consider committing a venial sin.
3. The third kind is the most perfect: including the first and second, and where the praise and glory of God would be equal, in order to imitate Christ and be more like him, I want and choose poverty with Christ poor rather than riches, insults with Christ rather than honours, and to be thought a fool for Christ rather than wise and prudent in this world.