If it be asked why S. Ignatius should have called these dispositions Modes of Humility, the answer may be that humility is the foundation of all virtues, and if we want to rise to the heights of charity and devotion we must begin by laying this foundation securely. As S. Augustine says: "Thou wishest to be great, begin from the least. Thou art thinking to erect some fabric mighty in height, think first of the foundation of humility' (Serm. lxix. 2, Migne, Tom. V, p. 441). Another explanation may be derived from S. Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theol. 2a 2a, Q. clxi. 2 ad 3), 'Humilitas praecipue videtur importare subjectionem hominis ad Deum'; for this is the fundamental idea which underlies each of the three Modes. They are manifestations of increasing subjection to God in obedience and self-surrender. In the first Mode it is such a measure of subjection to the commandments of God as will make a man reject at once every thought of committing a mortal sin, however great may be the temptation. In the second it is a still greater and more perfect measure of subjection, such as will enable him to reject every temptation, even to venial sin-a measure which is possible only to those who have reached such a point of indifference to all created things that they are as ready to obey God in things which are difficult and hard to nature as in those which are easy and pleasant. In the third it goes beyond that which is of command and obligation, and freely desires and chooses to follow Christ in those higher ways of obedience to the will of God, of which He gave us an example in His life of poverty, humiliation, and the Cross (cf. Phil. ii. 8).

(88) The first Mode of Humility, to which the Exercises of the First Week should bring us, is an habitual and serious purpose never to commit a mortal sin, or even to deliberate about committing it, whatever may be the stress of temptation. S. Ignatius says that it is necessary to eternal salvation, because it is precisely that disposition without which a penitent cannot be validly absolved. A penitent's purpose, however, though real, may be weak and give way under stress of temptation, but if he recovers himself at once, and renews his good purpose, he has not really fallen from this first Mode of Humility, for it is still his habitual disposition. The same thing is true also of the other two modes. A man may occasionally commit venial sin, even deliberately, and yet be habitually in the disposition of the second mode; or he may resent an insult and still

have some hold upon the third. Thus we see that these Modes of Humility are not possessed in their fullest measure once for all, but each of them admits of many degrees of attainment, so that there is always room for progress. Cf. Fr. Rickaby, S.J., Waters that go Softly, p. 80, from which the substance of this note is taken.

The second Mode is more perfect humility than the first to wit, if I find myself in such a point (89) that I do not desire, nor feel myself attached to, riches more than poverty, honour more than dishonour, a long life more than a short one, when the service of God our Lord and the salvation of my soul are equal (90); and furthermore that not for all created things, nor should my life be endangered, would I enter into deliberation about committing a venial sin (91).

(89) In such a point, i.e. in such a disposition. The phrase appears to allude to a balance in which there is a point that marks the perfect equilibrium of the two scales.

(90) I.e. when God can be served, and my salvation secured, equally well in the one case as in the other.

(91) The second Mode of Humility, which is closely related to the Foundation, comprises two things: (1) indifference to creatures, (2) an habitual determination never to enter into deliberation about committing even a venial sin, however great may be the stress of temptation. But the two things are closely related to one another. For when indifference to creatures

is the habitual disposition of a soul, it is plain that it would be well-nigh impossible for such a soul to commit a deliberate venial sin, or even to desire to do so; for it is always a lack of indifference, or in other words an inordinate affection for some creature, which is the cause of sin, whether mortal or venial. The three particulars mentioned here-riches, honours, and a long life, and their contraries are the same which are mentioned in the Foundation, where, as has been already explained (p. 42), they are to be taken in a large sense, as heads under one or other of which most of the objects to which men are wont to be unduly attached may be classed.

It might seem that the disposition here described reaches so high a perfection that there could be nothing beyond it. But in the third Mode S. Ignatius carries us higher still.

The third Mode is the most perfect humility: to wit, when the

first and second Modes being included (92), and the praise and glory of the divine Majesty being equal (93), in order better to imitate Christ our Lord and to become actually more like to Him, I desire and choose poverty with Christ poor (94), rather than riches; reproaches with Christ laden therewith, rather than honour; and I desire to be accounted as worthless and a fool for Christ, Who was first held to be such, rather than wise and prudent in this world (95).

(92) I.e. the first and second Modes having been attained. Not necessarily in their fullest perfection, but so as to be the habitual dispositions of the soul. See Note 88, p. 120.

...

(93) The praise, etc. . . . being equal. There is a difficulty here which has been noticed by almost all commentators from Suarez onward. It is this: how can the praise and glory of God be equal in the two alternatives here supposed, for it would seem that the choice of a more perfect state and life must of necessity give, not equal, but greater glory to God? See Suarez, De Relig. Lib. IX, cap. v. 23: 'quidquid perfectius est in ratione virtutis, eo ipso ad majorem Dei gloriam pertinet.' This may be true as an abstract proposition; but supposing there are circumstances which make it a duty to remain in the less perfect state, then the preponderance in favour of choosing the more perfect will be destroyed. Still even in such a case there will not be equality, but the preponderance will lie on the side of remaining where duty calls, though it be theoretically the lower state. It would appear then that the supposed case of equality is really an impossible one. God must always have His own plan and purpose for the life of each individual, and to follow that out must be most for His glory. He cannot have two purposes or two vocations for any one, which is the only supposition upon which the choice of either alternative could give Him equal praise and glory. But S. Ignatius makes this impossible supposition in order to bring out into sharp relief that which is the essential characteristic of the third Mode of Humility, viz. the desire to be conformed to our Lord in all things, and to follow Him as closely as possible, out of pure love and devotion. So that what it comes to is this, that unless there is evidence that it is God's will that a man should remain in the ordinary life, and in possession of wealth, honours, etc., he will, if he is seeking to attain to the third Mode, desire and pray that our Lord would be pleased to elect and call him to actual poverty

and humiliations, solely from the motive of love and the desire to become actually more like to Him. The question, however, is not yet of the actual choice of this state of life: that is reserved for the time of the Election, and must always depend ultimately upon the call of God. Here the question is only of attaining the best possible disposition in which to hear and obey that call if it should be given.

(94) Poverty with Christ poor, etc. No one who loves our Lord can fail to feel the constraining force of the appeal which these words make, least of all those who wish to show Him greater affection and to make those offerings of greater worth and moment of which we thought in the meditation on the Kingdom of Christ. The poverty spoken of in this third Mode of Humility is of course actual poverty; for the spirit of poverty must always be for the greater praise and glory of God, and therefore there would be no need to make our prayer for it conditional.

(95) The third Mode of Humility, while including the first and second, goes beyond them. It is not content with that indifference and neutrality towards creatures which belongs to the second Mode, but out of pure love to Christ, and in order the better to imitate Him and to become actually more like to Him, it desires to choose poverty and humiliation with Him rather than riches and honours, provided the praise and glory of God be equal, i.e. provided it is not more for the praise and glory of God that riches and honours should be retained and accepted. Thus it is the culmination of those generous dispositions which have their roots in the meditation on the Kingdom of Christ, and their development in all the subsequent Exercises of the Second Week, and which are exemplified in their highest perfection by our Lord in His Passion. The retreatant should therefore carry it with him into the Third Week, in which he seeks to be strengthened and confirmed in the perfect following of our Lord in the royal way of the holy Cross.

The three Modes may be illustrated as follows:

Suppose a man to be grievously injured either in his goods or in his honour, or in both..

If he has attained to the first Mode, he will refuse to vindicate himself or his rights, if it cannot be done without mortal sin.

If he has attained to the second Mode, he will equally refuse to do so, if it would involve even venial sin.

If, however, he has attained to the third Mode, he will

refuse to vindicate himself, even if he could do so without any sin at all; and will count his loss as gain, and his dishonour as honour, rejoicing to suffer loss and shame for love of Christ, and in order to be more like Him; provided only the praise and glory of God be equal, i.e. provided neither his office nor any other obligation demand that he should claim his rights or vindicate his character. If such an obligation should exist, then the glory of God would not be equal, and he would be bound to take means to defend his honour. And this would be no violation of the third Mode of humility, so long as he acted with meekness and charity, and, in case of his suit failing, was ready to accept the additional humiliation with patience and even with joy, counting it an honour to be made like to Christ in suffering shame and contempt unjustly.

Comparing this Exercise with that on Three Classes we note that while the object of the latter is to lead the exercitant to rid himself of any inordinate affection which may be hindering that perfect indifference to creatures and readiness to obey the will and call of God, which are the necessary conditions for making a sound and good Election, the object of this present Exercise is to urge him to go beyond mere indifference, and to desire and choose by preference whatever will make him most like to Christ in His poverty and humiliations. And this, while it is the best possible disposition for making an Election, is also in a way the culminating point of spiritual perfection taught in the Exercises. For in truth there is no higher or more perfect disposition of soul than this third Mode of Humility, which constrains a man for love of Jesus, to desire to choose and embrace whatever will make him most like his Master, however difficult and repugnant to nature it may be. See Additional Note N, p. 246, and De Imitatione, II, xii.

So it will be very profitable for him who desires (96) to obtain this third Mode of Humility to make the above-mentioned three colloquies of the Classes (97), imploring our Lord to be pleased to elect him to this third Mode of greater and more perfect humility, in order the better to imitate and serve Him, if it be for the equal or greater service and praise of His divine Majesty.

(96) Him who desires, etc. Here, as so often, S. Ignatius insists on the necessity of desiring what we pray for. The threefold colloquy, to which he refers, will not be profitable to all,