Pope John Paul I once said,
“To be good, however, it is necessary to be in place before God, before our neighbor and before ourselves. Before God, the right position is that of Abraham, who said: ‘I am only dust and ashes before you, O Lord!’ We must feel small before God….the Lord loves humility so much that, sometimes he permits serious sins. Why? In order that those who committed these sins may, after repenting remain humble. One does not feel inclined to think oneself half a saint, half an angel, when one knows that one has committed serious faults. The Lord recommended it so much: be humble. Even if you have done great things, say: ‘We are useless servants.’….Lowly, lowly: this is the Christian virtue which concerns ourselves.” — PPI, General Audience, Wednesday, September 6, 1978 (Italics mine)
As you may know, Pope John Paul I’s motto was Humilitas.
If you haven’t read any of Albino Luciani’s writings, do so. You won’t be disappointed. He speaks to all of us, especially the poor and the forgotten. He is extraordinarily simple, orthodox in his teaching. He spoke with a firm grounding in Scripture and Tradition, and able to apply them to the day-to-day realities of the contemporary human condition.
The world sorely needed his teaching and presence then; God obviously wanted him to make a stellar appearance and then depart. I believe though that his words and life will become better known and needed in the years ahead.
