In the spirituality that developed in the Middle Ages onward, life was a series of ecclesiastical dos and don’ts and rooted in pious exercises. When done enough and regularly, these spiritual duties merited, were guaranteed, to end at the summit that is God.

(Saint) Benedict’s chapter on humility topples that kind of spiritual merit system. He calls instead for a way of life that begins with awareness of the presence of God and is lived with honesty and care for the people around us. It ends at the peak of the human community.

The Twelve Steps of Humility are, at every pace of the way, one step closer to a life that is full of the fullness of life. Brimming with love of God, a proper love of self, and love of the humanity to which we give our care, we are finally authentic and fully free, totally authentic and driven by the spirit of God.

The Twelve Steps of Humility are an invitation to freedom. If they had been written today they would have sounded very much like this:

Recognize that God is God.
Know that God’s will is best for you.
Seek direction from wisdom figures.
Endure the pains of development and do not give up.
Acknowledge faults and strip away the masks.
Be content with less than the best.
Let go of the false self.
Preserve tradition and learn from the community.
Listen.
Never ridicule anyone or anything.
Speak kindly.
Be serene, stay calm.

Do all these things and you will achieve that Love that casts out fear in awareness of the Love that is God.

Humility is the ancient secret of life, a spirituality for all time, an awareness of God that plunges us into God’s presence in the present moment. Always. The decision is ours.

—excerpts from The Radical Spirit: 12 Ways to Live a Free and Authentic Life by Joan Chittister (Convergent)