1 The Divine Scripture cries out to us, brothers, saying,
Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 14:11; 18:14)
2 In saying these things, therefore, it shows us that all exaltation is a kind of pride. 3 The Prophet shows us that he has taken heed by saying:
O Lord, my heart is not exalted,
nor are my eyes lifted up.
I have not gone after great things
nor wonders beyond me. (Ps 131:1)
4 And why?
If I was not humble-minded,
if I have lifted up my soul,
will you not also repay my soul
as does a mother her weaned child? (Vulgate Ps 131:2)
5 Therefore, brothers, if we want to reach the summit of humility on high and speedily arrive at that heavenly exaltation to which we can ascend only through the humility of this present life, 6 we must, by our ascending actions, raise that ladder which appeared to Jacob in a dream and “showed him angels ascending and descending” (Gen 28:12).
7 Without doubt, we are to understand this descent and ascent as nothing other than this: We descend by exaltation, and by humility we ascend. 8 The raised ladder is itself then our life in this world which, once our heart has been humbled, the Lord raises up to heaven. 9 We declare the sides of this ladder to be our body and soul; into these sides the divine call has inserted various rungs of humility and discipline for the ascent.
