Twelve Steps for Catholics ~ part 13

Step Seven

part 2

"Humby asked Him to remove our shortcomings."

In the book Alcoholics Anonymous, which is the book we drunks consider our “other Bible”, you will find the 7th Step Prayer.

“My Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character that stands in the way of usefulness to you and my fellows. Grant me strength, as I go out from here to do your bidding. Amen”

And that is about everything the Big Book says about Step Seven. Because it says so little, it says a lot. The writers assume if you have properly worked the preceding steps, you are realizing that your pride has been the basis for your problems. Admitting we were powerless without God has been the all-important moment in our life.

Some folks equate humbleness with weakness, when in reality, the humble man is the one with the strength. Listen to what Vince Lombardi (1913-1970), one of the most successful football coaches in the history of the game, has to say about mental toughness and humility:

"Mental toughness is many things. It is humility because it behooves all of us to remember that simplicity is the sign of greatness and meekness is the sign of true strength. Mental toughness is spartanism with qualities of sacrifice, self-denial, and dedication. It is fearlessness, and it is love."

True humility is recognizing our place in the world. It is accepting that we are part of humanity or, as many mothers like to tell their youngsters, “The world doesn’t revolve around you.”
On the next two Steps, we will be testing our grasp of the concept of humility. Step Eight is going to ask us to list all the persons we had harmed, and become willing to make amends to them all. In Step Nine, we will have to make direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

When pride comes, disgrace comes; but with the humble is wisdom. Proverbs 11:2