The Lighthouse Tower

The Lighthouse Tower

On a shore in Cornwall, England, there is a very dangerous reef that ships could easily crash into! In 1696, a proud man built a lighthouse tower there and put these words on it: "Roar, ye winds! Rise, O sea! Burst forth ye elements and test my work!" But God is not mocked, because after four years, the whole lighthouse came crashing to the ground during a terrible hurricane!

A famous engineer built another lighthouse tower on the spot, but it was destroyed by fire! Then, a third person built a lighthouse tower and he used the rocks from the reef. In its foundation stone, the humble man chiselled the words of Psalm 126:1 "Unless the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it." This lighthouse tower was still standing in 1938, and may very likely be standing today! Over the years it has shown the way to thousands of people on stormy and dreadful nights.

During our life we must build a spiritual tower in our soul and we must always make sure that the base of this tower is the virtue of humility. For if we don't have this foundation of humility; during the time of temptation, our tower will come crashing down, just like the first lighthouse in Cornwall, and we will have to start all over again!

Now perhaps you might be asking, what is humility? First; we must see that we are nothing but the dust of the earth, and that we are poor sinners! Second; we must remember that all the goodness and virtues we have, come from God, Our Father!

The more a person humbles himself or herself before God, the more God comforts that soul with His grace.

Let us always remember these words of Jesus and the Saints:

Jesus: "Learn of me for I am meek and humble of heart!"

St. Augustine: "Believe that others are better than you, although outwardly you may appear better than they."

St. Vincent de Paul: "We must never look at the good in ourselves, nor should we think about it! But we should look for what is wrong with ourselves and what is lacking in ourselves! This is an excellent way to keep humble!"

The End

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