Humility in the Hidden Life: A Reflection with St. Faustina
Updated: Sep 10
Humility in the Hidden Life: Living Like a Violet Among Lilies
In a world obsessed with being seen, what if the greatest saints chose to be hidden?
🌸 St. Faustina once said she wanted to live as 'a tiny violet among lilies'- small, fragrant, forgotten by the world but radiant to God. Have you ever felt called to that quiet path? (Diary of St. Faustina, 224–225)
"I will hide myself among the sisters as a tiny violet among lilies... to forget about myself, empty myself completely for the benefit of immortal souls - it is my delight."
It takes deep humility and even deeper courage to live this kind of life. In the eyes of the world, it may seem small. But in the eyes of God, it is radiant.
Each spring, when violets bloom in quiet corners of the wilderness and city parks, I remember these words.
The violet is tiny and easily missed, yet fragrant with beauty and meaning. When I look at them in my garden or in the wilderness, I often wonder: which flower in the cluster might be Faustina? A gentle thought, yes, but it springs from something deeper.
A longing for stillness. A yearning for depth. A homesickness for a world where love is pure, purpose is eternal, and God is near.
Humility in the Hidden Life: Living Like a Violet
To flourish in the hidden life is not to be forgotten - it is to be formed.
This humility that Faustina speaks of is not false self-effacement. It’s a love so great that it forgets itself. A love that seeks no spotlight, no reward, no applause, only the delight of God.
Pokora z Faustyną to pierwszy krok w stronę odzyskania wolności. Nie chodzi tu o umniejszanie siebie, ale o przyjęcie Prawdy - tej, która nie przygniata, ale leczy.
Humility with Faustina is the first step toward regaining freedom. It is not about diminishing ourselves, but about accepting the Truth - the kind that does not crush us, but heals us.
It’s the same kind of humility found in Mary’s Magnificat, in Jesus washing feet, in Joseph building silently in Nazareth. This is humility in the hidden life where the soul empties itself, not into nothingness, but into love.
As Hildegard of Bingen wrote:
"The soul is kissed by God in its innermost regions. It is the love that gives depth, not knowledge."
Humility is not just modesty - it is a deep, interior surrender to God’s greatness. And it begins with trust.
A Personal Reflection: Am I Willing to Be Small?
Violets do not compete with lilies. They bloom in their own quiet way, content to be fragrant at the feet of others.
Am I humble enough to lead in such a way that others feel free, not controlled?
Am I ready to forget myself for the good of another soul?
Am I able to love purely, without seeking recognition?
Jesus, You see the heart. I give You mine. Hide me in Your wounds. Let me flourish quietly, where only You can see.
Prayer - To Be Hidden in You
Jesus, teach me the joy of the hidden life. Let me be a violet at Your feet, not seeking greatness, but grace. Empty me, that I may be filled with love for souls. Let me bloom for You alone. Amen.
🌿 Am I humble enough to lead in such a way that others feel free, not controlled?
🙏 Sorry, Lord… I am sorry for the moments when I confuse loving guidance with needing things to happen my way.
Sometimes my desire to help another person hides a deeper need to feel useful, right, or needed. I can recognize in myself the shadow of control, the part of me that is afraid to let go because I do not fully trust what will happen without my direction.
💛 Thank you, Lord… Thank You very much for showing me the truth about myself - these places - without condemning me.
💛Thank You for every person who has taught me that love cannot breathe where there is too much pressure.
💛Thank You for reminding me that I am not responsible for managing another soul’s journey.
✨I praise You, Jesus, because You lead without possessing.
You give space, freedom, time, and even the possibility of saying no.
Teach me to lead in Your way so that another person can become more fully themselves, not more dependent on me.
🌱I am beginning to see that my need to control can come from fear rather than strength. Thank you for inviting me to recognize this shadow instead of letting me pretend that it is not in my heart. Hildegard might remind me that life grows from within, like a green shoot that cannot be pulled upward by force. I cannot make another soul grow; I can only offer truth, love, presence, and room for You to work.
Follow the Path of Humility in the Hidden Life 🌸
If this reflection spoke to your heart, share it with someone who needs encouragement today. Let’s rediscover the beauty of quiet faith, of small acts done with great love.
Faustina was not born a mystic. Her path toward a deep relationship with God matured step by step, in the midst of ordinary life, struggles, and human weakness.
🌸 I invite you to stay with me longer and discover more inspiring thoughts of St. Faustina. The paths of faith are walked by saints who were once ordinary women, just like us - ordinary yet extraordinary. 🫠 Would you like more spiritual reflections from the Diary of St. Faustina?
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JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU.
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