Annunciation
Francisco de Zurbaran
Wikimedia Commons

St. Francis de Sales teaches that humility is more than us lacking trust in ourselves.  On the contrary, humility is an expression of our confidence in God and His generosity. For in humility we can echo words of St. Paul proclaiming, “I can do all things in him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).  Humility and our confidence in God and His generosity are interrelated, such that they are never separated.  According to St. Francis humility produces a generosity of spirit, such that, “There is nothing and there can be nothing that I am unable to do, so long as I put all my confidence in God, who can do all things.”  The Blessed Mother words, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to they word” (Luke 1:38) are an excellent example of generosity of spirit.