Assuredly, Loving Souls, you should go to God with all humility

Saint Alphonsus Liguori, doctor of the Church and shepherd of souls, spoke with a voice both tender and commanding when he said: “Assuredly, Loving Souls, you should go to God with all humility and respect, humbling yourselves in His presence, especially when you remember your past ingratitude and sins.” These words are not only an exhortation of piety, but a window into the heart of true devotion. They remind us that the road to God is not paved with pride or presumption, but with humility and respect, born from a recognition of our weakness and God’s mercy.

The meaning of this teaching is twofold. First, it speaks of our posture before the Divine. To approach God rightly is to come not as equals, nor as entitled claimants, but as children aware of their dependence. Pride blinds the soul, but humility opens its eyes. Second, it reminds us of our own ingratitude and sins, not to cast us into despair, but to stir in us repentance, gratitude, and reverence. When we remember how often we have failed, and how faithfully God has still sustained us, our hearts cannot help but bow low in awe.

The origin of these words lies in Alphonsus’s life as a confessor, preacher, and writer who sought to bring the faithful into deeper intimacy with God. He lived in an age when many feared God as distant and harsh, yet he taught that God is tender, loving, and merciful—but must be approached with reverence. His writings, filled with devotion and fiery love, sought to form souls that were both contrite and trusting. His call to humility is not meant to chain believers in shame, but to raise them up by reminding them of the infinite mercy that awaits the repentant.

History itself gives us luminous examples of this truth. Consider the story of Saint Augustine, who lived a life of pleasure and rebellion before turning to God. When he remembered his past sins—the years wasted, the ingratitude shown to his Creator—he fell before God with tears and humility. Yet from that posture of contrition rose one of the greatest teachers of the faith, whose writings still ignite the hearts of the faithful. His humility before God, like Alphonsus’s teaching, transformed weakness into greatness.

The teaching also carries a warning. Those who forget humility, who come before God with arrogance, seeking to justify themselves or boast in their righteousness, fall into the error of the Pharisee in Christ’s parable. He thanked God that he was not like sinners, while the tax collector, beating his breast, cried, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” And Christ declared the humble man justified. Respect and humility before God are the difference between being lifted up and being cast down.

O children of tomorrow, take this wisdom to heart. Do not flee from God because of your sins, nor hide in despair. Instead, remember them honestly, confess them humbly, and approach Him with reverence. Let every fault you recall become fuel for gratitude, every weakness a reminder of His strength. Do not forget that humility is not humiliation—it is truth. To see yourself clearly, to bow before God sincerely, is the beginning of holiness.

The lesson is plain: approach God with humility and respect. In daily life, this means cultivating prayer not as a show, but as a surrender. It means treating others with reverence, for all are children of the same God. And it means remembering that though we are frail, our humility invites God’s mercy to lift us higher. Begin each day with a humble heart, acknowledging your need for grace, and end each night with gratitude for mercy received.

Thus let the words of Alphonsus Liguori echo across the ages: “Go to God with all humility and respect.” For in humility lies peace, in reverence lies wisdom, and in the remembrance of our faults lies the wellspring of gratitude. Live this teaching, and you will find that what once seemed weakness becomes strength, and what once was guilt becomes glory, for God raises the humble and crowns them with eternal life.