The 150 Points of the Phalange, Catholic, Royal, and Communitarian - Point 20

Point 20. The Remedy for the Intoxication of Human Knowledge: Humility.

1. The Phalangist practises the Lord’s commandment, which is that of charity. The love of the heavenly Father and the love of Jesus Christ, his Saviour and therefore his closest neighbour, leads him to love his human brethren. There is no perfect love of God without the grace of Jesus Christ and no love of Jesus Christ without love of one’s neighbour. Every man, at least in hope, is our Christian brother. For Jesus has made a law of His example: He loved us first who as yet did not love Him, and He loved us with the greatest love to the extent of giving His life as a ransom, that He might have us for His brethren.

This divine charity comes and goes from the Saviour to all men redeemed through His Blood, from the innocent to the criminal, from the nearest to the most distant, including the very poorest, the most abandoned of infidels, and every man, even the cruellest enemy.

2. The obstacle to charity is pride – pride of race, caste or superiority. Salvation belongs to the humble, to those who know themselves to be objects of mercy and who are themselves merciful. Salvation is refused to those who erect walls and in their self-sufficiency cut themselves off from other men and from God. From the time of Jesus Christ there has no longer been any chosen people or messianic race, a caste of the perfect, pure and wise; and there never will be a race of supermen. The Pharisees of the past, the Stoics and Cathars of former times, the followers of Nietzsche, the elitists of today, and all those others who declare themselves to belong to a superior blood, people, culture or class, an elect with no need of redemption, owing no pity or mercy to anyone, and remaining outside the communion of Christian charity – all these incur eternal malediction.

The Phalangist, recognising the gifts he has received from birth, civilisation and grace, treasures humility, a Christian virtue and a promise of blessedness. With magnanimity he makes his talents increase in the service of his fellow human beings, in mercy and – in accordance with Christ’s word and example – in the forgiveness of injuries, the supreme mark of fraternal love.