“Sin connected with humility is better than virtue without humility” (St Augustine).
At first sight, this may seem a bold statement by the great Augustine. However, we will understand it better if we look at it more closely.
Undoubtedly, the saint was also thinking of those people who, time and again, struggle to remain on the right path, but succumb to temptations. Then they ask the Lord for forgiveness, humble themselves before Him and try to start again without giving up the struggle. Their “defeats” remind them of two things: 1) the mercy of our Heavenly Father, who is always ready to forgive, which awakens their gratitude; 2) their own weakness, which can lead them to humility.
While it is easy for our Father to come to the aid of a sinner, it is much more difficult for Him to do so with one who glories in his own virtue, or at least is inwardly proud of it. Much more difficult! Suppose, for example, that a person begins to boast of the virtue of courage or prudence, and wants to convey to others an image of himself based on these virtues. Then a kind of cloud of unhealthy self-centredness forms around him, making it difficult for the Lord to reach his heart. Our Father must then begin to make the person overcome his pride, which is not easy when it goes hand in hand with a gift from the Lord that is good in itself.
From this perspective, Augustine’s statement becomes understandable, for nothing is more closed to God than pride, while humility is much more aware of God’s loving compassion and one’s own limitations.