--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And we must—absolutely must—maintain a…" description: "\"“And we must—absolutely must—maintain a fundamental humility before the Great Mystery. If we do not, religion always worships itself and its formulatio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/richard-rohr-618_humility_and-we-must-absolutely-must-maintain-a-f_2880347.png" --- # And we must—absolutely must—maintain a fundamental… ![“And we must—absolutely must—maintain a fundamental humility before the Great Mystery. If we do not, religion always worships itself and its formulations and never God.” quote by Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/richard-rohr-618_humility_and-we-must-absolutely-must-maintain-a-f_2880347.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/richard-rohr-618_humility_and-we-must-absolutely-must-maintain-a-f_2880347.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/richard-rohr-618_humility_and-we-must-absolutely-must-maintain-a-f_2880347.png) > ““And we must—absolutely must—maintain a fundamental humility before the Great Mystery. If we do not, religion always worships itself and its formulations and never God.”” [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humility before the unknown prevents religion from becoming self‑absorbed and missing the divine. **In simple terms:** Stay humble to truly encounter God. Key Takeaway Cultivate humility in faith. Themes humility spirituality religion Mood contemplative serene Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - personal prayer - interfaith dialogue - community worship - spiritual counseling Key Concepts theology mysticism self‑reflection Questions to Reflect On - How does humility change your view of faith? - What practices foster humility? A Different Perspective Humility alone may not change entrenched doctrines. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fundamental Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamental-humility-1910709/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Humility Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility-great-454908/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Worships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-worships-1009711/) [Worships Formulations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worships-formulations-3988281/) ## Related quotes > [What you need is a fundamental humility - the belief that you can learn from anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/what-you-need-is-a-fundamental-humility-the-belief-that-you-can-learn/) [Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/) > [I stand on this rostrum with a sense of deep humility and great pride - humility in the weight of those great American architects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/i-stand-on-this-rostrum-with-a-sense-of-deep-humility-and-great-pride/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [Baseball is the religion that worships the obvious and gives thanks that things are exactly as they seem. Instead of celebrating mysteries, baseball rejoices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boswell/baseball-is-the-religion-that-worships-the-obvious-and-gives-thanks/) [Thomas Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boswell/) > [There has been a concerted effort to frame caring about climate change and the environment as an alternate religion - one that worships the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/there-has-been-a-concerted-effort-to-frame-caring-about-climate/) [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) > [Religion worships God, while superstition profanes that worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/religion-worships-god-while-superstition-profanes-that-worship/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [“Humility is not an innate trait, but it can be learned. Many mistake humility for weakness. But humility is a great heart opener. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/humility-is-not-an-innate-trait-but-it-can-be-learned-many-mistake/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [God calls us to be humble... Humility is a great defense against humiliation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rev-run-2/god-calls-us-to-be-humble-humility-is-a-great-defense-against/) [Rev Run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rev-run-2/) > [“Humility is a great ingredient of true faith: he that truly receives redemption, receives it as a little child: Mark x. 15, “Whosoever shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/humility-is-a-great-ingredient-of-true-faith-he-that-truly-receives/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [I think any artist that's going to become anything in this world faces humility: with great humility comes great success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yelawolf/i-think-any-artist-that-s-going-to-become-anything-in-this-world/) [Yelawolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yelawolf/) > [Humility is the great preserver of peace and order in all Christian churches and societies, consequently pride is the great disturber of them, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/humility-is-the-great-preserver-of-peace-and-order-in-all-christian/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [The greatest ornament of an illustrious life is modesty and humility, which go a great way in the character even of the most exalted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-greatest-ornament-of-an-illustrious-life-is-modesty-and-humility/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Humility is a great quality of leadership which derives respect and not just fear or hatred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousef-munayyer/humility-is-a-great-quality-of-leadership-which-derives-respect-and/) [Yousef Munayyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousef-munayyer/) > [A mystic doesn’t say “I believe.” They say “I know.” A true mystic will ironically speak with that self-confidence but at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/a-mystic-doesn-t-say-i-believe-they-say-i-know-a-true-mystic-will/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [In my opinion, most organized religion does neither agentic service nor relational nurturance very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/in-my-opinion-most-organized-religion-does-neither-agentic-service/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [“But, like all indulgences that are valued not just for their product but for their process, the sento will never entirely disappear. For in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/but-like-all-indulgences-that-are-valued-not-just-for-their-product/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) ## More by Richard Rohr > [“We have become human doings more than human beings, and the verb “rest,” as Jesus uses it, is largely foreign to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/we-have-become-human-doings-more-than-human-beings-and-the-verb-rest/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [In my opinion, most organized religion does neither agentic service nor relational nurturance very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/in-my-opinion-most-organized-religion-does-neither-agentic-service/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [If we do not transform our pain, we will most assuredly transmit it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/if-we-do-not-transform-our-pain-we-will-most-assuredly-transmit-it/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [In solitude, at last, we’re able to let God define us the way we are always supposed to be defined—by relationship: the I-thou relationship,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/in-solitude-at-last-we-re-able-to-let-god-define-us-the-way-we-are/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [Pain and suffering that are not transformed are usually projected onto others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/pain-and-suffering-that-are-not-transformed-are-usually-projected/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [You cannot grow in the integrative dance of action and contemplation without a strong tolerance for ambiguity, an ability to allow, forgive, and contain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/you-cannot-grow-in-the-integrative-dance-of-action-and-contemplation/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [“In the end, we do not so much reclaim what we have lost as discover a significantly new self in and through the process.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/in-the-end-we-do-not-so-much-reclaim-what-we-have-lost-as-discover-a/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [All great spirituality is about what we do with our pain. If we do not transform our pain, we will transmit it to those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/all-great-spirituality-is-about-what-we-do-with-our-pain-if-we-do-not/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [“I would wonder if you could be a hero or heroine if you did not live in deep time, that is, Past, present, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/i-would-wonder-if-you-could-be-a-hero-or-heroine-if-you-did-not-live/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [Nature is the one song of praise that never stops singing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/nature-is-the-one-song-of-praise-that-never-stops-singing/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [“I believe contemplation shows us that nothing inside us is as bad as our hatred and denial of the bad. Hating and denying it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/i-believe-contemplation-shows-us-that-nothing-inside-us-is-as-bad-as/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [We don't have much wisdom about the second half when things really open up and end up looking a lot more progressive. In my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/we-don-t-have-much-wisdom-about-the-second-half-when-things-really/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [If you do not transform your wounds you will transmit them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/if-you-do-not-transform-your-wounds-you-will-transmit-them/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [The real spiritual journey is work. You can make a naïve assertion that you trust in Jesus, but until it is tested a good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/the-real-spiritual-journey-is-work-you-can-make-a-na-ve-assertion/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [“The soul needs meaning as much as the body needs food.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/the-soul-needs-meaning-as-much-as-the-body-needs-food/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) [Explore all 443 Richard Rohr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) ## More Humility quotes > [You just have to stay humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-jackson/you-just-have-to-stay-humble/) [Lamar Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-jackson/) > [Everyone will admire you when you do well. What a horrible thing to do to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everyone-will-admire-you-when-you-do-well-what-a-horrible-thing-to-do/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [It's a great lesson in modesty that you realize you're illiterate in a field that you think you're an expert in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-wenders/it-s-a-great-lesson-in-modesty-that-you-realize-you-re-illiterate-in/) [Wim Wenders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-wenders/) > [The more holy, the more humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-more-holy-the-more-humble/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“Prayer of an Anonymous Abbess: Lord, thou knowest better than myself that I am growing older and will soon be old. Keep me from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prayer-of-an-anonymous-abbess-lord-thou-knowest-better-than-myself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“But, like all indulgences that are valued not just for their product but for their process, the sento will never entirely disappear. For in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/but-like-all-indulgences-that-are-valued-not-just-for-their-product/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“Humility and Trustworthiness are not rooted only in Presentation, Voice modulation or Nice Jorgan but in Actions and Intentions that speak louder than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venkat-gandhi/humility-and-trustworthiness-are-not-rooted-only-in-presentation/) [Venkat Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venkat-gandhi/) > [I think being vulnerable paves the way for humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sadowski/i-think-being-vulnerable-paves-the-way-for-humility/) [Jonathan Sadowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sadowski/) > [I need to look like an idiot at least twice a day to keep myself humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-need-to-look-like-an-idiot-at-least-twice-a-day-to-keep-myself/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [“I am waiting for the meek to be blessed and inherit the earth... without taxes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/i-am-waiting-for-the-meek-to-be-blessed-and-inherit-the-earth-without/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Rukmini Devi was an icon for all the Bharat Natyam students at Kalakshetra. I grew up watching her at dance school and I associate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/rukmini-devi-was-an-icon-for-all-the-bharat-natyam-students-at/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [“Oh where is the noble face of modesty, or the strength of virtue, now that blasphemy is in power and men have put justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/oh-where-is-the-noble-face-of-modesty-or-the-strength-of-virtue-now/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Modesty is the gentle art of enhancing your charm by pretending not to be aware of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-herford/modesty-is-the-gentle-art-of-enhancing-your-charm-by-pretending-not/) [Oliver Herford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-herford/) > [How arrogant - how very far from humility - would be the self-satisfied, smug assurance that God, a tidy-up-after-us God will come and clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/how-arrogant-how-very-far-from-humility-would-be-the-self-satisfied/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [To be part of the creation, I must act humbly. I'll take that over a goddess any day!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-o-hara/to-be-part-of-the-creation-i-must-act-humbly-i-ll-take-that-over-a/) [Maureen O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-o-hara/) [Browse all 4,759 Humility quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And we must—absolutely must—maintain a fundamental humility before the Great Mystery. 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