Charity and Humility Serving Without Seeking Praise
Charity and Humility Serving Without Seeking Praise
True charity doesn't seek the spotlight. It serves quietly, even when no one is watching—especially when no one is watching.
When we think about charity, we often picture grand gestures: giving to the poor, volunteering at shelters, or going on mission trips. But there's another side to charity—one that is smaller, quieter, and deeply tied to humility. It’s the charity that scrubs floors, folds laundry, prepares meals, and listens to the same story for the fifth time with a kind smile.
I know this because I lived it. A few years ago, I took a leap of faith and left a corporate job to become a Home Health Aide. It wasn’t part of some long-term plan. I just felt called. I trusted God, and this is where He led me. The work was unlike anything I’d ever done before. Suddenly, I was helping elderly or disabled individuals with tasks most people take for granted—cleaning their homes, preparing their meals, and even helping them with deeply personal care.
It was humbling in every way. 🕊️
“To love is to give everything and to give yourself.”
– St. Thérèse of Lisieux
This is the heart of both charity and humility.
Charity done with humility is a powerful prayer. Whether noticed or not, every small act of love brings light into the world.
Don’t be afraid to serve in the shadows—God sees you there.
💞 Want to walk deeper into the virtue of charity?
📿 Let the Rosary lead you deeper into Mary’s loving heart.
In the Rosary Meditation on the Virtue of Charity, I walk through each mystery with the question: “How can I love like this today?”
The Visitation is one mystery among many where we learn that love often travels long roads—joyfully.
💡 Looking for small but meaningful ways to live out the virtue of charity?
Visit Daily Acts of Charity for Catholics for simple, faith-filled ideas you can start today—whether at home, in your parish, or out in the world. ✨
These pages invite you on a reflective pilgrimage—one of self-giving love, quiet service, and companionship with Mary.
Humility in Action
Cleaning someone else’s bathroom or changing soiled linens isn’t glamorous. Feeding someone when their hands no longer work, or being their voice when words won’t come, is a hidden kind of love. I learned that humility means putting someone else’s comfort before your pride. It means showing up for people not because they’ll thank you—but because Christ would.
Jesus said,
“When thou dost alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth.”—Matthew 6:3, Douay-Rheims Bible
There were days I wasn’t thanked. Days I had to stay longer than I was scheduled. Days I was spoken to with anger or confusion by those I served, or their families. But God gave me a gut of steel for those moments. I found strength I didn’t know I had. I loved each client as if they were my own parent. And slowly, I began to see how much charity and humility depend on each other.
“I can prove my love only by scattering flowers—that is, by never letting slip a single little sacrifice.”
– St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Even folding laundry or listening with patience can become a flower for Christ.
The Gift of Hidden Service
In a world obsessed with recognition and praise, humble service can feel invisible. But that’s the point. True charity doesn't wait to be noticed. It doesn’t post itself online or wear a name tag. It just gives. Humbly. Quietly. Lovingly.
As Catholics, we’re called to this kind of love. The Rosary itself is filled with moments of quiet humility—Mary’s “yes” to God, Joseph’s silent obedience, Jesus' hidden years of labor. They all point us toward a life of service not for glory, but out of love.
You might not be a Home Health Aide, but you can still live out charity and humility:
- Help a family member without expecting anything back.
- Be patient when no one else is.
- Do small chores with a joyful heart.
- Speak kindly, even when it’s not returned.
- Pray for someone who’s difficult to love.
These are mustard seeds of holiness. 🌱
A Rosary Reflection
As you meditate on the Joyful Mysteries, especially the Visitation, think about Mary’s quiet service to Elizabeth. She didn’t go to boast about her role in salvation history—she went to help, to listen, to love.
Ask yourself during the Rosary:
- Am I serving others without seeking thanks?
- Do I embrace small tasks as acts of love?
- Can I see Jesus in those who can’t repay me?
These questions can turn your daily actions into a living prayer.
“What matters in life is not great deeds, but great love.”
– St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Hidden acts of service, done with love, are never wasted.
💗 Mary’s example of charity isn’t just a lesson—it’s a call.
In Acts of Charity: Biblical Compassion & Service, I share my own journey of walking
with someone I love through a difficult year.
Like Mary, I didn’t have the answers. I just showed up. Sometimes, that’s the most sacred act of all.
💡 Looking for small but meaningful ways to live out the virtue of charity?
Visit Daily Acts of Charity for Catholics for simple, faith-filled ideas you can start today—whether at home, in your parish, or out in the world. ✨
Final Thought
God doesn’t measure our acts of love by their size, but by the love behind them. My time as a Home Health Aide taught me this in a way no sermon or book ever could. I hope that by sharing my story, you’re encouraged to find meaning in the humble places in your own life. Charity and humility walk hand in hand. And when we serve with both, we walk with Christ.
🙏 A Prayer for Charity and Humility
✨ Lord Jesus,
You knelt to wash the feet of Your disciples.
Teach me to serve with the same humility and love.
When no one sees, let me remember that You do.
When I grow tired, remind me that love is never wasted.
Give me the grace to care for others with a joyful spirit,
And to embrace the hidden work of charity without complaint.
May every small act I offer become a prayer rising to heaven.
I ask this in Your Holy Name. Amen.
“I resolved to treat her as if she were the person I loved most in the world.”
– St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Charity begins not with ease, but with intention.
🌸 The Joyful Mysteries remind us that charity is often a journey.
If Mary’s visit to Elizabeth stirred something in your heart, you might enjoy walking alongside her—literally.
Step into her story through this virtual pilgrimage, imagining the dusty roads, olive groves, and divine conversation waiting at the gate.
And if you’d like to reflect more deeply on how charity takes root in our lives, visit the Virtue of Charity.
