Humility is rightly compared with the morning, for as the origin of all the virtues it enables us to distinguish between day and night, between light and darkness, between virtue and vice. All those who take leave of the darkness of vice must of necessity begin with the virtue of humility in order for the growth of the virtues to be realised until the end of the day.

Today is the memorial of Saint Aelred of Rievaulx. This quote is my translation from the Dutch of an extract of a text by Saint Aelred that was read at Vigils this morning, from Aartsvader Isaak, een wijsheidsmeditatie, translated by Michel Coune OSB of Zevenkerken, Bruges.