Litany of Humility
O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, deliver me, O Jesus.
That others may be esteemed more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I become as holy as I should,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
-Cardinal Raphael Merry Del Val
For Reflection:
Am I willing to pray this prayer? Why or why not?
Timidity and Aggressiveness pg 310
It can be prudent and noble to set aside our desires or preferences for the sake of harmony, but we don’t have that option when it comes to defending the Gospel. The best way to share the truth with others is by lovingly bearing witness to it. Christians needn’t fear a reputation of being pushy in standing up for the Faith, for God’s truth is eternal and unchanging, and sharing it boldly and respectfully is the most loving gift we can give to those around us.
Saintly Solutions to Life’s Common Problems:
From Anger, Boredom, and Temptation