A Christian Litany of Humility
(Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val)
O Jesus! meek and humble of heart,
– Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated,
– Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of being forgotten,
– Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of being ridiculed,
– Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of being wronged,
– Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of being suspected,
– Deliver me, Jesus
That others may be loved more than I,
– Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
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 praised and I unnoticed,
– 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 may become as holy as I should,
– Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Amen.