Feast of Saint Angela Merici (27 Jan 2009)

Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val, the close friend and colleague of Pope Saint Pius X, composed a litany of humility which I have read here before, but it bears repeating. It says:

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 to others, 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 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, let me desire it;

That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, let me desire it;

That others may increase and I decrease, Jesus, let me desire it;

That others be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, let me desire it;

That others be praised and I remain unnoticed, Jesus let me desire it;

That others be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, let me desire it;

That others become holier than I provided that I become as holy as I ought, Jesus, let me desire it.

Thank you for seeking God’s truth. God bless you. Father Victor Brown, O.P.