The Litany of Humility

Some time ago, I remember I was put off about something. I mentioned it to my son. He didn’t correct me or agree with me. He simply reached for his Bible and pulled out a sheet of paper from within the pages and showed me “The Litany of Humility”. He suggested that I make this a daily prayer.

I had read and prayed it before, but this day, I embraced it because the Lord was unveiling His love for me and how that love can teach me a thing or two. I give this prayer to you today. May it reveal a side of you that can use a good dose of humility, too! It is medicine worth taking and living worth becoming more like Jesus:

The Litany of Humility
O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, deliver me, oh Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, deliver me, oh Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, deliver me, oh Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, deliver me, oh Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, deliver me, oh Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, deliver me, oh Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, deliver me, oh Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, deliver me, oh Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated, deliver me, oh Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, deliver me, oh Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, deliver me, oh Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, deliver me, oh Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, deliver me, oh Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, deliver me, oh Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, deliver me, oh Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, deliver me, oh 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 go 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.

What a lesson I learned as I read those words. I need them. Maybe you do, too! It is a prayer of asking our Lord to purify our intentions, actions, and words. And let us pray in thanksgiving for those who might misunderstand us, for they are unintentionally helping us to become more like our Lord!

My car wash has levels of washes I can buy – the basic and then the extras for tires and wax and then the full deal — inside and out cleaning. I ask God for that today as I read and pray this Litany of Humility prayer which covers all my desires to be more like Jesus. Just in case you’d like the full-wash-deal today, I offer this prayer for you to “come clean” too!