The following is the prayer for humility that was mentioned during the talk about Mother Teresa. It is a powerful prayer, one that I have prayed every night for some time. What is interesting is that this prayer was talked about last night at our grad student Bible Study by someone who was not at the Tuesday discussion last week. Also, she made the exact same comment that two other people have made here about this prayer - that their favorite line of the prayer is "Jesus, grant me the grace to desire...that others be holier than I, provided I become as holy as I should".
This is the prayer that Mother Teresa urged others to pray every day:
Prayer for Humility
O Jesus! meek and humble of heart,
make my heart like onto thine.
From the desire to be esteemed,
Deliver Me.
From the desire to be honored... Deliver me
From the desire to be praised...Deliver me
From fear of being humiliated...
From fear of being held in contempt...
From fear of suffering rebukes...
From fear of being slandered...
From fear of being ignored...
From fear of being insulted...
From fear of being wronged...
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire...
that others be admired more than I;
that other be praised and I unnoticed;
that others be preferred to me in everything;
that others be holier than I, provided I
become as holy as I should;
that I might imitate the patience and
obedience of Your mother, Mary.
Amen.
Based on a prayer by Cardinal Merry del Val.
3 comments:
I have noted as I drive about cars that sport "Proud to be a Democrat" bumper stickers. I've nothing against Democrats nor proclaiming on one's vehicle one's political affiliation, but I find the bumper stickers to be silly.
The "Proud to be a Democrat" bumper-sticker-displayers are by no means the only ones guilty of odd assertions of pride. There are all sorts of "Proud to be (demographic or affiliation of one's choice)."
What's the point of pride in being a particular race, gender or ethnicity? We don't control to whom we were born. And what's the point of pride in being a member of a political party? It's no big accomplishment to check off a box on a registration card.
If one is going to assert pride it should be for something that took work - earning the rank of Eagle Scout, finishing a marathon, completing a college degree.
It may be healthy to have a certain sense of self-worth - after all we each are a creation of God - but the self-esteem craze is WAY overboard.
How about: "Proudly working towards humility"? That takes tons of work. Usually, a lifetime.
I was given this prayer by my Spiritual Director. The more I say it..the more it takes on. "Lord Grant me the Grace to DESIRE It" is HUGE for me...humility (for me as Our Lord has graciously shown me) is VERY hard. When I think I have achieved something, I'm shown gently that I haven't achieved it. Thanks Fr. Greg for posting this!
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