Humility

In September we prayed the Litany of Humility with the youth group, and it wasn't until last night as I was leading it that it really hit home. 

Oh 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 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.

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What's really striking a chord with me today, especially given events that have happened lately, are the lines "That others may be loved more than I, chosen and I set aside, praised and I unnoticed..."  Wow.  How powerful are those lines, really?!  Especially in today's society!  Everyone wants credit for even the littlest thing they do, everyone wants to be the most popular, have their 15 minutes of fame in the limelight, and that's not what it's all about. 

A short & sweet food-for-thought to go with this prayer today....

Jesus grant me the grace to desire it.