Prayer for Humility

When you need a prayer about feeling left out, under-appreciated, humiliated or wronged, praying for the gift or virtue of humility is a wonderful way to receive God’s help.   Christian writers throughout history have listed humility, or the ability to set aside our egos, pride and desire for approval by others, as one of the key ingredients of being an effective Christian.

The following prayer was written by Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930), the Secretary of State for Pope Saint Pius X.  Since del Val was a Cardinal he was a person of high standing in a very powerful position in the church.  Yet he was able to compose a very detailed, heart-felt prayer that begs for help from God to overcome the pitfalls of allowing honor or  praise to make us think more highly of ourselves than we should or, on the opposite side of coin, caring about whether we are rebuked, humiliated or overlooked.

The Bible says, “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6)

Prayer for Humility

by Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930)

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus. (repeat after each line)
From the desire of being loved,
From the desire of being extolled,
From the desire of being honored,
From the desire of being praised,
From the desire of being preferred to others,
From the desire of being consulted,
From the desire of being approved,
From the fear of being humiliated,
From the fear of being despised,
From the fear of suffering rebukes,
From the fear of being calumniated,
From the fear of being forgotten,
From the fear of being ridiculed,
From the fear of being wronged,
From the fear of being suspected,
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. (repeat after each line)
That others may be esteemed more than I ,
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease,
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
That others may be praised and I unnoticed,
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should.

Photo copyright Karen Barber 2102.  All rights reserved.