Saturday, March 13, 2010

Humility

I've been preparing for the Consecration to Mary which I'll talk about on another post. But one of the major points of emphasis is her humility. She is always in the background in the Gospel stories. She keeps a low profile. She is truly a humble handmaiden of the Lord. She shows that it is by humility that we truly conquer.

Our rector recently mentioned a study that will be coming out soon that supposedly found that seminarians have a 17% higher ratio of narcissism than the regular population. And it is not too hard to see why. We are loved by our parishes. Catholics treat us with so much praise and respect. It's hard not to let it all get to you, to be built up with self-love and with pride. Yet it reminded me of the challenge, really the battle, to be humble.

My spiritual director often gives me the following Litany of Humility for a penance. Humility is truly a battleground for me and I can only assume it is a battle for many of us. Consider adding it to your spiritual battlegear.

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,

Deliver me, Jesus.

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.

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…

AMDG

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