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| "To be taken with love for a soul, God doesn't look on its greatness but on the greatness of its humility."- St. John of the Cross |
To be humble is to realize how weak we are, how helpless we are to change the course of our lives in our own power. We need to allow God to work in us and through us. We need to remember that God is God and we are not. Yes, we are imperfect, flawed and inadequate but if we come before Him, He will give us the grace to become more virtuous and loving. God doesn't demand us to be perfect but He simply ask us to accept His guidance so we can learn from our mistakes and grow in perfection.
So if you are struggling with pride, self-centerdness, just remember this prayer:
O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
deliver me, Jesus. (Repeat after each following 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 following 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…
Amen.
