Reflection: Litany of Humility

"Humility," said Saint Bernard, "is the foundation and guardian of virtues" for without it no other virtue can exist in a soul. Should she possess all virtues, all will depart when humility is gone."

Saint Francis de Sales wrote to Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, "God so loves humility, that whenever He sees it, He is immediately drawn thither."

Jesus came into the world to teach us the virtue of humility by His own example that we would imitate Him. "Learn from Me, because I am meek and humble of heart." Matthew 11:29

The Blessed Virgin Mary was the first and most perfect disciple of Jesus. The first virtue in which she exercised herself, from her childhood, was that of humility.

How can we grow in the virtue of humility?
Cast away pride, the root of all sin. Pride is one of the seven deadly sins which all other sins stem from. God humbles the proud and exalts the humble. Pride is satan's sin. Pride is loving and esteeming oneself above others and above God. We cast away pride by being selfless and by recognizing that everything we have comes from God. our blessings, our good qualities, our skills and talents. When we see pride in our hearts and bring it to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Jesus roots it out and heals us. We can ask Him in the sacrament for the grace to grow in humility and call upon Our Lady to help us.

Litany of Humility 
Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930) 
Secretary of State for Pope Saint Pius X

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…