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…

Reflection: Holy Mary, Mother of God, teach us how to pray...

The Blessed Virgin Mary teaches us how to pray as she taught the Child Jesus how to pray. As a little boy, she held His hand and guided Him.

Mary wants to take you by the hand and guide you. Be still and reach out to her. Mary will take you into her heart, When you receive the Eucharist, ask Mary to be with you, She will wrap her mantle around you and she will hold you close to her Immaculate Heart and draw you to the Sacred Heart of her Beloved Son Jesus.

Saint Louis Marie de Montfort, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin
After Holy Communion, close your eyes and recollect yourself. Then usher Jesus into the heart of Mary: you are giving Him to His Mother who will receive Him with great love and give Him the place of honor, adore Him profoundly, show Him perfect love, embrace Him intimately in spirit and in truth, and perform many offices for Him of which we, in our ignorance, would know nothing. Or, maintain a profoundly humble heart in the presence of Jesus dwelling in Mary. Or be in attendance like a slave at the gate of the royal palace, where the King is speaking with the Queen. While they are talking to each other, with no need of you, go in spirit to heaven and to the whole world, and call upon all creatures to thank, adore and love Jesus and Mary for you. "Come, let us adore."

Go to Mary and ask her to bless you, take you by the hand and teach you how to pray...

Mary will teach you how to pray:
to ponder and keep all things in your heart as she did
to listen in prayer and keep your eyes fixed on Jesus
to contemplate the mysteries of the Rosary
to reflect on the hidden life of Jesus
to contemplate His Passion and Resurrection
to treasure the Institution of the Eucharist and receive Him often
to listen and quiet your heart to hear God's Will for your life
to do whatever He tells you to do
to love Jesus with all your heart, mind and soul

Draw close to Mary and she will draw you close to Jesus, her Beloved Son.

Blessed Bartolo Longo
Just as two friends, frequently in each other's company, tend to develop similar habits, so too, by holding familiar converse with Jesus and the Blessed Virgin, by meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, and by living the same life in Holy Communion, we can become, to the extent of our lowliness, similar to them and can learn from these supreme models a of life of humility, poverty, patience and perfection.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, teach us how to pray...

Reflection: This is My Beloved Son. Listen to Him.

Jesus brought Peter, James and John to the top of the mountain. And He was transfigured before them, and His clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Mark 9:2-3

Jesus wanted His disciples to see His glorified Body to console them and to prepare them for the sufferings to come. He wanted them to know that He will always be with them.

Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." He hardly knew what to say they were so terrified. Mark 9:4-6

As you journey through Lent, remember that Jesus is with you and He wants to console you. As you draw near, ponder the Father's words to listen to Jesus. 

Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; from the cloud came a voice, "This is My Beloved Son. Listen to Him." Mark 9:7

Meditation:

The disciples of Jesus were terrified when Jesus was transfigured. Have you ever had an experience that terrified you? 

Find a quiet area at home or go to a chapel or Eucharistic adoration. Place yourself in the Presence of the Lord. Ask Him to help you quiet your mind and your heart. Recall the terrifying experience and allow Jesus to come to you and place His arms around you. Be still and know that you are His beloved child. Tell Him about what frightened you. Listen to Jesus speak words of love and comfort to you. Jesus loves you so much. Allow Him to heal you and transfigure you. He will never leave you alone. He is always near. Reach out to Him and take His hand.

Listen to Him...

Reflection: Follow Me

Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, "Follow Me." And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed Him. Luke 5:27-28

Imagine how Levi felt when Jesus called him! Tax collectors were sinners, disdained by the people. When Jesus called him, he left everything behind and followed Him.

When you have an encounter with Jesus, you are forever changed. Jesus is calling you. Will you respond like Levi?

We are all sinners but Jesus came to redeem us, to heal and restore us. We are in the season of Lent, a beautiful time to turn to Jesus and follow Him. Jesus is pointing to you.

Your people shall rebuild the ancient ruins; the foundations from ages past You shall raise up; "Repairer of the breach, they shall call You; Restorer of ruined dwellings."  Isaiah 58:12

Have you turned away from God? When you abandon God and stop receiving the Sacraments, your soul suffers. As with Levi, sin damages your soul and breaks your relationship with God. When you sin, you turn your back on God, but God always provides a way to return to Him.

To the penitent, God provides a way back. He encourages those who are losing hope and has chosen for them the lot of Truth. Sirach 17:24

God gave us the Sacrament of Reconciliation where we confess our sins and to restore our souls. Jesus is the "Repairer of the breach, Restorer of ruined dwellings."  Turn to Him and He will repair the breach between you and Him and He will restore your soul.  Our souls were created for eternal life with our Father. Our Creator infused a soul into our bodies and He gave us a guardian angel to protect and guide us along the way.

God loves you so much. In confession, Jesus is there, waiting to pour out His grace and mercy upon you. Receive this Sacrament often and you will come to recognize your sins more easily and you will come to know yourself better. He will restore your soul.

"Confession is an act of honesty and courage, an act of entrusting ourselves, beyond sin, to the mercy of a loving and forgiving God."  Saint John Paul II

Jesus pours His grace, light and love upon you when you confess your sins. It is Divine Mercy for your soul. Bring your miseries and sufferings to confession and the priest will speak words of healing for your soul. After you have made your confession, the priest will absolve your sins. He will tell you to go in peace and to sin no more. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we receive forgiveness of sins, mercy, healing and grace.

Go to Mass and receive the Eucharist often. When you receive the Body and Blood of Christ, Jesus comes to you in the most profound and intimate way. His Body is in your body. Jesus heals and strengthen you when you receive Him in the Eucharist.

Make a promise to Jesus that you will go to Mass, receive the Eucharist and go to confession often and ask your guardian angel and Our Lady to help you keep your promise. They will accompany you...

The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want. In green pastures, He makes me lie down; to still waters, He leads me; He restores my soul. He guides me along right paths for the sake of His Name. Psalm 23:1-3

Reflection: O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us and protect us from evil

Prayer to Our Blessed Mother Mary for assistance in the Spiritual Battle  From a book of prayers titled, "The Lion Roars, Prayers for the Remnant" by Dave VanVickle

"O Mary, conceived without sin! O Woman clothed with the Sun! Come now and intercede for us in this battle against evil. You who are despised and feared by the father of lies, help us powerfully. You whose beauty is so bright, so pure that devils tremble in fear, help us powerfully. You who strike at the head of the old serpent, the devil, help us powerfully. O Mary whose name is so sweet, come and cover us with your protective mantle and protect us in this battle with evil. O humble Woman, vanquish the evil one. O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."

For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens.  Ephesians 6:12  

How can you protect yourself and your loved ones from evil?

Daily Mass, Eucharist, Frequent Confession, Eucharistic Adoration, Prayer, Fasting, Pray the Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy Daily, The Lord's Prayer, The Hail Mary, The Memorare, Prayer to St. Michael, the Archangel, Guardian Angel Prayer, House Blessing, Crucifix, Holy Water, Blessed Salt, Scapular, Miraculous Medal

I will put enmities between you (satan) and the woman, and your seed and her seed; she shall crush your head, and you shall lie in wait for her heel.  Genesis 3:15

O Mary, conceived without sin, our most powerful intercessor, bless and protect our families from evil and pray for us who have recourse to thee.