When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with the humble is wisdom.
(Proverbs 11:2 ESV)
Pride is the root of all vice, and I am incredibly prideful. I have found that the quickest way to combat pride is to pray for humility. A while back, I discovered an incredibly powerful prayer called the Litany of Humility. This prayer helped me to see what humility actually was. Each line points out some facet of humility, and then asks Christ to develop that in me.
Jesus is the ultimate example of humility. He is God, yet He still saw fit to become a man. As if that weren’t enough, He died a brutal death that He could have easily avoided. The humility required to submit Himself to that punishment is astounding. Since we are called to imitate Jesus, we should seek to suffer in humility as He did.
The Litany of Humility is relevant for every single Christian. Whether you are Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, or something else, I challenge you to pray this prayer on a daily basis. You will be challenged to have a completely new perspective on yourself and those around you.
Every line hurts so badly, but it’s worth it. When I first began to pray this, I was instantly cut to the core. For the first time, I realized the extent to which Jesus calls His followers to lose themselves in pursuit of Him. Our culture tells us to be proud, but Jesus tells us the opposite.
I dare you to pray this prayer in its entirety. I dare you to mean it. I promise that if you do, you will not come out the same.
O Jesus meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That in the opinion of the world, others may increase, and I may decrease,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I become as holy as I should,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
