Meek and Humble of Heart

My priest introduced me to the Litany of Humility last Sunday in a homily.  I am just awestruck how one prayer can be so beautiful and painful at the same time.  About one line in, you start feeling distinctly uncomfortable.  Three lines in, and you are now certainly squirming in your chair.  But despite the definite lack of comfort, it really is an enlightening and of course, humbling prayer.  Humility is the basis of all the other virtues.  Once we achieve true humility, all the other virtues will follow.

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…