Prayer for Humility

PRAYER FOR HUMILITY

O Lord Jesus, by Your teaching and example
You have shown us the greatness of the Divine Virtue of Humility.
I beg You to grant me the grace and the wisdom to be
as humble as You are.

When surrounded by the opulence and the grandeur
of material possessions,
Lord, give me humility, so that I may take only what
I need to fulfill my mission,
And give freely to others anything in excess.

When bestowed with authority over people and nations,
Lord, give me humility so that I may not dare take control
over any part of Your kingdom
But sincerely seek Your counsel and guidance in
leading them to Your realm.

When showed with praise and adulation,
Lord, give me humility, so that I may not own
Your gifts as my own talents
But acknowledge them as samples of Your greatness
and give joyful thanks to You for those gifts.

When others declare me wrong though I know I am right,
Lord, give me humility, so that I may remain silent and
patiently await their enlightenment by Your grace.

When faced with injustice and oppression,
Lord give me humility, so that I may not waste my energies
in fighting my perceived oppressors, but concentrate
all my efforts on strengthening my spirit
and those of my fellow oppressed.


When I am wrong, and have trod upon others by my wrongdoing,
Lord, give me humility so that I may readily accept
my faults, and quickly act to repair the damage they have done,
both in myself and in others.

O my sweet Jesus, I beseech You to grant me even greater humility,
so that I may constantly strive to guide, rather that to rule;
To join hands rather than to compete;
To glow in unison, rather than to shine above others;
To acknowledge Your presence in others,
rather than claim You to myself alone;
And to work for your glory, rather than to seek praise for my own self.

From now on Lord, let me not continually ask myself if I am being proud
but to rest assured in Your grace, as I pray,
“Lord, give me humility.”
For You alone Lord, are truly great and we can be great only when
we are one with You, in Your humility, forever and ever. Amen!



St. Teresa of Jesus
Discalced Carmelites, Avila, Spain