J.M.J.
“He humbled
Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.”
(Philippians 3:8)
At a very
tender age, many of us learned the sacred truth undergirding the solemn
celebration of Christmas: the Second Person of the Most Blessed Trinity became
incarnate to save us from the terrifying sin and everlasting death ushered into
our human condition by Original Sin.
The Eternal
Son of the Father willingly took on our human flesh. He is Jesus Christ, the
God-Man and our long-awaited Redeemer.
There was
nothing for the Son to gain for Himself by becoming man. He was already
perfect—and perfectly happy. But He obeyed His Beloved Father and came to earth
to pull us out of the spiritual misery caused by the disastrous sin of Adam and
Eve.
By being
miraculously conceived in His Ever-Virgin Mother’s chaste womb by the Holy
Spirit, Jesus demonstrated His unbounded love for His Father and for us—His
needy brothers and sisters.
The virtue
of humility was clearly evident in all that Jesus said and did. He came to
glorify His Father, not Himself. But in glorifying the Father, Jesus was
glorified by His Father!
All
disciples of Christ desperately require humility, that resplendent virtue which
allows them to see: a.) themselves as the Lord sees them; and b.) their
personal part to play in the Kingdom
of God
We must beg
from God that authentic humility so that we may be pleasing to Him and more
able to do whatever He desires of us.
The Servant
of God Raphael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930) was the Vatican Secretary of
State under Pope Saint Pius X (1903-1914). Born in London of Spanish lineage,
this devout and learned priest recited the “Litany of Humility” daily after he
offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
We may
benefit greatly from this poignant prayer, which serves as a profound
meditation on the splendor and necessity of humility.
---
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
become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus,
grant me the grace to desire it.
O Mary, my
Mother, how greatly I love You! And yet, how little is my love! You teach me
all that is necessary for me to know, because You teach me what Jesus is for me
and what I ought to be for Jesus.
---
We ask the Prince of Peace to give to us the inspiring humility that
shone through Him and His Mother. May we be all for the Baby Jesus, knowing
that we are, and have, nothing apart from Him.
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