Today is the 79th anniversary of the death of Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val y Zulueta (1865-1930) who served as Secretary of State during the reign of Saint Pius X. The Cardinal composed the Litany of Humility, a good prayer for Lent:
O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, . . . (repeat: Deliver me, Jesus)
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, . . . (repeat: Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it)
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 become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
