A Simple Prayer

O Jesus, gentle and humble of heart, hear me!

From the desire of being esteemed,

From the desire of being loved,

From the desire to be sought,

Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire to be mourned,

From the desire of praise,

From the desire of preference,

From the desire of influence,

From the desire of approval,

From the desire of authority,

From the fear of humiliation,

From the fear of being despised,

From the fear of repulse,

From the fear of calumny,

From the fear of oblivion,

From the fear of ridicule,

From the fear of injury,

From the fear of suspicion,

Deliver me, Jesus.

That others may be loved more than myself. Jesus grant this desire.

That others may be more highly esteemed.

That others may grow and increase in honor, and I decrease. Jesus, grant me to desire it.

That others may be employed, and I set aside. Jesus, grant me to desire this.

That others may attract the praise, and myself be forgotten.

That others may be preferred in all.

Grant me the utmost holiness of which I am capable, then let others be holier than myself. Jesus, grant me to desire it!

Oh, if God hearkens,—and hearken He surely will, if your prayer has been sincere,—what joy in your heart, what peace on your countenance, what sweetness will pervade your whole life!

More than half one’s troubles arise from an exaggerated idea of one’s own importance, and the efforts we make to increase our position in the world. Lacordaire says, that the sweetest thing on earth is to be forgotten by all, with the exception of those who love us. All else brings more trouble than joy; and as soon as we have completed our task here, and fulfilled our mission, the best thing for us to do is to disappear altogether.

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