One-Scary-To-Pray-Prayer

Some friends and I go to Golden Gate Park every week, sit on what is historically known as “Hippie Hill” just above the “Janis Joplin Tree” to worship and pray for our friends in the park and beyond. Yes, this is the very place you saw on the news where thousands converge on 4/20 to smoke as much weed as their lungs and brain cells can stand! The antics of that convocation notwithstanding, we always are blessed to have a rich time of prophetic intercession for some of the lostest of the lost, people that we deeply care about.

Recently one of the young sisters in the group called “The Outer Circle” whipped out the Catholic prayer called “The Litany of Humility.” (I say “young,” but everyone in this group of firebrand Jesus followers is young compared to me.)

I had never heard it before let alone ever prayed it. It’s one of those scary-to-pray-prayers, that when I pray it I only partly mean what I’m praying. It’s scary because if God ever answered it I’m not sure what would be left of me––the me that I’ve sort of settled for. It’s scary to think of how far I have to go in the quest to be like Jesus, who “had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what.” (Philippians 2)

Anyway, pray at your own risk!

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 maligned, 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 may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

I share this with you so that I won’t be the only one who knows how much I suck at sanctification! I actually feel better already. It might work for you in the same way if you share it with your friends––even a pastor or two.