striving to radiate Him always
For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy. ~ Therese of Lisieux
feast day in the Traditional Roman Rite Calendar
October 1 is her feast day in the New Calendar
The Good Lord has taken me on an undesired path – a lesson in humility for my dear little girls. I do not hesitate to teach my children of His radical call for us but I gravely dislike when the lesson must come from outside the home, before I believe they are ready. Yes, I realize that this is a lack of humility on my behalf. In fact, I think my girls were more of the teacher than I was this past weekend. Their readiness for such a lesson exceeded my expectations.
I give thanks to the Good Lord for this opportunity for my girls (and I) to grow in humility. May He deliver them from the desire of being preferred to others and from the fear of being forgotten. May He give them the grace to desire that others may be loved more than them.
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Prayer of Humility for Children
Author unkown
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, hear me.
Help me to look for what is good in others and forget what is bad in them.
Help me to put others first and not worry if I’m not picked or am ignored.
Help me not to seek approval and not worry about being the center of attention.
Help me not to be afraid to be afraid of not being liked or worry about being hurt or not believed.
Help me to look beyond myself, even if it’s not my turn, and to help others.
Deliver me, Jesus, from all of these and make me as holy as I should be.
Amen
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Humility Prayers
(fill in the blank with your child’s name)
· May __________ humble himself before the Lord, and be exalted. (James 4:10)
Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you. ~James 4:10
· May __________ humble himself, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt him. (1 Peter 5:6)
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you. ~1 Peter 5:6
· May God give grace to __________ as he humbles himself. (James 4:6)
But he gives more grace; therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." ~James 4:6
· Lord, lead the humble in what is right, and teach __________ Your way. (Psalm 25:9)
He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. ~ Psalm 25:9
· May __________ have unity of spirit, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. (1 Peter 3:8)
Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love of the brethren, a tender heart and a humble mind. ~1 Peter 3:8
· May __________ take God’s yoke upon him, and learn from Him, for He is gentle and lowly in heart, and __________ will find rest for his soul. (Matthew 11:29)
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29
· May the LORD take pleasure in ___________, and adorn the humble with victory. (Psalm 149:4)
For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory. ~Psalm 149:4
· May __________ have all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with others in love. (Ephesians 4:2)
With all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love. ~Ephisians 4:2
· May __________ be subject to the elders. May __________ clothe himself with humility toward others, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. ” (1 Peter 5:5)
Likewise you that are younger be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." ~1 Peter 5:5
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Prayer for Humility
by St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
Fortify me with the grace of your Holy Spirit and give your peace to my soul that I may be free from all needless anxiety, solicitude and worry. Help me to desire always that which is pleasing and acceptable to you so that your Will may be my will.
Grant that I may rid myself of all unholy desires and that, for your love, I may remain obscure and unknown in this world, to be known only to you.
Do not permit me to attribute to myself the good that you perform in me and through me, but rather, referring all honor to your Majesty, may I glory only in my infirmities, so that renouncing sincerely all vainglory which comes from the world, I may aspire to that true and lasting glory which comes from you. Amen.
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‘Lord, here I am, give me what You will.’ If He gives me something, I am very pleased and I thank Him. If He gives me nothing, I still thank Him because I do not deserve anything. And then again, I tell Him all that passes through my mind; I recount my pains and my joys and … I listen. If you listen to Him, He will speak to you also, because with the good God it is necessary to speak and to listen. He will always speak to you if you go to Him simply and sincerely. ~ St. Catherine Laboure
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Litany
(from Christmas to Epiphany)
….O Blessed parents of the Infant Jesus, Mary and Joseph,we humbly and earnestly implore you to beg for us, at the crib of your Infant Son, that like Him and as His true and faithful followers, we may love to live in true humility, disengagement from creatures, contempt of the world and it’s vanities, constant recollection of the holy presence of God, fervour and fidelity in all of our duties, and in the practice of the tenderest charity to all persons. May we never blush at the humility of the crib, nor at the poverty and simplicity of Bethlehem. May we ever rejoice at our happy lot as children of the true Church; ever in tender charity look with a compassionate eye on those who live but for this world; and continually pray that all may come to bless, to praise and to love the Saviour, who comes to redeem them…Amen
~Excerpt from the Litany from Christmas to Epiphany, taken from the MC & LMC Prayer Book.
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Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, pray that we will make a commitment to seek the presence of God in prayer the way you did. Guide us to see the graces God gives us as gifts not rewards and to respond with gratitude and humility, not pride and selfishness. Amen
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“My only ambition is to serve God in the most humble tasks.” ~St. André Bessette
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"Little children follow and obey their father. They love their mother. They know nothing of covetousness, ill-will, bad temper, arrogance and lying. This state of mind opens the road to heaven. To imitate our Lord’s own humility, we must return to the simplicity of God’s little ones." ~ Saint Hilary of Poitiers
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Preciousness of Silence
~MC & LMC Prayer Book
…The Silence is Humility.
When there is no competition;
When you consider the other person to be better than yourself;
When you let your brothers emerge, grow and mature;
When you joyfully abandon all to the Lord;
When your actions may be misinterpreted;
When you leave to others the glory of the enterprise;
The Silence is Humility.
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“Everyday, Jesus humbles himself just as He did when He came from His heavenly throne into the Virgin’s womb; everyday He comes to us and lets us see Him in abjection, when He descends from the bosom of the Father into the hands of the priest at the altar.” ~ St. Francis of Assisi
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This prayer is taken from Prayer Book for Religious, compiled by Fr. F. X. Lasance, S.J. (Benziger Brothers, 1904)
O most loving Jesus, Who by Thy sublime and beautiful virtues of humility, obedience, poverty, modesty, charity, patience and gentleness, and by the example of Thy domestic life, didst bless with peace and happiness the family Thou didst choose on earth, in Thy clemency look down upon this household, humbly prostrate before Thee and imploring Thy mercy. Remember that this family belongs to Thee; for to Thee we have in a special way dedicated and devoted ourselves. Look upon us in Thy loving kindness; preserve us from danger; give us help in time of need, and grant us the grace to persevere to the end in the imitation of Thy Holy Family; that having revered Thee and loved Thee faithfully on earth, we may bless and praise Thee eternally in heaven.
O Mary, most sweet Mother, to thy intercession we have recourse, knowing that thy Divine Son will hear thy prayers.
And do thou, O glorious Patriarch, St. Joseph, assist us by thy powerful mediation, and offer, by the hands of Mary, our prayers to Jesus. Amen.
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Resources:
**please share your humility prayers & quotes**
…a friendship between God and man. ~ Fr. Ripperger
Only in truth does charity shine forth, only in truth can charity be authentically lived. Truth is the light that gives meaning and value to charity. ~ Pope Benedict XVI, Caritas In Veritate
Charity is only possible with sanctifying grace.The two cannot be separated. ~ Fr. Lyons
Charity is the only thing that has value. ~ Fr. Lyons
At the end of our life, we shall all be judged by charity. ~ St. John of the Cross
Charity is a love of friendship, a friendship of choice, a choice of preference, but an incomparable, a sovereign, and supernatural preference which is like a sun in the whole soul, to embellish it with its rays; in all our spiritual faculties to perfect them; in all our powers to moderate them; but in the will, as its seat, to reside there, and to make it cherish and love its God above all things. ~ Saint Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church
Charity is the queen of all virtues. “If you see Charity, you see the Trinity” says St. Augustine. Without it even if one speaks the language of angels it is like “sounding brass or a clanging cymbal” (Cf. 1 Cor 13: 1-13). It is a very delicate virtue which is like salt in the food. No wonder saints like St. Thérèse of Lisieux resolved to do ordinary things with extraordinary love and not the other way round. The following is a litany to ask forgiveness for the many daily failures in charity, as we know that even the just person falls seven times a day. ~ Father Sebastian Vazhakala M.C.
Charity unites us to God… There is nothing mean in charity, nothing arrogant. Charity knows no schism, does not rebel, does all things in concord. In charity all the elect of God have been made perfect. ~ Pope St. Clement I
All our religion is but a fa
lse religion, and all our virtues are mere illusions and we ourselves are only hypocrites in the sight of God, if we have not that universal charity for everyone – for the good, and for the bad, for the poor and for the rich, and for all those who do us harm as much as those who do us good. ~ Saint John Vianney
True charity consists in doing good to those who do us evil, and in thus winning them over. ~Saint Alphonsus Liguori
To leave our prayer when we are called to do some act of charity for our neighbor, is not really a quitting of prayer, but leaving Christ for Christ. Even in the midst of a crowd we can be going on to perfection. ~ -Saint Philip Neri
"If I . . . have not charity," says the Apostle, "I am nothing." Whatever my privilege, service, or even virtue, "if I . . . have not charity, I gain nothing."103 Charity is superior to all the virtues. It is the first of the theological virtues: "So faith, hope, charity abide, these three. But the greatest of these is charity.” ~ CCC 1826
By charity, we love God above all things and our neighbor as ourselves for love of God. Charity, the form of all the virtues, "binds everything together in perfect harmony" (Col 3:14). ~ CCC 1844
I conjure you, my daughters, to preserve a strict watch over your tongues, and never to pronounce before your children one single word that is contrary to charity. ~ Monsignor P. Lejeune, Counsels of Perfection for CHRISTIAN MOTHERS
Charity is the queen of virtues. As the pearls are held together by the thread, thus the virtues by charity; and as the pearls fall when the thread breaks, thus the virtues are lost if charity diminishes. ~ Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina
St. Paul’s Short Examination of Conscience Regarding Charity (as noted by Fr. Lyons): Charity is patient, charity is kind. It is not jealous, (love) is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Charity never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. ~ 1 Corinthians 13 4-8
Charity is that with which no one is lost, and without which no one is sa
ved. also The school of Christ is the school of charity. On the last day, when the general examination takes place, there will be no question at all on the text of Aristotle, the aphorisms of Hippocrates, or the paragraphs of Justinian. Charity will be the whole syllabus. ~ St. Robert Bellarmine
Be driven by the love of God because Jesus Christ died for all, that those who live may live not for themselves but for Him, who died and rose for them. Above all, let your charity and zeal show how you love the Church. Your work is for the Church, which is the Body of Christ. ~ Saint John Baptist de La Salle
“‘Make me to know your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths’ (Ps 24:4). We ask the Lord to guide us, to show us his footprints, so we can set out to attain the fullness of his commandments, which is charity.” ~ Saint Josemaría Escriva, Christ is Passing By
The divine seed of charity, which God has sown in our souls, wants to grow, to express itself in action, to yield results which continually coincide with what God wants. ~ Saint Josemaría Escriva, Christ is Passing By, 58
May you know how to put yourself out cheerfully, discreetly and generously each day, serving others and making their lives more pleasant. To act in this way is to practise the true charity of Jesus Christ. ~ Saint Josemaría Escriva, The Forge, 150
We must give alms. Charity wins souls and draws them to virtue. ~ St. Angela Merici
If God gives you an abundant harvest of trials, it is a sign of great holiness which He desires you to attain. Do you want to become a great saint? Ask God to send you many sufferings. The flame of Divine Love never rises higher than when fed with the wood of the Cross, which the infinite charity of the Savior used to finish His sacrifice. All the pleasures of the world are nothing compared with the
sweetness found in the gall and vinegar offered to Jesus Christ. That is, hard and painful things endured for Jesus Christ and with Jesus Christ. ~ Saint Ignatius of Loyola
Peace is the work of justice indirectly, in so far as justice removes the obstacles to peace; but it is the work of charity (love) directly, since charity, according to its very notion, causes peace. ~ St. Thomas Aquinas
For if we are bidden to honor carnal fathers and mothers, how much more the spiritual? . . . If this virtue of charity has been overlooked, a man will lose any fruit of salvation in any good he may do. ~ Pope Saint Gregory VII, 1020-1085 AD
It is by the path of love, which is charity, that God draws near to man, and man to God. But where charity is not found, God cannot dwell. If, then, we possess charity, we possess God, for "God is Charity" (1 John 4:8) ~ Saint Albert the Great
Hold in your hand the lantern of Faith; and let the flame of Charity shine from it, to show you what you must do, and what you must avoid. ~ -Saint Augustine, Father and Doctor of the Church
O Sacrament of Love! O sign of Unity! O bond of Charity! He who would have Life finds here indeed a Life to live in and a Life to live by. ~ St Augustine
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RESOURCES:
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Actus Caritatis
Domine Deus, amo te super omnia proximum meum propter te, quia tu es summum, infinitum, et perfectissimum bonum, omni dilectione dignum. In hac caritate vivere et mori statuo. Amen.
Act of Charity
O my God! I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because Thou art all-good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured.
O my God, in union with the merits of Jesus and Mary, I offer Thee for the Souls in Purgatory, all my Satisfactory Works, as well as those which may be applied to me by others during my life and after my death. And so as to be more agreeable to the Divine Heart of Jesus and more helpful to the departed I place them all in the hands of the merciful Virgin Mary. Amen
Hi! I'm Lena, mama of JOYfilledfamily.
We are a traditional Catholic family striving to live for Jesus Christ in everything we do. We pray to completely surrender our will to His and to become His servants. Our mission of this blog is to share our JOY.
This blog serves as a journal of us making good memories, living the liturgical year, and our spiritual journey.