From the first letter of Peter, chapter 5, verses 5b through 11
(1 Pt 5:5b-11) Good News Bible, Catholic Edition
 

“And all of you must put on the apron of humility, to serve one another; for the scripture says, “God resists the proud, but shows favour to the humble.” Humble yourselves, then, under God’s mighty hand, so that He will lift you up in His own good time. Leave all your worries with Him, because He cares for you.
 

Be alert, be on the watch! Your enemy, the devil, roams round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Be firm in your Faith and resist him, because you know that your fellow-believers in all the world are going through the same kind of sufferings. But after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who calls you to share His eternal glory in union with Christ, will Himself perfect you and give you firmness, strength, and a sure foundation. To Him be the power for ever!”

Amen.

The Gift of Suffering

“Suffering is the very best gift He has to give us. He gives it only to His chosen friends.” - St. Thérèse of Lisieux

 

The Angels Envy Our Suffering

“St. Faustina said that if angels were capable of envy they would envy us for two things. One is the receiving of Holy Communion and the other is suffering.”

- Father Chris Alar, MIC in his video titled, “Living Divine Mercy TV Show Episode 3 – Why Does God Allow Suffering?” September 23, 2021

“They would envy us because we most imitate Jesus when we suffer in the flesh as He did.”

The angels could never learn what is learned from bodily suffering because they have no bodies. Without bodies, they cannot receive the Body of Christ.

 

Redemption Through Suffering

"The disciples didn’t get it at first. They didn’t get the secret, the mystery, the key, the pattern. And what was that? God’s self-emptying love, even unto death. God’s act of taking upon himself the sins of the world in order to take them away, the mystery of redemption through suffering."

- from Bishop Barron’s daily Gospel reflection, Wednesday, April 4, 2018

 

Be Humble

Humility is truth and the opposite of pride and ego. Humility makes you blessed, happy. It is the queen of virtues. Walking in humility is walking the path to heaven.

 

Laconic #31
Whoever doesn't know humility, knows humiliation.

 

Laconic #93

Humility is a path to God's love.

 

Laconic #152

You rarely stumble when you are humble.

___________________________

* Let’s all practice humility so that God’s love will help us walk the path to heaven. Learn and recite the
Litany of Humility by -Cardinal Merry del Val, Secretary of State to Pope Saint Pius X.

 

Litany of Humility
 

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart,
Hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being loved,
Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being extolled,
Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being honored,
Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being praised,
Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being preferred to others,
Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being consulted,
Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being approved,
Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being humiliated,
Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being despised,
Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of suffering rebukes,
Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being calumniated,
Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being forgotten,
Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being ridiculed,
Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being wronged,
Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being suspected,
Deliver me, O 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 go 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.

___________________________

 

May the Peace and Blessing of Almighty God descend upon you and remain with you forever. Amen.