If we should desire to make some worthy offering and useful sacrifice for Lent, let us give up our pride and our anger and fears driven by greed and selfishness.
"He has shown you all what is good.
And what else does the Lord require of you
But to do justice,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?"
Micah 6:8
"Cheerfulness strengthens the heart and makes us persevere in a good life. Excessive sadness seldom springs from any other source than pride.
For my part, when I find someone securely confident in themselves and without fear, I give them up for lost. "
Philip Neri
"It was pride that changed angels into devils; and it is humility that makes men angels. There never has been, and never can be, and there never shall be any sin without pride.”
Augustine of Hippo
"The most powerful weapon to stand against the devil is humility. For, as he does not know at all how to employ it, so he does not know how to defeat it."
Vincent de Paul
"The humble live in continuous peace, while in the hearts of the proud are envy and frequent anger."
Thomas à Kempis
"Take up my yoke and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
Matthew 11:29
Jesus, Lord, gentle and humble of heart,
From the desire of being esteemed, deliver me.
From the desire of being loved, deliver me.
From the desire of being extolled, deliver me.
From the desire of being honored, deliver me.
From the desire of being praised, deliver me.
From the desire of being preferred to others, deliver me.
From the desire of being consulted, deliver me.
From the desire of being approved, deliver me.
From the fear of being humiliated, deliver me.
From the fear of being despised, deliver me.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, deliver me.
From the fear of being calumniated, deliver me.
From the fear of being forgotten, deliver me.
From the fear of being ridiculed, deliver me.
From the fear of being wronged, deliver me.
From the fear of being suspected, deliver me.
That others may be loved more than I, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, grant me the grace to desire it.
others may increase and I may decrease, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Lord, grant me the grace to desire it.
