Humility is putting others before ourselves. When we show humility, we are open to learning from others, and are willing to serve others. As we grow in humility, we become more like Jesus Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity.
Day 1 – Head
On the first day of our prayer we will be reflecting on The Word of God to help us to understand our theme.
We begin our prayer this morning with the Sign of the Cross. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
The reading we are looking at today is when Jesus washes the disciples’ feet at the Passover Meal.
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
R/ Glory to You O Lord.
Jesus rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it round his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped round him.
When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them,
“Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.”
The Gospel of the Lord
R/ Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ
The Passover meal was a formal meal for the Jews. Usually, Jews would have had their feet washed before a formal meal, as they wore sandals and walked dirty roads, but as well as that they sat on cushions with their feet visible (and probably very smelly).
The awkward situation is that none of Jesus’ disciples offered to wash each other’s feet. They all felt that to wash each other’s feet would make them seem inferior to the others, and they all wanted to be the greatest.
Jesus had told his disciples, many times (Mark 10:35-45, Matthew 20:20-28, Luke 9:46-48, Luke 22:24-27) , that to be the greatest among them, they must be the least and servant to all, but the disciples clearly just do not get it, so Jesus decides to show them.
He shows them that true Humility is descending from whatever high position we have and serving others, even in the most demeaning way.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Day 2 – Heart
On the second day of the week we focus on our hearts. How can the scripture that we looked at previously impact our lives, and the lives of others? What themes can we draw from the scripture?
We begin our prayer with the Sign of the Cross. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Jesus gave us brilliant examples and teachings on Humility; serving others, proclaiming the truth, and even dying for us. But we can also turn to the Saints for inspiration and examples.
Here are some short videos giving a brief look at a Saint’s life. You can pick as many as you like or have time for. Some you might be more familiar with than others.
- Saint Martin de Porres
- Saint Teresa of Avila
- Saint Leonard
- Saint Therese of Lisieux
- Saint Maurice
- Saints Andrew Kim and Paul Chŏng
- Saint Mother Teresa
- Saint Augustine of Hippo
- Saint Vincent de Paul
- Blessed Thomas Tsugi
Closing prayer
For our closing prayer, please pick one of the Saints you have learned about, and pray for their intercession to help give us Humility.
O God,
who led Saint Martin de Porres by the path of humility to heavenly glory,
grant that I may follow his radiant example in this life.
Help me to embrace humility in my heart,
to serve others with love and compassion,
and to recognize Your presence in the least of my brothers and sisters.
Through his intercession, may I grow in charity and meekness,
and so attain the glory of heaven.
Amen.
O Lord,
who opened Your Kingdom to the humble and the little ones,
I ask for the grace to follow the little way of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux.
Help me to embrace my littleness and imperfections,
trusting that You do not demand great actions from me,
but rather a heart full of surrender and gratitude.
May I find joy in the simple acts of love and service,
and may her intercession guide me to live with humility,
so that I may reflect Your love to those around me.
Amen.
Heavenly Father,
who called Saint Leonard Murialdo to serve the poorest and most neglected,
grant me the grace to follow his example of humility and love.
Help me to recognize Your mercy in my life,
and to embrace my own limitations with joy and gratitude.
May I serve others selflessly,
immersing myself in their struggles without seeking recognition.
In the spirit of Saint Leonard,
may I find strength in humility,
and strive to be a true instrument of Your love and compassion.
Amen.
Almighty God,
through the intercession of Saint Maurice,
who exemplified courage and faith in the face of adversity,
grant me the grace to cultivate humility in my heart.
Help me to recognize that true strength lies in serving others,
and to stand firm in my convictions with a spirit of love and humility.
May I learn from Saint Maurice’s unwavering commitment to his faith,
and strive to be a beacon of hope and courage for those around me.
In my daily life, may I reflect his example,
embracing humility as I serve You and my neighbor.
Amen.
Heavenly Father,
through the intercession of Saints Andrew Kim and Paul Chong,
grant me the grace to embrace humility in my life.
Help me to follow their example of unwavering faith,
even in the face of persecution and hardship.
May I learn to serve others selflessly,
recognizing the dignity of every person,
and to trust in Your providence as they did.
Inspire me to be a courageous witness to the Gospel,
reflecting the love and compassion of Christ
in all my actions.
Amen.
Loving God,
through the intercession of St. Mother Teresa,
grant me the grace to embrace humility in my heart.
Help me to see You in the faces of the poor and suffering,
and to serve them with joy and compassion.
May I learn from her example to give without counting the cost,
to love unconditionally, and to find greatness in serving others.
Inspire me to be a humble instrument of Your peace,
reflecting Your love in every action I take.
Amen.
O Lord, my God,
In Your presence, I recognize my own frailty and the vastness of Your greatness. As St. Augustine sought to know You more deeply, I too desire to understand my place in Your creation. Grant me the grace to see myself as I truly am, a humble servant in need of Your mercy.
May I always remember that true greatness lies in serving others, and may I find joy in the lowly tasks that draw me closer to You. O Lord, let my life be a testament to Your grace, and may I continually seek to glorify You in all that I do.
Amen.
O God,
who endowed Saint Vincent de Paul with apostolic virtues, help us to embrace humility in our hearts. Through his example, may we learn to serve others selflessly and recognize the value of every person. Saint Vincent, inspire us to be compassionate and generous, reflecting Christ’s love in our actions. Guide us to seek your will above our own, and to find joy in serving those in need.
Amen.
Heavenly Father,
grant us the grace to embrace humility as we journey through life. Inspired by Blessed Thomas Tsugi, help us to recognize our own limitations and to seek your guidance in all that we do. May we learn to serve others with a joyful heart, understanding that true strength lies in our willingness to be humble. Teach us to appreciate the gifts you have given us and to use them for the good of others.
Amen.
We end our prayer with the Sign of the Cross. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Day 3 – Hands
On the final day of the week we try to put into action the things we have learnt and reflected on previously in the week, hence the hands link!
We begin our prayer with the Sign of the Cross. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Humility is a difficult virtue to embody, as it require us to be totally honest with ourselves, not thinking ourselves to be better or worse than we really are.
C. S. Lewis said:
Humility is not thinking less of yourself
it’s thinking of yourself less
Here are some suggestions for how to show humility in our daily lives:
- Acknowledge mistakes: Be willing to say “I was wrong” and take responsibility for your actions when you make a mistake.
- Ask for help: Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance when you need it, showing that you value learning from others.
- Listen actively: Pay attention to what others are saying and try to understand their point of view.
- Avoid bragging: Don’t boast about your accomplishments or try to put yourself above others.
- Accept feedback: Be open to constructive criticism and use it to improve yourself.
This week I challenge you to show true humility.
If you have done something wrong admit it, find the people involved and apologise.
If you struggle admitting you don’t know everything, find someone you trust and ask them for help.
If you are the sort of person who tells everyone else about all the great things you have done, instead ask someone else what they have accomplished this week.
We end asking God to help us be more humble like Him.
Lord Jesus,
as you washed the feet of your disciples, teach me to serve others with the same love and humility.
Help me to remember that true leadership is found in serving those around me.
May I follow your example and be a source of love and support to my friends and family.
Amen
We end our prayer with the Sign of the Cross. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
One of the members of our form said to show humility, we should use our time to help other people.