Traditional Catholic prayer
St. Thérèse’s Prayer to Obtain Humility
St. Thérèse wrote this prayer for a novice. It contemplates the humility of Jesus and asks His help against pride and discouragement. The reference to obeying sisters belongs to the original convent setting.
Source: Sœur Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower of Jesus (1912), St. Thérèse of Lisieux; translated and edited by Thomas N. Taylor, pages 317-318.
O JESUS! When Thou wast a wayfarer upon earth, Thou didst say: "Learn of Me, for I am Meek and Humble of Heart, and you shall find rest to your souls." O Almighty King of Heaven! my soul indeed finds rest in seeing Thee condescend to wash the feet of Thy Apostles, "having taken the form of a slave." I recall the words Thou didst utter to teach me the practice of humility: "I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you do also. The servant is not greater than his Lord . . . If you know these things, you shall be blessed if you do them." I understand, dear Lord, these words which come from Thy Meek and Humble Heart, and I wish to put them in practice with the help of Thy grace.
I desire to humble myself in all sincerity, and to submit my will to that of my Sisters, without ever contradicting them, and without questioning whether they have the right to command. No one, O my Beloved! had that right over Thee, and yet Thou didst obey not only the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph, but even Thy executioners. And now, in the Holy Eucharist, I see Thee complete Thy self-abasement. O Divine King of Glory, with wondrous humility, Thou dost submit Thyself to all Thy Priests, without any distinction between those who love Thee and those who, alas! are lukewarm or cold in Thy service. They may advance or delay the hour of the Holy Sacrifice: Thou art always ready to come down from Heaven at their call.
O my Beloved, under the white Eucharistic Veil Thou dost indeed appear to me Meek and Humble of Heart! To teach me humility, Thou canst not further abase Thyself, and so I wish to respond to Thy Love, by putting myself in the lowest place, by sharing Thy humiliations, so that I may "have part with Thee" in the Kingdom of Heaven.
I implore Thee, dear Jesus, to send me a humiliation whensoever I try to set myself above others.
And yet, dear Lord, Thou knowest my weakness. Each morning I resolve to be humble, and in the evening I recognise that I have often been guilty of pride. The sight of these faults tempts me to discouragement; yet I know that discouragement is itself but a form of pride. I wish, therefore, O my God, to build all my trust upon Thee. As Thou canst do all things, deign to implant in my soul this virtue which I desire, and to obtain it from Thy Infinite Mercy, I will often say to Thee: "Jesus, Meek and Humble of Heart, make my heart like unto Thine."
About this prayer
Prayer source
Sœur Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower of Jesus (1912), St. Thérèse of Lisieux; translated and edited by Thomas N. Taylor, pages 317-318.
View the printed prayer page.About our prayer sources- What it is
- St. Thérèse wrote this prayer for a novice. It contemplates the humility of Jesus and asks His help against pride and discouragement. The reference to obeying sisters belongs to the original convent setting.
- Prayer intention
- Humility, trust in grace, and resistance to discouragement.
- When to pray
- Read in its original religious-life context during reflection on humility. The explanation is separate from the preserved prayer text.
- Connection with a saint
St. Thérèse of Lisieux: From the saint’s writings. This prayer is printed in the “Prayers of Sœur Thérèse” section of Thomas N. Taylor’s preconciliar translation. Read the source.
- Languages
- English
- English prayer source
- Sœur Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower of Jesus (1912), St. Thérèse of Lisieux; translated and edited by Thomas N. Taylor, pages 317-318. View the historical source. View the printed prayer page. Novena Regina provides the explanations above. The prayer text follows the source named here.
Traditional Catholic prayer
St. Thérèse’s Prayer to Obtain Humility
Source: Sœur Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower of Jesus (1912), St. Thérèse of Lisieux; translated and edited by Thomas N. Taylor, pages 317-318.
O JESUS! When Thou wast a wayfarer upon earth, Thou didst say: "Learn of Me, for I am Meek and Humble of Heart, and you shall find rest to your souls." O Almighty King of Heaven! my soul indeed finds rest in seeing Thee condescend to wash the feet of Thy Apostles, "having taken the form of a slave." I recall the words Thou didst utter to teach me the practice of humility: "I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you do also. The servant is not greater than his Lord . . . If you know these things, you shall be blessed if you do them." I understand, dear Lord, these words which come from Thy Meek and Humble Heart, and I wish to put them in practice with the help of Thy grace.
I desire to humble myself in all sincerity, and to submit my will to that of my Sisters, without ever contradicting them, and without questioning whether they have the right to command. No one, O my Beloved! had that right over Thee, and yet Thou didst obey not only the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph, but even Thy executioners. And now, in the Holy Eucharist, I see Thee complete Thy self-abasement. O Divine King of Glory, with wondrous humility, Thou dost submit Thyself to all Thy Priests, without any distinction between those who love Thee and those who, alas! are lukewarm or cold in Thy service. They may advance or delay the hour of the Holy Sacrifice: Thou art always ready to come down from Heaven at their call.
O my Beloved, under the white Eucharistic Veil Thou dost indeed appear to me Meek and Humble of Heart! To teach me humility, Thou canst not further abase Thyself, and so I wish to respond to Thy Love, by putting myself in the lowest place, by sharing Thy humiliations, so that I may "have part with Thee" in the Kingdom of Heaven.
I implore Thee, dear Jesus, to send me a humiliation whensoever I try to set myself above others.
And yet, dear Lord, Thou knowest my weakness. Each morning I resolve to be humble, and in the evening I recognise that I have often been guilty of pride. The sight of these faults tempts me to discouragement; yet I know that discouragement is itself but a form of pride. I wish, therefore, O my God, to build all my trust upon Thee. As Thou canst do all things, deign to implant in my soul this virtue which I desire, and to obtain it from Thy Infinite Mercy, I will often say to Thee: "Jesus, Meek and Humble of Heart, make my heart like unto Thine."