Walk This Way

It's interesting what people talk about after a sermon.  Donna told me the teenagers all perked up when I said something about the "swagger" James and John were walking with when they asked Jesus about sitting at his right and left hand.  Evidently, "swagger"  (or is it "swag"?) is a new buzz word among our teens. 

Someone else mentioned the quote from the movie Million Dollar Baby by Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris, played by Morgan Freeman, "Boxing is an unnatural act. Cos everything in it is backwards. You wanna move to the left, you don't step left, you push on the right toe. To move right, you use your left toe. Instead of running from the pain - like a sane person would do, you step into it."  It seemed to be the perfect illustration of Jesus' teaching on the kingdom: it is backwards to how one naturally thinks and what one naturally values.

For me the prayer I used at the end was the perfect summation of the "backward" style servant-life that Jesus modeled for us to imitate.  I have used it on several occasions in some small group meetings and feel it is the perfect prayer for one who truly desires to follow Jesus "on the way."  My source credited it to Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930).  Other than that, I don't know anything else about it's origin or development.  

O Jesus!  Meek and humble of heart,
Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected,
Deliver me, 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 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.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should.
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Amen.