Jump to content
Poetry Magnum Opus

Litany


Tinker

Recommended Posts

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry
Liturgical Verse

Litany - from Latin - litania, letania, derived from Greek lite, "prayer or supplication", is responsive petition meant to be chanted or sung by a leader and responded to by a congregation used in public liturgical services and in private devotions.  Repetition is the key element.    In more modern secular versions the repetition of thematic symbols suffice and the response is internal while spirituality still hovers as in The Forgotten Incantation by DC Martinson.

Litany of Humility by Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930)

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, hear me.

Cantor
From the desire of being esteemed,
From the desire of being loved,
From the desire of being extolled,
From the desire of being honored,
From the desire of being praised,
From the desire of being preferred to others,         
From the desire of being consulted,
From the desire of being approved,

From the fear of being humiliated,
From the fear of being despised,
From the fear of suffering rebukes,
From the fear of being calumniated,
From the fear of being forgotten,
From the fear of being ridiculed,
From the fear of being wronged,
From the fear of being suspected,

Response
deliver me, O Jesus!
deliver me, O Jesus!
deliver me, O Jesus!
deliver me, O Jesus!
deliver me, O Jesus!
deliver me, O Jesus!
deliver me, O Jesus!
deliver me, O Jesus!

deliver me, O Jesus!
deliver me, O Jesus!
deliver me, O Jesus!
deliver me, O Jesus!
deliver me, O Jesus!
deliver me, O Jesus!
deliver me, O Jesus!
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,
That, in the opinion of the world, others may,
increase and I may decrease,
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
That others may be praised and I unnoticed,
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
That others may become holier than I,
provided that I may become as holy as I should,
O Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

~~ © ~~ Poems by Judi Van Gorder ~~

For permission to use this work you can write to Tinker1111@icloud.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Guidelines.