In 1991 George H. W. Bush nominated Clarence Thomas to
replace Thurgood Marshall as Supreme Court Justice. Although both men were
African American, Marshall was a staunch liberal while Thomas was a devout
conservative.
In arguably the most contentious confirmation in the history
of the U.S. Senate, Thomas was accused by a former co-worker, Anita Hill, of
vulgar advances and sexual harassment of the deepest variety. Though Hill had
worked for Thomas at two separate government agencies a decade earlier, she
waited until these hearings to reveal her story in the most salacious details.
Throughout the days of withering assault, Thomas continually
and consistently adamantly denied the accusations, calling the whole exercise a
circus, a national disgrace, a high-tech lynching.
In an interview months after the hearings were completed and
Thomas was confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice, he was asked, “How were you
able to endure such an assault?” Thomas replied, “I survived the ordeal by
praying Raphael Cardinal Merry del Val’s Litany
of Humility.”
After reading this prayer repeatedly this week, and sharing
it with others, I am convinced that it’s a prayer that every one of us should
pray every day.
In a world of rumor, innuendo, and attributed motives, this
prayer sorts it all out. It is Gospel bedrock. Indeed, it is the lens through
which this Sunday’s text should be viewed, for here in Matthew 19 and 20 we
find a perfect description of the human heart and its antipathy for grace. The
only remedy is the Holy Spirit’s power to drive us to our knees in humble
contrition. And this prayer helps.
To this day it hangs in the Supreme Court office of Clarence
Thomas. For Thomas, like the Cardinal, knows what it’s like to be in the crosshairs
of vicious attacks from within and without:
Here’s the prayer:
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 falsely accused, 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.
In preparation for Sunday’s message, “How’m I Doin’?”, you may wish to
consider the following:
- Why do you suppose Matthew is the only Gospel writer to include Jesus’ parable (Mt. 20:1-16)?
- What’s Jesus’ primary point in telling it?
- How does this parable incite anger?
- How is the word “inheritance” in verse 29 a key to understanding Jesus’ answer to Peter’s question?
- Who are “hired laborers” in the first century?
- How are verses 4 and 15 a key to understanding God’s sovereignty?
- What’s at the root of the laborer’s reaction in verse 12?
- What’s striking about the Master’s address of them in verse 13?
- How is the Cardinal’s prayer relevant here?
- According to Jesus in Matthew 19:28-20:16 how are you doin’?
