Why Singles Should Pray the Litany of Trust
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For I know the plans I have for you...
Does believing that God’s plan for your life is “for welfare and not for woe,” in the words of Jeremiah 29:11, feel akin to a trust fall these days? Maybe you’ve heard about the Litany of Trust, mentioned briefly here, here, and here, but not yet prayed it for yourself. We’ll explore where the Litany originated, its format, and why praying it can be such a blessing for singles.
The Litany was written several years back by Sister Faustina Maria Pia, a member of the Sisters of Life, a contemplative-active religious order that takes a fourth vow to “protect and enhance the sacredness of human life.” Sr. Faustina Maria Pia shared the story behind the Litany’s creation in a recent 7-day Litany of Trust challenge for the Hallow app. She explained, “I had no intention of writing a prayer, and a prayer on trust, but I found myself a few years into my religious life as a sister in a situation where I didn’t know what to do and I was asking Jesus for clarity.”
Does this resonate with your own life?
Are you asking Jesus for clarity on the daily about His will for your vocation?
Sister continued, “The question came across my heart, ‘what does it mean to trust? How do I trust God in this situation? What do I need to do to act and move forward?’” She’s speaking as a religious sister, but how many of us have similarly asked God what more we need to do (to find a spouse)? For women, there can be the added question of what constitutes leading a relationship versus allowing a man to take the initiative in contacting her first or in leading a blossoming relationship.
As many singles can relate, Sister went on “I wasn’t receiving a clear answer in prayer and this went on for months. It was very difficult, this time of suffering and darkness.” Preach, Sister!
One day as she sat looking at the Crucifix on the wall in her room, Sister spoke to Jesus again. “If you just told me why this is happening, if you could explain the situation, then I could consent to it and know that you wanted to pull good from it, but I can’t see what you’re doing.” The answer she received in her heart was, “I don’t want you to give your consent to a bunch of circumstances. I want you to give your yes to Me.”
Isn’t this the same thing Christ tells each of us, whatever our vocation?
Sister Faustina Maria Pia realized that ultimately “it wasn’t clarity that I wanted, it was a relationship of love.” And love, Christ was speaking into her heart, “is giving your yes to trust that no matter what I’m doing that I’m part of [the struggle] and I’m inviting you to something greater than what you can see.” As she pondered all this, the words of the Litany came to Sister.
She patterned the prayer after the Litany of Humility, which is split into two sections. The first section of the Litany of Humility consists of petitions for a sense of healthy detachment from the good opinions of others as well as freedom from fears of mistreatment by others. Each petition is followed by the words, “Deliver me, Jesus.” The second section is a list of positive requests, asking in so many ways for the virtue of humility. Each request is followed by the words, “Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.”
Similarly, the first section of the Litany of Trust touches on common themes regarding obstacles to trust, including pride, resentment, fear, and disbelief. Each request for freedom from a particular block to trust is followed by the words, “Deliver me, Jesus.”
Several of the lines that struck me as especially relevant to the struggle with singleness are:
From the fear that trusting You will leave me more destitute, deliver me, Jesus.
From refusals and reluctances in accepting Your will, deliver me, Jesus.
From anxiety about the future, deliver me, Jesus.
From discouragement, deliver me, Jesus.
And like the Litany of Humility, the second section of the Litany of Trust asks for the grace to trust in God’s plan and presence. Among the lines:
That You are with me in my suffering, Jesus, I trust in You.
That my suffering, united to Your own, will bear fruit in this life and the next, Jesus, I trust in You.
That Your plan is better than anything else, Jesus, I trust in You.
That I am Your beloved one, Jesus, I trust in You.
Sr. Faustina Maria Pia shared the impact of praying the Litany in her own life as well as the benefit she hopes others receive from praying it, saying “I felt free. I want so many other hearts to believe in Jesus’ love, to trust Him, to give Him permission to be used.”
The prayer can be found on the Sisters of Life website here. A Sister of Life put the Litany of Trust to soothing music here. Pocket-sized trifold copies of the Litany can be purchased in bulk here. And if you’re looking for a devotional, a 30-day retreat-style book on the Litany is here.
Add the Litany of Trust to your daily prayer routine and see what happens!
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