Prayer for Good Humor, St. Thomas More
Good Humor and Holiness, Prayer attributed to Thomas More
(London, 1478-1535)
Thomas More was a saint whose good humor stood out, and perhaps that is why he is credited with this well-known prayer:
«Give me, Lord, a good digestion
and, naturally, give me something to digest.Give me the health of the body
and the good humor necessary to maintain it.Give me, Lord, a holy soul
that keeps the memory of all that is good, beautiful and pure,
so that, when I see sin, I may not be frightened,
but may find the means to set things right.Give me a soul that knows neither boredom
nor murmuring, grumbling, complaining or moaning,
and knows neither groaning nor sighing,
and grant that I may not be troubled, nor give importance
to that embarrassing thing I call “I”.Give me, Lord, a sense of humor;
give me the grace to know how to accept jokes…
so that I may bring a little joy out of life
and make others share in it as well,
Amen.»
Note: Prayer found in Chester Cathedral, by anonymous author. Often attributed to St. Thomas More. For more information, please contact the Thomas More Institute.
Thomas More, Patron saint of governors and politicians
Pope John Paul II named him patron saint of rulers and politicians on October 31, 2000. Thomas More was the best lawyer of his time in England, and is undoubtedly a great help to those who, like him, wish to serve the State and the people with Christian honesty. It was this honesty that led him to martyrdom, for it was clear to him that truth is the most important light, which prevented him from putting the king above God.
In 1529, King Henry VIII appointed him Chancellor of the Realm. He was the first layman to occupy this position, in which he remained until May 16, 1532. Thomas More resigned because he did not want to support the project of Henry VIII, who wanted to take control of the Church in England. He withdrew from public life, and accepted that both he and his family suffered poverty and abandonment by many who until then claimed to be his friends (See Thomas More or the praise of conscience).
Read St. Thomas More’s original prayer and comments
Source: Book, Madurez psicológica y espiritual, p. 361.
