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“Most Heavenly Father, I come to Thee this day weighed down by the heavy burden of my poverty. I am very poor, and it is very hard for me to live in this state. I constantly struggle to obtain even the bare necessities to sustain my life. I labor all the night, and I take in very little. I often languish in my poverty and pray that I will someday be lifted of this burden.

“I know that Thou art the King of the whole universe, that Thou didst create everything out of nothing, and that Thou dost possess all wealth. I also know that Thou art very generous and liberal in dispensing of Thy riches, for I see many around me that are abundantly blessed with a share in Thy richness. I am not envious of them, but I do ask that Thou dost grant me a share in those same blessings.

“O, how I desire to be rich! I know that I do not deserve anything above what I have already been given, but I know that Thou dost have so much more to give. I believe that this desire of mine to be rich was infused in me by Thee, and I cannot ignore it. I firmly resolve to pray for riches and to ask to be lifted from my poverty. This is in fact my only prayer. I subject every other request to this one great supplication – that I be blessed with abundant riches and wealth.

“It is not worldly or material riches I pray for, however. It is not material poverty in which I languish. My poverty is the vice of pride, and the wealth I ask for is the virtue of humility. This terrible pride of mine prevents many of Thy graces from reaching my soul. Thou art repulsed and repelled by my pride, I have created an icy barrier around my heart which prevents Thee from visiting me with the riches of Thy virtues.

“O my good Jesus, please come to me this day. Thou art the Burning Furnace of Charity, and the burning love of Thy great Sacred Heart can melt all the icy pride away from my poor and miserable heart. Please do this thing. Please make me a saint for Thee. Please grant me a share in Thy virtues – principally Thy blessed humility. I have no human plan or natural remedy to overcome my vices. I simply place all of my hope and all of my trust in Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, and I patiently wait for Thee to come and enrich me with the warmth of Thy love.

“Please hear my prayer, Most Heavenly Father, which I offer to Thee through the Sacred Heart of Thy Divine Son, Jesus. Please grant me the greatest of all treasures – a meek and humble heart like unto the Heart of Thy dearly beloved Son. It would be to Thy greater honor and glory if Thou were to grant this request to such a poor and miserable sinner. If I were to be made meek and humble of heart, no one could attribute it to my own industry. It would be clearly seen that a supernatural miracle of grace was the only possible means of effecting such a transformation, and Thy goodness and mercy would be all the more praised by heaven and earth alike.

“O Mary, my mother, I come to thee this day and place my petition in thy hands. I humbly ask of thee to pray with me and for me. I confess that I am a sinner and unworthy to approach thy Divine Son, but thou art the Immaculate Conception and perfectly pleasing to the Father of all riches. Thou art the refuge of sinners, and by virtue of my Baptism thou art my spiritual mother. Can any mother refuse the honest request of her son? I admit that, in my ignorance, I often do not know what is best for me. My petition may be riddled with errors and entirely displeasing to God. But that is why I first submit it to thy Immaculate Heart. I beg of thee to correct all errors, to infuse it with the sweet fragrance of thy holy virtues, and to render it most pleasing to thy Divine Son. If what I ask is not in accordance with the Will of God, then I ask of thee to obtain something better for me. I place all of my hope and all of my trust, after Jesus, in thee.

“O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee. O heart most pure of the Blessed Virgin Mary, obtain for me from Jesus a pure and humble heart. Jesus, meek and humble of Heart, make my heart like unto Thine. Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit.”