Richard Rohr: God’s greatest surprise and God’s constant disguise

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

“I cannot pretend to understand God, but this is what I see: people who have moved from seeming success to seeming success seldom understand success at all, except a very limited version of their own. People who fail to do it right, by even their own definition of right, are those who often break through to enlightenment and compassion.

It is still a mystery to me, and will still be a mystery for you, even if you read this book to the end. The big difference, and it is big, is that you will hopefully be able to accept and even revel in this cosmic economy of grace. It is God’s greatest surprise and God’s constant disguise, but you only know it to be true by going through it and coming out the other side yourself. You cannot know it by just going to church, reading Scriptures, or listening to someone else talk about it, even if you agree with them.

Until you bottom out, and come to the limits of your own fuel supply, there is no reason for you to switch to a higher octane of fuel. For that is what is happening! Why would you? You will not learn to actively draw upon a larger source until your usual resources are depleted and revealed as wanting. In fact, you will not even know there is a larger source until your own sources and resources fail you.”

Richard Rohr in Breathing Under Water (London: SPCK, 2016), 20.

Tomorrow marks my last day as a staff member of GTP.

I thank God for the privilege of founding and launching this global ministry and for the privilege of teaching and training more than 10,000 workers in 140+ countries and territories.

I knew God wanted me to do this for a season. But I did not discern until now what that purpose was.

God wanted me to build a global network. Now He wants me to mentor them in generosity and provide educational pathways for their growth. But I needed to understand grace – God’s greatest surprise and God’s constant disguise – to do this.

If that does not make sense, hear this. I also needed to learn to tap a larger source of power.

Each of us has talents, abilities, and resources. I put my talents and abilities to work and emptied myself over the last 7+ years. I poured all I am and all I have into this work. Now God says, trust me for something bigger.

Maybe God has you on a similar journey. You can’t imagine something more. So how do you navigate it? Grace.

I declare today the need for grace for the next steps for Generosity Monk. The need courage to face an unknown and bigger future than I could have ever imagined. And I can do it not because of my ability, but because of God’s grace.

I pray today that if you feel stretched that this post encourages you to rely on grace, a larger source of power.

As we explore this book by Rohr this week and link it to generosity, I hope it inspires you to tap grace for the future God has for you. We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength because His grace is sufficient.

God, thanks for your grace which is sufficient for us. Thanks that even though we don’t understand it, your power is made perfect in our weakness. Pour out your grace to help us pursue the path you have for each of us. Amen.

And in case you missed a sneak peak at the Generosity Monk website that is under development, click here. And though the site is still under construction, I draw your attention to three videos. I hope you love them. Click each one to view them.

1. Welcome to Generosity Monk
2. About the Monk
3. Welcome to the YouTube channel

And to  set up monthly or one-time support to help Generosity Monk go global, click here.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

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

From the desire of being esteemed, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being humiliated, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, 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, 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 go 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.

Rafael Merry del Val (1865-1930) in “the Litany of Humility.”

Today marks the seventh and final post exploring this needful litany. We conclude by highlighting the need for grace to desire what is good and right for others.

Seven is a number that points to maturity. Imagine praying seven times: “grant me the grace to desire it.”

This implies that to pray that others may be loved and esteemed more than us, that others may increase and we decrease, that others may be chosen, praised, preferred to us, and become holier than us, requires grace.

This points to supernatural strength from God; it is not possible without His help.

Today’s Scripture describes this grace as sufficient. It means that it is enough to help us in our weakness to have the power we need from Christ.

I hope this prayer has helped deliver you from your desires and fears. I pray you value others ahead of yourself. I pray that God’s grace has been sufficient to develop humility in you so you can live, give, serve, and love generously.

And I pray that God’s power rests on you and touches all those around you for God’s glory. Amen.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves. Philippians 2:3

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

From the desire of being esteemed, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being humiliated, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, 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, 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 go 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.

Rafael Merry del Val (1865-1930) in “the Litany of Humility.”

Sending a heads up to sure to read my post tomorrow – Friday 26 June 2026 – as that day marks 17 years of Daily Meditations and so I have something special to share.

You will get a sneak peek at the new Daily Meditation template for just one day.

Then since the new Generosity Monk website will not be operational until sometime in July, we will go back to the old template. Thanks for your patience. On Saturday I will share a final post linked to this litany.

Today I find it needful to consider the function of the word ‘others’ in the final section of this litany.

We do will to take a posture of humility and value others ahead of ourselves. This does not mean to devalue or not give value to ourselves or not take care of ourselves. I have been guilty of that. Perhaps you can relate?

Here Rafael urges us to pray that others may be loved and esteemed more than us, that others may increase and we decrease, that others may be chosen, praised, preferred to us, and become holier than us.

This is not easy. But it reflects what Jesus did. He made himself nothing for us.

How does this sit with you? Are you willing to walk this path of humility with Jesus? I find it interesting that the apostle Paul reveals the opposite of humility. He calls it selfish ambition and vain conceit.

When we put ourselves ahead of others, it reveals our selfishness and futile or vain conceit. He wants us to do nothing from that posture. The ‘others’ aspect of this verse includes everyone that is not you.

Pick a person that is hard for you to value above yourself. Ask God to help you value that person above yourself today.

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God. Luke 18:35-43

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

From the desire of being esteemed, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being humiliated, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, deliver me, O Jesus…”

Rafael Merry del Val (1865-1930) in “the Litany of Humility.”

I flew to Philadelphia yesterday and to spend a couple days with close friend, Peter Fiorello. We have done a lot of work together in the kingdom and I envision there is more to come.

Appreciate your prayers for a good visit with keen spiritual discernment.

And be sure to read my post on Friday 26 June 2026 as that marks 17 years of Daily Meditations and so I have something special to share.

Today’s Scripture illustrates the right posture of a person before God. It’s the posture of the helpless and hopeless beggar who believes help and hope can only be found in Jesus.

This beggar did not fear rebuke but shouted all the more for Jesus to have mercy on him.

This scene in Scripture illustrates the persistence in this prayer. Rafael urges us to cry out 16 times, “deliver me, O Jesus.” We can find deliverance from our desires and fears from Jesus.

Where do you find yourself in this biblica scene. Are you the beggar? Are you the one rebuking the beggar? Are you in the crowd following Jesus and looking with curiosity?

If you want to see everything clearly and find the deliverance you need to live, give, serve, and love generously, choose the posture and persistence of the beggar.

Jesus who is meek and humble in heart will hear and help you. He will have mercy and save you. Cry out to him today like the beggar regardless of what everyone else is doing or saying!

I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, hear me…

From the fear of being humiliated, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, deliver me, O Jesus.

Rafael Merry del Val (1865-1930) in “the Litany of Humility.”

Today we lean into the fears that seek to stifle our humility and generosity.

It is human to fear being humiliated and despised, from suffering rebuke, from being calumniated, forgotten, ridiculed, wronged, and suspected. No one wants to endure such experiences.

But Jesus warned us that even as he was treated in these ways, we would be treated in these ways.

I had many daily readers say that they had to look up the word, “calumniated.” It means to be falsely accused. We recall how that happened to Jesus. When His opponents did it, he opened not His mouth.

We can walk in His footsteps. People will falsely accuse us of things.

We can let Jesus defend us. And we can avoid letting our fears control us and cause us to isolate ourselves and not live, give, serve, and love generously because of the many dangers that lurk in the shadows.

Don’t let that be you. Seek the Lord. He will answer and deliver you from your fears.

This seeking requires humility. With this humility will come the deliverance you need and the confidence to demonstrate radical generosity. You can do this. God’s got you.

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalm 32:7

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, deliver me, O Jesus.

Rafael Merry del Val (1865-1930) in “the Litany of Humility.”

Today we lean into the deliverance aspect of this prayer. When our desires are disordered, we need help. We need salvation and protection from trouble. We can find order and deliverance only from Jesus.

Jesus can identify with us and help us because he became human just like us.

He understands the desires to be esteemed, loved, extolled, honored, praised, preferred to others, consulted, or approved. He knows that it is normal to desire these things. But He wants us to run to Him as only He can fulfill these desires.

Notice how humility and generosity are connected.

You may want to live a life of blessing to others. But you can only do it when you have everything you have ever needed and will ever need and every desire met in Jesus.

Pause to thank Him today. Thank Him for being your hiding place and help, and your hope and deliverer.

Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this. Psalm 37:4-5

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, deliver me, O Jesus.

Rafael Merry del Val (1865-1930) in the first part of “the Litany of Humility.”

The first part of the litany focuses on our desires.

We all might want to feel esteemed, loved, extolled, honored, praised, preferred to others, consulted, or approved. It is normal to desire these things. But Rafael reminds us to pray not to seek these desires.

When we seek these desires we tend to make them like idols. We pursue them over the Lord, and we get in trouble.

In so doing, we miss what is most important in the process. But when we delight or seek our joy, happiness, and identity in Jesus, we live with order and it positions us to practice generosity.

Where do you find your security and identity? Only when you find it in Jesus do you experience order in your desires and deliverance from a disordered life.

I’ve had an epic week with my mentor in Wisconsin and close friends in Iowa. The time has served to reset my life and my desires. This prayer has helped me. I pray it helps you too.

Jesus, thank you for saving me from myself and from these desires. I desire you above all things. Amen.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5

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

From the desire of being esteemed, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being humiliated, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, 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, 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 go 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.

Rafael Merry del Val (1865-1930) in “the Litany of Humility.”

In my week with my mentor we talked about this litany and prayed it daily. Each day a different word or phrase stood out to me. We will explore it over the next week in sections and relate it to generosity.

For starters, let’s ponder the needfulness of humility. God cares about our hearts and motivations more than our external appearances and actions.

And the fact that Rafael framed it as a ‘litany’ sends a message to us.

In his thinking humility is so needful for the Christian life, we must list the ‘litany’ of things that will seek to undermine, short-circuit, or hinder it. He breaks them down in three categories.

The first category is disordered desires, the second is fears, and the third relates to putting others ahead of ourselves.

From the first two areas he beckons us to pray for deliverance. Linked to the third, he instructs us asks for grace to desire what is good. We will explore these sections in depth in the coming week.

For today, simply read it again, and if something stands out to you as needful, ask God to help you respond in obedience.

May God help each of us grow in humility, a needful trait for growing in Christian generosity.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Colossians 4:2

“The disobedient walk in pride, holding their heads erect, and if sometimes it suits their convenience to obey they do not incline their heads with humility… Their body they tend luxuriously, for being without either the nurse of humility or her sister, self-contempt, they live in their own pleasure richly and delicately, not like religious but like nobles, without watching or prayer. This and many other things happen to them because they have money to spend, for if they had it not they could not spend it.

They fall into mental and physical impurity, for if sometimes from shame or through lack of means they abstain physically, they indulge themselves mentally, for it is impossible for a man with many worldly relations, of delicate habits and disordinate greediness, who watches not nor prays, to preserve his mind pure.

Wherefore the perfectly obedient man sees from afar with the light of holy faith the evil and the loss which would come to him from temporal possessions and from walking weighed down by his own will; he also sees that he is obliged to pass by this narrow door, and that in such a state he would die before he would be able to pass it, having no key of obedience wherewith to open it, for as I said to you, he is obliged to pass through it. Wherefore it is that whether he will or no he should not leave the ship of the order…”

Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) in Dialog (Grand Rapids, MI: CCEL) 177=178.

Today marks the last post, at least for now, from Catherine of Siena. In her thinking, it is needful for you and me to maintain humility, to put material wealth to work, and to be watchful and prayerful.

Money can get us into trouble when not rightly used. What starts as luxuries become necessities! Then we give little attention to watching and praying. Before we know it, we rank among the disobedient and materialistic.

Are you weighed down by possessions? Catherine’s words fit for a person in an order or a person who wants to follow Jesus. You cannot do it if you walk in pride or if you are weighed down by wealth.

“Delicate habits and disordinate greediness” will only get you in trouble. Be prayerful, watchful, and thankful for what you have. Put it to work and watch God give you true riches.

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God. Mark 10:25

“Humility is not alone but has the handmaid of contempt of self and of the world, which causes the soul to hold herself vile, and not to desire honor but shame. Thus dead to himself, should he who is old enough enter the ship of a religious order, but however he may enter it (for I have told you that I call souls in diverse ways), he should acquire and preserve this affection, hurrying generously to seize the key of the obedience of his order, which will open the little door which is in the panel of the door of Heaven.

Such as these have undertaken to open the little door, doing without the great key of general obedience, which opens the door of Heaven, as I have said to you. They have taken a little key, passing through a low and narrow opening in the great door. This small door is part of the great door, as you may see in any real door. They should keep this key when they have got it, and not throw it away.

And because the truly obedient have seen with the light of faith that they will never be able to pass through this little door with the load of their riches and the weight of their own will without great fatigue and without losing their life, and that they cannot walk with head erect without breaking their neck; whether they wish to or not, they cast from them the load of their riches.”

Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) in Dialog (Grand Rapids, MI: CCEL) 177.

Whether you are joining a monastic order or choosing to follow Jesus, the only way to enter the proverbial ship is to walk in the way of obedience.

And that journey includes unloading riches.

I was speaking with John Stanley, a mentor and friend to me, yesterday about this and he reminded me that this includes that the way of humility requires us to let go of all kinds of riches, and money may be the easiest one.

For example, are we willing to let go of the riches linked to honor? Or are we willing to unload the riches of our will or reputation? John’s right, isn’t he. We have to let go of these “priceless” things.

All these we need to unload to join a monastic order or to choose to follow Jesus.

This explains why “Humility is not alone but has the handmaid of contempt of self and of the world.” Our trust is only in Jesus. Only with contempt of self and the world, we locate the key to heaven.

Catherine and I want you to hurry “generously to seize the key of the obedience” which can only be grasped with humility and only be used by unloading riches.

Have you seized the key? If not do it today. Do you need to unload riches? If so, what are you waiting for, because they won’t fit through heaven’s door.