Recently I (Vic) was in the confessional, following a particularly difficult time for one of our loved ones. I confessed that Judy and I had fasted and prayed for them, but that I didnโt think God was listening.
The confessor assigned me the penance of finding and praying the Litany of Trust, and within a few minutes of arriving home, I found it on The Sisters of Life website.
When I prayed the Litany for the first time that evening, two verses spoke to me: โThat You always hear me and in Your goodness always respond to me.โ Jesus, I trust in You. The next verse was โThat Your plan is better than anything else.โ
These verses pointed out my sin. I realized I was putting handcuffs on God, seeking to impose my plan and timeline on Him. These prayers led me away from my sin into a new and deeper trust that God hears our prayers and will take care of our loved one.
A great weight fell off my shoulders.
A Brief History of The Litany of Trust
The Litany of Trust was composed by Sr. Faustina Maria Pia Bianche, S.V. and has its origins in her diary. Sr. Faustina Maria, named for St. Faustina at birth, wrote that while โlooking at the crucifix in my room one Friday afternoonโฆI had an experience that is hard to capture in words. It was as though Jesus were gently lifting my chin to look at Him. It was as if He were saying, โI donโt want you to give your โyesโ to a set of circumstances, but to Meโโ (Jesus I Trust in You, pp. 1-2). It was then that she began penning the Litany of Trust.
Applying The Litany of Trust to Your Own Life
While it is easy to say the words โJesus, I trust in You,โ itโs not always easy to truly embrace that trust in Jesus. In these times of worry, we can find guidance and peace in a particular verse of the Litany: โThat you will teach me to trust You.โ Jesus, I trust in You. Just saying the words is a great place to start. But alongside this prayer, weโve discovered active ways to cultivate this trust in our lives.
First, we must catch ourselves when doubt starts creeping into our minds, as it too often does. Doubt causes you to feel as though God isnโt present and that things are hopeless. In these moments, call on the Holy Spirit and invite our Blessed Mother to pray the Litany of Trust with you to help you through this time of doubt.
Next, recallย a moment when Jesus was acting in your life. Perhaps you didnโt realize it at the time, or it seemed like He wasnโt listening, but now you can see His hand at work. Jesus often doesnโt give you what you ask for when you ask for it; instead, He gives you something much better than you could ever imagine. Being open to His way allows Him to impact your life, which then increases your trust in Him. โThat Your plan is better than anything else.โ Jesus, I trust in You.
The Litany of Trust At Work in Our Lives
I (Judy) have learned that lesson many times. The first time was early in our marriage when Vic was about to be discharged from the Army and was looking for a job. I prayed and prayed to move closer to our families, but Jesus seemed not to be paying attention to my pleas.
Vic received two job offers. One was at an army ammunition plant close to our families, and the other was in a different state more than eight hours away from our families. Selfishly, I wanted him to accept the job that was close by. Then I finally let go, stopped trying to put handcuffs on Jesus, and accepted His Will.
God guided Vic to take the job eight hours away. A few months later, the laboratory where Vic would have been working was destroyed in an explosion, and the man who had taken the job was seriously injured. Jesus, I trust in you. Fortunately, the job Vic ended up taking led him on a path to a very rewarding career.
Weโve also found that just praying the words โJesus, I trust in Youโ whenever we have concerns throughout our day helps to keep His promises in our minds and allows us to let go and trust Him. And with this trust comes peace, which floods our hearts and minds like nothing else ever could!
Growing in Trust
I (Vic) pray the entire Litany of Trust every day, and I always find that one or more verses speak to my current situation directly. Here are some recent examples:
- On a day when I perceived I had been treated unjustly, the verse โThat you give me the grace to accept forgiveness and to forgive othersโ stopped me in my tracks. At that moment I knew that I must forgive and pray for the one whose perceived unjust offense had been bothering me. Jesus, I trust in You.
- While I was patting myself on the back for some achievement I had accomplished, the verse โFrom the false security that I have what it takesโ brought me to the realization that it was God who gave me the wisdom and strength I needed and that it was God who was responsible for “my” achievement. Jesus, I trust in You.
- When I feel remorse for a sin I have committed, the verse โThat your love goes deeper than my sins and failings and transforms meโ provides comfort. Jesus, I trust in You.
- When I struggle with the nearly constant pain of a medical issue, โThat You are with me in my sufferingโ and โThat my suffering, united to Your own, will bear fruit in this life and the nextโ prompted me to offer my suffering for the benefit of the souls in purgatory. I can forget the pain and focus on my relationship with God and what He has asked me to do today. Jesus, I trust in you.
- When faced with a call from God to do something I feel inadequate to do, the verse โThat You give me all the strength I need for what is askedโ removes the barriers that prevent me from answering Godโs call. I remind myself as often as needed that whatever challenge I face, Heโs got this, and that He loves me with His perfect love and will always have whatโs best for me in His mind, even when His way differs from my preference. โThat Your plan is better than anything else.โ Jesus, I trust in You.
Build your trust in Jesus by focusing on each verse as you pray the Litany and seeking the meaning in that verse for your present situation. Catch yourself when you first start feeling that Jesus isnโt there. Remind yourself of all your past experiences in which Jesus has acted in your life. Donโt put handcuffs on Him. Remember that He loves you with His perfect love, which is so much more complete and powerful than your own. With trust comes peace. Jesus has got this if you just allow Him to take the reins.
Photo by Zac Durant on Unsplash
