ABOUT PRIDE

MARCH 11, 2007

Pride is one of the seven deadly sins. “Pride comes before the fall” (Proverbs 16:18). In fact, it was pride that caused Adam and Eve to fall (Genesis 3). Theirs was a terrible fall: from original innocence, grace, and happiness into a condition of sin characterized by darkness of mind and weakness of will. Pride was evident, first, in the desire of Adam and Eve to be equal to God. That was the temptation by which Satan led them to eat the forbidden fruit. Pride was evident in the disobedient act itself: they decided to do their own, instead of God’s will. Pride was revealed in their refusal to accept responsibility for their sin. Adam blamed Eve: “The woman whom you put here with me – she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it” (Gen 3:12). Eve blamed Satan: “The serpent tricked me into it so I ate it” (Gen 3:13).

Properly understood, pride is not wrong in itself. It is not wrong, for example, to take pride in a job well done, or in giving our best effort. Sinful pride is haughtiness of soul and a desire to be superior to all others. It leads to a refusal to recognize anyone else as equal, much less superior and to a disdain for others as being inferior persons whom we will tolerate rather than really love. Everyone struggles with pride to some degree. It is the vice we least notice in ourselves, yet most dislike in others.

God has made us in his own image and likeness, and so we should try to be like God. The problem is that, due to the blindness caused by pride, we have a terribly distorted idea of what it means to be like God. The proud think being like God is about having power, setting the rules, and dominating others. This is not like God. God is humble, loving, gentle and compassionate. In his Son, Jesus Christ, he “emptied himself, taking the form of a slave...he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross...” (Philippians 2: 7-9).

Sinful pride is giving glory to ourselves rather than to God for our gifts, abilities and accomplishments. The proud person seeks to be served rather than to serve. The proud person refuses to ask for help, because he wants to be able to say, “I did it all myself,” and take all the credit. It leads ride leads to blind rebellion, a refusal to accept the truth, and the self-justification and rationalization of our sins.

Pride is the hidden root of all other sins. It is deadly, first, because it crowds out God’s life and love in us. Our ego becomes so inflated that there’s no room left in our heart for anyone else, including God. Second, it is deadly because it leads to every other form of malice and selfishness: anger, envy, lust, gluttony, greed, and sloth.

Pride’s greatest victim is the proud person himself, first, because he must labor beneath the crushing weight of his own inflated ego. Every slight wrong causes intense suffering, like a deep wound inflicted by a dull blade. Next, the proud person wears a mask so others won’t see his faults and weaknesses, but his mask makes him a stranger to everyone, and so makes it impossible for others to know and love him. This is what happened to Adam and Eve. After eating the forbidden fruit, they covered themselves and hid from God. The proud person’s mask condemns him to live in sad loneliness.

Sooner or later the foolishness of pride is exposed. This is the moral of the story about an emperor, who is tricked by two scoundrels, posing as tailors, into believing they have made him a new robe, whereas they have made nothing. The material and weave are so fine, they say, that the clothes are invisible to anyone who is too stupid or vulgar to appreciate their quality. Not wishing to appear stupid, the emperor pretends he is delighted. He disrobes and allows the scoundrels to dress him in the non-existent “invisible” robe. He then struts about in public to show off his new clothes, while the people laugh him to scorn.

Since our pride is invisible to us, how can we escape it? The first step is to admit our pride. Doing that makes us humble, and we are at once free of our pride. We should also imitate Christ and make ourselves the servants of all, taking the last place as he taught us. Let us leave it to God to glorify us as he desires, and let us make our life’s goal to give glory only to him.

+Bishop Raymundo J. Peña

last updated 05-Jun-2008 9:48 sitemap