This text of Scripture means first that the first sin committed after the creation was an act of pride : Today we still hear the echo of a word sacrilege, Non Serviam, "I will not serve," uttered by the most intelligent minds created, Lucifer.
This text then states that the first sin on earth is the first man was a sin of pride, and Adam wanted to know good and evil to be able to drive alone.
Finally, this text justifies St. Thomas say that pride is not only a deadly sin, but the source of the deadly sins of vainglory in particular. For every sin contains disobedience and disobedience comes from pride.
Scripture is therefore here underscores the importance of this point that spirituality looks like a formidable obstacle to perfection. And this importance is increasing over the fact that in practice many are mistaken about the true nature of pride, believing there is not when it is the cloak of false humility, as he becomes more dangerous than that which extends to the ridiculous, or judging that dominates such a soul that is exerted rather to the magnanimity and courage necessary in any large enterprise and the pusillanimity which separates the major tasks .
Being shy and humble, proud and tall, is fully different.
We will discuss this major issue by answering three interesting questions: What forms, effects and cures for pride? Proceed under the eyes of the humble Virgin Mary.
Because pride is a disorder in self-love, its forms are reduced to multiple disruptions it causes.
We know what it means disorder. This is something contrary to reason and to God. For this cause, and in many ways, pride is one.
But how?
Estimate what is good in us, is not a way to honor God and we respect ourselves? Search the esteem of others, by sharing best qualities as we recognize and appreciate the qualities of the next, is it not necessary to the glory of God and good relations?
Yes, provided that we avoid any deviation and excess.
We sometimes forget that God is the author of these gifts, we attribute them to ourselves, we act for us, we rely on the honor, we accept for us or for us to covet the esteem of others .
There is a deviation, since ultimately we deny that God is, first, our first principle, and secondly, our last end. Then there is excess when we seem higher than what we really are when we do good ostentatiously to impress and we believe exempted from the common way, when we prefer to others unfairly under the microscope light straw neighbor in the eye of the beam and not in ours, when we treat our senior with a critical and rebellious which we closely watch their every move or steps to control them, judge them and blame them, making us very difficult their authority and orders, obedience and permissions, aspiring to independence detrimental to virtue.
Nothing, indeed, not more damaging to the sanctification that this disorder. For it is indeed a delusion, a veil, a blindfold, an ignorance of God, our neighbor and ourselves, as a denial of the truth conveyed by the One who said he and the Light those who represent it. According
Mr. Tronson is even a disease that leads to madness, there being no greater than the arrogant fools who revel in wind and smoke, which lost to the eternal glory of a moment and who, to avoid humiliation few fleeting, that it attracts will never end.
This is obviously the folly of that resists front Lucifer to God or their legitimate representatives in a grave matter, which do or say nonsense against justice or charity, about debts or reputation.
To characterize the general form of pride that we call a disorder, saying that was the breaking of spring which raises the whole life to God.
St. Augustine makes this thought as follows: "Man, he said, falling from above and from any of God, falls primarily on himself. "Like water that flows from a high mountain to the deepest abyss, the soul of God falls upon itself, rushing to what is below.
As to the particular forms of pride, they are determined in relation to oneself, against others and by degrees.
By flatters the pride, exalts or imagined property external or internal, birth and wealth, health and beauty, science and skill, trial and piety.
We are exposed to indulge in the honor and good reputation of our family we grieve excessively or otherwise. Are we favored some property, we pride ourselves in believing that the duty ourselves.
If we enjoy good health, we would say it depends no doubt that our prudence and hence, the sick, they suffer, it's their fault.
Beauty, because we feel good, makes us believe wrongly that she has chosen to live here and it requires little care that are not always consistent with the seriousness.
intelligence may claim a science, a virtue, a fine decision it can not go to another star than his own, not to discuss at length a contrary opinion deemed unacceptable in advance poorly founded.
Fervor Similarly, among some, according to St. John of the Cross, can feed a certain vanity, which manifests itself in conversation by a tendency to stir questions of spirituality and mingling lessons or blame "for those who do not understand no devotion in their own way ", then add outdoor demonstrations and strange attitudes.
According to the same doctor, this vanity pushes him to seek the good graces of the confessor, to condemn it when it does not approve the actions and grieve beyond measure errors that we presumptuously thought impossible and inevitable droughts of piety.
all this is called being full of yourself. Or is wearing a headband over his eyes is to see the light and painfully affect its entry into the soul where it should prevail to ensure progress.
In respect of others, pride feeds disdain if not a little contempt. If it encounters obstacles, he bursts into jealousy, hatred, slander, by calumny, rash decision.
He must dominate; resists it does it, he crushes it dirty, he tramples. Previously, he has done everything possible to capture the views, attention, esteem and praise, he has taken all ways to avoid boredom to pass unnoticed and the horror of being despised. The duty has sometimes been sacrificed to respect human or other meanness.
What do you want? The proud eats compliments he sometimes refers to God lip service. He cares more for his glory and his interests than the interests and glory of God, much less good and happiness of his neighbor.
short, it is practically the center around which all others must, in his imagination, organize their lives, only to have a cult for his own excellence.
Who does not recognize the depth of this disorder where the human wants to emulate the divine?
St. Thomas, St. Bernard transcribing with docility, fix the number of twelve degrees. I list them from first to last. To each it seems that pride has taken a step.
Pride begins with the curiosity that wants to see and monitor everything everywhere. Then it is the lightness of spirit that spreads by word unnecessary, untimely and bold. Succeeded joy silly and misplaced. Occurs the boasting or bragging about the boldness to preach his behavior as the best.
Hence the singularity there is only one step, the fifth, it knows that this evil manifests a disposition to act in a manner contrary to the habits of common life. This attitude leads to arrogance in supporting the views or own ideas.
One imagines that the presumption that believes itself capable of anything never fails. On the occasion of the faults, the willingness to apologize does not allow himself to wait.
This leads to the concealment of his confession falls, led to the revolt, creating a need for unbridled freedom. Then the soul leads to contempt of God, sin usual.
These are multiple forms of this disorder that is the pride, the sin of the mind inherently less shameful, less demeaning, but more severe, "writes St. Thomas, that the sins of the flesh, because it distracts us closer to God and makes us look like the devil.
Bossuet adds: "It is this vice that has poured into the bottom of our bowels to the word of the serpent who told us in the person of Eve: Ye shall be as gods. And we swallowed the deadly poison [...]. He penetrated to the marrow of our bones, and all our soul has been infected. "
The depth of this evil seems still in its effects and its remedies themselves who must be a particular strength.
Source of all sin, pride is hidden at the bottom of all crimes, all wars, all divisions, all the hatreds and antipathies of all sins.
We hasten to repeat here: There is no greater obstacle to perfection. It is not at all put to console because it avoids the severity of advertence and therefore mortal sin. For the same time we are guilty in the case of the consequences of pride in a lifetime, starting with the most depressing sterility. We too often forget that our responsibilities extend far beyond our present actions. It is not excusable.
Perfection Christian is comprised of many graces due to the generosity of God. But the pride resists God in himself or his representatives, and God resists the proud. That is the opposite of the docility of intimate grace that only the humble taste. So perfection and pride repel. Moreover, the spiritual progress leads to an accumulation of merit. But while
merit rises in the purity of intentions, pride, making it more sometimes ostentatiously acts like the Pharisees, to be seen, to please himself or to others.
Pride button his reward on earth deserves, heavenly reward, he is not allowed: it is humility.
To move forward, every soul shall pray, not superficially but deeply. That means with humility for pride knows no sincere prayer and confidence. Also, falling over himself he discourages faster than it goes up to God.
With the next, you do not see it give a good prince, on the contrary, it is biting, he speaks with bitterness and violence, he puts in his words of bitterness, injustice, cruelty even, at any price if he wants to shoot under his feet.
Ultimately, anxious, confused, agitated, consumed by the desire to win, he creates from scratch misfortune. Not knowing kneel before anyone, in the end it falls prostrate and debased.
on a long plank of existence, so the pride behind a sterile mediocrity: again, no grace, no merit, no peace without or within. I should add: not chaste either, to conform to the experience of souls and the authority of St. Thomas says that "God drops in the lust unconscious proud of his pride, for he so within the scope of humiliation and confusion. "
An example of this sterility we just draw the lines.
At the dawn of this century, circa 1909, a Visitation of Paris, great reputation for piety views, will and dedication, having been cured by the Sacred Heart of an incurable disease, saw her Divine Husband open his eyes to the Book of Life in terms of good works.
pages followed another all white. From time to time, a statement was emphasized: one day, a good act of humility, such a day, well accepted humiliation; such other day, great contempt self. That was all. Work, prayers and sacrifices were conspicuous by their absence. They had been put down to self-love, not of divine charity. What a loss! What a disappointment!
Yet how strange? God sterilize everything when everything proceeds inclinations of nature or the will of the ego. St. Magdalen de Pazzi goes further and precisely: "This failure, she said, is to the soul what a plant in the worm that gnaws at the roots: it not only deprives it of its fruit, but he kills. And St. Ignatius of Loyola is a grim determination. Listen to his words: "From one hundred people of prayer, there are more than ninety who do not want to do as they please "The same holy enjoyed a small sacrifice of one's own will more than hours of prayers. By engaging them and avoiding this, one can "run quickly, but out of the way" out of the way of perfection. "To stop the rise of a soul to God, just a thread, in the words of St. John of the Cross. The string breaks when the will is broken. But "broken will, perfect will."
Why is she will own a vacuum in terms of God, even in piety? Because it cuts ties with God, she gradually exterminated little, it withers there any supernatural and infused in us, sanctifying grace and the virtues that make him train.
Daughter of pride and mandatrice, it executes its orders by disturbing the brain as a drink that intoxicates, and blinding the eyes, she no longer allows him to see the beauty of virtue or vice of ugliness.
It thus plays the role of the devil and the devil is relying on her in the struggle and the onslaught of evil against the soul. Our spiritual life has no worse enemy.
All our troubles result. We would like this, we would like that. That despondency and disgust. At least that's the trouble.
The trouble because we do not live with such a leader, such a person in this job you want, or that we ask and do not come.
Sainte Madeleine de Pazzi painted in vivid colors the portrait of the ravages of free will in a multitude of souls. She gave the fruit of ecstasy.
One of these souls gathered and all seemed well united to Jesus full of indulgence, yet some days it do not go an hour without an upset occurred does throw in a complete disorder. Another
attending the Holy Sacrifice as a fire of divine love; we ventured then to report one of its defects, it refused to believe, or believing in it, for it was raining wounded pride his explanations and his bitterness.
Another was practicing austerities, as soon as obedience wanted to stop, she stumbled to an obstinate stubbornness. Another
that the refectory was engaged seriously mortification and he reveled in it, the excessive caution was offered and unjust deprivation of food desired. This
another conversation applied to show great wisdom, weighed every word and passed so as to see its perfection.
A final, finally, was spent in the practice of charity toward the neighbor, but it required thanks, attention in return, and praise. Well
Similar religious spirit of seeking Jesus in the way they liked their way unfit to receive it. Their own will dethroned Jesus. But
dethrone Jesus is without him, prevent him from acting, paralyze the supernatural even in the midst of the most holy works.
Truly, pride has terrible consequences. For what remedies
avert this disaster?
Besides the prayer "is useful at all" and necessary call the conscience of our nothingness, the memory of our sins and renouncing our own will.
What are we? Not much. So deserving of oblivion.
We were made of anything and we would return to nothing without the Creator that we care. In addition, we represent something ephemeral, borrowed and fragile. We hold the treasure of the divine, but it's a free gift to grow, we must make when death will strike us to throw ourselves at the feet of our Judge.
By ourselves without the help of God we can do nothing, or know, or think or learn, or want, nor love, nor act, nor live. And therefore, that we are worth? What we cost the blood of God, whereby we freely welcome. Yes, but it is God who works and communicates. In her honor and glory! It is our shame and forgiveness for having misused!
For, in addition to being that little, we are sinners and deserve as such contempt. A sin is so great in his boldness, his contempt, his ingratitude and rebellion deicide that we must be ready to atone for all the humiliations possible slanders slanders, insults and injustices, which also last long. Even venial sins, according to the testimony of the saints, glory to God a delight that cuts deep in a lifetime never come back alone.
Convinced that we are, "let us follow our will" is the advice of the Holy Spirit, because that's the only way to love God. The devil understands and he hates obedience, he inspires the souls of strong repugnance to obey, to do the will of others. Saints resist him.
The founder of the Visitation meditating on the distinctive stamp to be engraved in the hearts of her sisters, someone suggested to him make them go barefoot; "I prefer to start with the head," replied the saint. He once wrote to St. Chantal: "I wish the girls in your congregation have feet well shod, well barefoot but the heart and very bare of earthly affections, that they have their heads well covered and good mind discovered with perfect simplicity and counting one's own will. "The illustrious
spiritual father probably thought with St. Basil the souls attached themselves to look like lepers able to infect everyone around them by their bad examples. As it is true that giving self is the essential basis of the inner life. Do
want nothing, seek nothing, will pay nothing. Love this very sweet Jesus, and just as ignorant and someone who considers others better than himself. In pursuing this does the pleasure of the Beloved. What we like, dislike him often!
BARABE Paul-Henri, OMI Director
retreats, House of the Sacred Heart, Hull. (1943)
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