The devil tempts us by three main methods: Pleasure, Honor, and Power. Pride is part of all three. He focuses on our main weakness, which is sinful-pride. Other languages have one word for sinful-pride and another for good-pride, but not in common conversational English. (We could call good-pride “magnanimity” and sinful-pride “hubris”; but we will stick to common language for now).
In English we tend to use the same words often with different meanings, depending on the context. Good-pride is the pride you have for your loved ones succeeding, one's country, or culture. It is “other minded” or “group minded.” But even these can become sinful, when brought to excess.
We will focus on sinful-pride here, referring to it as just plain “pride,” since that is where our battle lies. Pride is the foundation of all sin.
St. Gregory the Great, explains the tactic of the enemy well:
“For when pride, the queen of sins, has fully possessed a conquered heart, she surrenders it immediately to seven principal sins, as if to [summon] her generals, to lay [the soul] to waste. And an army...follows these generals, because, doubtless, there spring up from them importunate hosts of sins...For pride is the root of all evil, of which it is said, as Scripture bears witness; "Pride is the beginning of all sin". (Sirach 10, 1)” [Moral. xxxi, 45]
As said above we tend to use the same words, often losing their impact. Our indifferentism increases with constant exposure. So by trying to analyze a word and the concept it conveys, we can give new meaning to a common word.
Pride is the subjective claim to a "right." Either a "right: of honor, to power or of pleasure.
Let’s take pride apart to get an insight to how it functions. We will break up pride into two main aspects: Emotionalism and Domination.
Emotionalism wants constant stimulation and the pleasures of the world: sex, alcohol/drugs, and food. Like many sins, it is in the excess and not the rightful place and time that is the problem. Sex in marriage is good; alcohol on special occasions-in moderation is good; drugs in use for special medical treatments is good; food as sustenance or even pleasure--in moderation is good.
Virtue is usually found in the middle of extremes. Courage is the middle ground between cowardice on one hand, and foolhardiness on the other. As long as the action is not sinful in its essence, the middle is where we want to be.
Emotionism is all about excess, it is the delusion of vitality. They claim the “right” to constant stimulation, which is a distraction from the reality they don’t want to face-- of being just an average person. Not only are the physical pleasures a temptation and a “right”, but Emotionalism can also express itself in anger; arguments getting the adrenaline started --giving a false sense of “being alive;” or “being authentic”. Emotionalists have little regard for who they may hurt --emotionally or physically. As our Lord teaches, the pleasures of the world choke the spirit:
Luke 8:14:
“And as for [the seeds that] fell among the thorns, they are those who hear [The Gospel], but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.”
Or as the Wise Man says in Proverbs:
Proverbs 21:17:
“Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.”
What could be poorer or sadder than losing heaven for five minutes of sexual pleasure? Or those three extra beers? Or eating until your health gives out? Selling our birthright like Esau for a mess of porridge. (cf. Genesis 25:29–34)
Domination is the other aspect to pride more clearly seen as pride. Those controlled by this aspect, have an exalted view of their own opinions and abilities. They feel compelled to control every situation, because “no one knows how to do it right except me!” They make all situations a symbol of their self worth. Failure is not an option, because that would just prove that they are average human beings--doing some things well and other things not so good. The humility of averageness is considered an enemy.
While everything is so important to the Dominant personality, they also despise being “needed” to do trivialities, and they think : “I should be doing fantastic things, if it weren’t for these incompetent people holding me back!” They dominate others showing how “powerful” they are.
Both the Emotionalist and the Dominant, are joined together in deploring their daily duties of everyday life. We all have this repugnance for trivialities and nuisances of daily life; it is part of our fallen nature.
But for the Emotionalist and the Dominant, the life of daily routine is an endless torture, squeezed dry of every drop of joy, drained of every semblance of importance, usefulness or value. All that is important is their delusion of self importance, and everything else is a waste of time-- in ordinary responsibilities.
The answer is simple to them: There must be nothing trivial, meaningless, or unimportant in the sphere of daily existence, but only for their own pleasure and If it will not give them pleasure or self-aggrandizement, then it will be avoided, at all costs.
If avoidance doesn’t work, then everything must be drenched in a flood of feelings and stimulation. Plain conversations, questions and answers must not be tolerated. They must be converted into heated arguments, or pathetic complaints. Fights create a feeling of “life” and importance, and feelings of indignation. Creating a whirlwind of emotions and self importance-- destroying peace and harmony in the home or community. But in the end, the stimulation they sought for comfort, in their tantrum, turns back on them, providing sentiments of self-pity, self-blame and self hatred.
But what if there were a way to not only see meaning in humdrum daily life, and not only that, but increase in Sanctifying Grace by it?
Our Lord revealed to Sister Lucia of Fatima:
“The sacrifice required of every person is the fulfillment of his duties in life and the observance of My law. This is the penance that I now seek and require.” And: “More than all else, accept and bear with resignation the sufferings that God may send you.” (Our Lord to Sister Lucia, 1943)
Jesus Himself in Scripture said, “My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me.” (John 4:34) He also taught us “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)
What else would He be referring to when teaching us to take up our cross daily to follow Him – except daily duty? Assured of this, we can find our way to be able to pray in our hearts with the poet, “Thank God for the bitter and ceaseless strife…” (Joyce Kilmer-”Thanksgiving”) It is in the fire of stress, we show our love.
1 Peter 1:7
“so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ”
Picture an average man working in a shop or in an office. The work itself may be boring, routine, and tiring. But if done out of love to maintain his family, and an eye to his job's usefulness to society as a whole-- brings a sense of depth and meaning to all activities. An uninteresting job assumes the aspect of importance, dignity, and responsibility. The shop or office routine as such may give no stimulation, but the thought of loved ones benefiting, produces a feeling of joy, from generosity, responsibility, and consistency-- giving rise to a virtuous man.
Not only this but if he joins his actions to Christ’s through a consecration of his daily duties done for the love of God, and the salvation of souls, he makes his work holy. The power of his actions become infinite since they are now the actions of Jesus through him. Making up for what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ:
Colossians 1:24
“Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the Church.”
We must realize that for routine to become palatable and acceptable it must be capable of supplying a higher ideal-- through loved ones, and the salvation of souls-- than the job at hand. A feeling of joy, satisfaction and positive stimulation accompanies the fulfillment of duties. Even if at the start we don’t want to do said duty, by doing it anyway, we strengthen our Wills to virtue and an increase in Grace. Giving daily work a sense of dignity, no matter how mundane it may appear.
Luke 16:10
“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.”
When a humble man does a heroic deed, for example a firefighter, what does he usually say when praised? “I was just doing my job” He sees the reality that he just happened to be the right person at the right time. But he isn’t much different from all of us. He sees himself as an average man-- good at something, not at others.
Humility is the answer to pride and the most practical way to be humble is to do our duties as best we can. Because God gave us the ability and in the end, we will all say :
Luke 17:10
“ ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”
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