Pride and Humility
Seven roots
Temperance keeps us from doing what is wrong (sinning) even when we have strong feelings for it. There are seven roots from which all sin stems thus they are called the Deadly Sins. We will take the first today, Pride and its conquering virtue – Humility.
Our goal is to see oneself accurately – realistically – according to reality. To understand correct place in relation to God and to others.
The deadly sin of pride is to lose sight of your relative place in the grand scheme of things. Pride is to have an unrealistic estimation of oneself.
a. I can think too highly of myself – egotistic, arrogant, conceited, or above oneself, - an excessive self-assertion
b. I can think to lowly of myself – timid – an excessive self-consciousness.
The following list (compiled by St. Jose-maria Escriva) is a good criteria for locating your dominant form of pride:
Thinking that what you do or say is better than what others do or say; always wanting to get your own way; arguing when you are not right; arguing when you are right but with bad manners or insisting stubbornly; giving your opinion without being asked, when charity does not demand you to do so; despising the point of view of others; not being aware that all the gifts and qualities you have are on loan (from God); not acknowledging that you are unworthy of all honor or esteem, even the ground you are treading on or the things you own; mentioning yourself as an example in conversation; speaking badly about yourself, so that others may form a good opinion of you; making excuses when rebuked; being hurt that others are held in greater esteem than you; refusing to carry out menial tasks; seeking or wanting to be singled out; dropping words of self-praise in conversation, or words that might show your honesty or wit or skill or professional prestige; being ashamed of not having certain possessions.[1]
St Thomas in the Summa (Q. 75, 84) defines Pride in 3 parts:
Pride is to turn away from God and seek to satisfy our desire for happiness in the things of the world alone:
Every sin consists of two elements
Turning away from God (Sirach 10:14)
Turning toward a fleeting good, trying to find all our happiness there
Pride is a disordered desire for Excellence or Perfection,
to be better than all others,
to be above all others
to have control or power over all things
Pride refuses to be subject to God through His Church in matters of faith and morals
Pride is the radical self-reliance that leads us to believe we have everything we need to be happy; therefore, we do not need God which causes us to not want God and not do the things that foster friendship with God.
Joseph Peiper: “All neurosis seems to have as a common symptom an egocentric anxiety, a tense and self-centered concern for security, an inability to let go. In short, the kind of love for one’s own life that leads straight to the loss of life.”
Humility conquers the sin of pride.
Joseph Pieper said: Humility is man's estimation of himself according to truth or reality and that's almost all there is to it.
Jesus said to St. Catherine of Siena, “Catherine, remember one thing; I am He who is, and you are she who is not.
If pride is to think too highly of oneself or too lowly of oneself, then humility is to think accurately of yourself.
A. In comparison to God I am next to nothing. I am not God and I have limits. I don’t not have everything I need, therefore I need God and others.
B. In relation to God I am His immeasurably beloved and precious child. I am worthwhile, I have gifts, talents, and strengths that are needed for the good of others.
Pride is the disordered desire for excellence.
It is a craving for excellence beyond what is reasonable, an inordinate desire for one’s own superiority. Reason requires that a man reach up for what is proportionate to him, and proportionate to his abilities. In pride a man seeks to be more than he should be. It makes a man hate being equal to men, and hate being less than God. Have I refused to admit my own weaknesses? Have I sought things beyond me? Have I dwelt on the failings of others? Have I judged others? Ranked myself better than others? In thought, word, or deed? Have I hated others? Have I refused to learn from others? Have I been stubborn? Refused to admit I was wrong? Refused to accept that another person had a better idea?
Gratitude is the bridge to move us from pride to humility.
Each day reflect on these questions: For what am I grateful; and to whom I am grateful? These are the concrete manifestations of God’s love for me. Then ask, how I have I responded to His love? With gratitude I recognize my need for God and the good things coming from Him to me. In this way Happiness follows gratitude.