Pride Vs. Humility – The Struggle is Real

By: Christina M. Sorrentino 

After a quick search for “pride” on the Goodreads website, we come across a number of quotes within the pages of various books that illustrate a more praiseworthy meaning for the term. But  as Christians we see clearly in the words of scripture that there is nothing positive about pride:  

Hannah prayed, “Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for  the LORD is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed (1 Samuel 2:3). 

Pride

C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity even made the remark, “But Pride always means enmity — it is  enmity. And not only enmity between man and man, but enmity to God.” Today is usually the  Optional Memorial of Saint Nicholas, and it was pride that this great saint fought against when he challenged Arius in his belief in the inferiority of Christ at the First Ecumenical Council of  Nicea in 325AD. Arius thought he knew better than the Church and knew better than God, which led to the Arian Heresy, which is the belief that Christ is not Divine, and had been created by  God the Father. We see that heresy throughout the Church’s history has created a division between man and the Church, and a separation between man and God, which is the result of the sin of pride. 

When we think about pride often a certain kind of person comes to mind, and we imagine the individual with a specific temperament and certain characteristics. Perhaps, the image is of someone who speaks highly of himself or herself. Maybe, the picture we paint of someone who is prideful is an individual who has to be the center of attention. Or can it be the thought of someone who embellishes a story to make himself or herself look better, who speaks poorly of another to raise himself or herself up higher on the pedestal, or someone who naturally expresses the air of entitlement; an attitude of being better than another person? 

These are all possible examples of prideful individuals, but the truth is that when we take a look at “pride,” we need to make an inward gaze towards ourselves. How many of us reading the list of prideful characteristics were thinking about someone we know that illustrates such examples of pride? Do we think to ourselves, “Thank God that I am nothing like that poor sinner over  there?” Remember, when we point one finger at someone else, there are more fingers pointing back at us. We need to take a good look at ourselves in a serious manner. 

The Lord has given us a multitude of gifts that are unique to us, and it is by using our God-given talent that we are able to accomplish much in our lives. But we need to remember that our accomplishments are not because of anything we have done, but is what God has done by working through us. God rejoices along with us in our successes and accomplishments as we use the gifts He gave us in the way that He intended for us to use them. When we are instruments of the Holy Spirit we use our gifts to do good in the world and to serve our fellow brothers and sisters. We recognize the Paraclete moving within us and working through us as we focus our eyes in a Heavenward gaze, where we offer a sincere thanksgiving to Him for what He has done in our lives. 

When we use our God-given gifts as a source to maintain power and control over others we turn our gaze inward, and away from God. We are no longer instruments of the Holy Spirit, but become instruments of the evil one. Our accomplishments no longer become that which brings glory to God, but become gratification for ourselves, and inflates our egos. Our hearts no longer hold any room for Christ because we are completely filled with the self. When we make ourselves into our own little “god” and place our trust and confidence in our own little “idol” we commit the sin of pride. 

Humility

For every vice, there is an opposing virtue, and the opposing virtue for the sin of pride is humility. It is possible to combat a vice by practicing the corresponding virtue. St. Augustine has written, “Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. Do you plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.” 

Pope Francis defines humility in his Address to the Roman Curia on December 21, 2015: 

Humility is “the virtue of the saints and those who let themselves be filled with God . . . the more  important they become in the eyes of others, the more they come to realize that they are nothing,  and can do nothing apart from God’s grace (cf. Jn 15:8) 

When we think of the qualities of someone who has humility, how would we describe them? Are there particular individuals that come to mind? St. Thérèse of Lisieux? Blessed Margaret of  Castello? St. Joseph of Cupertino? How about the grown child who cares for an aged or infirm parent? A priest who spends an entire day alternating between sitting in the confessional and offering spiritual direction to his parishioners? Or a novice in a religious community who is falsely accused and labeled by the novice mistress, but remains in silence? 

The virtue of humility is a difficult one, especially since the culture of the world today is “all  about me.” Society teaches us that in order to get to the top we need to push, shove, and step on anyone that gets in our way. Everything that we do these days encourages us to fight until we get what we want in life. The belief is that we should have whatever we want and whenever we want it. There is then only room for ourselves in the master plan, and God is no longer a part of the equation. 

Today, it is so easy to rise to the top and become an overnight virtual sensation. How many young people are shown on YouTube or TikTok doing almost anything to become famous and have all eyes on them? How easy would it be for us to mock and sneer at them for acting so silly and foolish? But such behavior on our part is not how we are called to act as Christians. We cannot spread the message of the Gospel if we live out our days in a way that is contrary to the teachings of Christ.  

We need to pray for all of those who have been afflicted by the sin of pride; a vice that we have all been guilty of at one time or another. And we must also ask for the Lord to gift us with the grace of humility. We need to turn to God in hope that we may one day become holy and righteous. The truth is that humanity is in essential need of God’s love and mercy, and we desperately need His help in understanding that the only way to attain this primary virtue is to become like little children and run into the arms of our Father.