I really appreciate your focus on the sin of “pride”. I can certainly relate to it. It is much more difficult to recognize and thus to root out than other more obvious sins, but it sits there like an unrecognized cancer, spreading its poison steadily and unseen throughout the spiritual “body”.
I do also appreciate your links to NewAdvent on Pride. An interesting point which I didn’t know is that pride is not the base sin, the first sin – loss of faith is. Just as faith is the first step to heaven in the Theological Virtues (Faith, Hope, Live), loss of faith is the first step to separation and hell. As NewAdvent puts it:
– quote –
“Now that which is first to be generated is the last to be corrupted. Wherefore as faith is the first of virtues, so unbelief is the last of sins, to which sometimes man is led by other sins.”
– end quote –
Which recalls a quote from St Augustine:
– quote –
“Thus the world is like an oil press: under pressure . If you are the dregs if the oil, you are carried away in the sewer; if you are the genuine oil, you will remain in the vessel. To be under pressure is inevitable. Observe the dregs. Observe the oil. Pressure takes place all over the world … men grumble under the pressures, who say “How bad are the Christian times!” (Written in 415 btw). Thus speaks the dregs, their color is black because they blaspheme, they lack splendor. While in no another man the same pressure, the same friction polishes and refines him as pure oil”.
– end quote –
And in a commentary by the Regina Coeli Report: “… when faced with pressures and uncertainty in this life, man is tempted to fly into despair (loss of Hope), to become ‘dregs’ that flue into the sewer of anxiety, discontent and ultimately malice (loss of Charity). Only Faith and Hope in an eschatological end, in a life beyond thus one could man prove to be the ‘oil with splendor’ that perseveres”
Pride is bad. But it is not first. Loss of faith is first, failing to persevere.
Your post tied well into my readings for the morning and are very helpful in filling out the context of them. The devil lives in hopelessness. God is the pure Light at the end of the narrow path, through the narrow gate which is defined in its constant ascent by firm possession of the disciplines of the three Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope, Charity (Love).
Some food for thought: Sodom and Gomorrah were incinerated for less. The only thing keeping this running is the proprietary sacrifice of the mass.
In the bible we are told that some will pay heed to the doctrines of devils who will forbid meat and marriage. Now we are told eating meat and having a family are sins against the environment. Now is marriage with the express purpose of not procreating a binding marriage?
The bible tells us that there will be signs everywhere, including in the climate, warning us about the nearness of judgement. We see that but are told it’s because the climate gods are angry with our unsustainable lifestyles.
We see false teachers everywhere we look in Church. We now see how technology is leading us to a time where the book of revelation can be fulfilled, like not being able to buy or sell without a digital mark, or everyone in the world being able to see and celebrate the death of the two witnesses. An image that moves or speaks sound like a video,
I really appreciate your focus on the sin of “pride”. I can certainly relate to it. It is much more difficult to recognize and thus to root out than other more obvious sins, but it sits there like an unrecognized cancer, spreading its poison steadily and unseen throughout the spiritual “body”.
I do also appreciate your links to NewAdvent on Pride. An interesting point which I didn’t know is that pride is not the base sin, the first sin – loss of faith is. Just as faith is the first step to heaven in the Theological Virtues (Faith, Hope, Live), loss of faith is the first step to separation and hell. As NewAdvent puts it:
– quote –
“Now that which is first to be generated is the last to be corrupted. Wherefore as faith is the first of virtues, so unbelief is the last of sins, to which sometimes man is led by other sins.”
– end quote –
Which recalls a quote from St Augustine:
– quote –
“Thus the world is like an oil press: under pressure . If you are the dregs if the oil, you are carried away in the sewer; if you are the genuine oil, you will remain in the vessel. To be under pressure is inevitable. Observe the dregs. Observe the oil. Pressure takes place all over the world … men grumble under the pressures, who say “How bad are the Christian times!” (Written in 415 btw). Thus speaks the dregs, their color is black because they blaspheme, they lack splendor. While in no another man the same pressure, the same friction polishes and refines him as pure oil”.
– end quote –
And in a commentary by the Regina Coeli Report: “… when faced with pressures and uncertainty in this life, man is tempted to fly into despair (loss of Hope), to become ‘dregs’ that flue into the sewer of anxiety, discontent and ultimately malice (loss of Charity). Only Faith and Hope in an eschatological end, in a life beyond thus one could man prove to be the ‘oil with splendor’ that perseveres”
Pride is bad. But it is not first. Loss of faith is first, failing to persevere.
Your post tied well into my readings for the morning and are very helpful in filling out the context of them. The devil lives in hopelessness. God is the pure Light at the end of the narrow path, through the narrow gate which is defined in its constant ascent by firm possession of the disciplines of the three Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope, Charity (Love).
Some food for thought: Sodom and Gomorrah were incinerated for less. The only thing keeping this running is the proprietary sacrifice of the mass.
In the bible we are told that some will pay heed to the doctrines of devils who will forbid meat and marriage. Now we are told eating meat and having a family are sins against the environment. Now is marriage with the express purpose of not procreating a binding marriage?
The bible tells us that there will be signs everywhere, including in the climate, warning us about the nearness of judgement. We see that but are told it’s because the climate gods are angry with our unsustainable lifestyles.
We see false teachers everywhere we look in Church. We now see how technology is leading us to a time where the book of revelation can be fulfilled, like not being able to buy or sell without a digital mark, or everyone in the world being able to see and celebrate the death of the two witnesses. An image that moves or speaks sound like a video,