Pride make you think you’re an angel; Angels: Day 157

It’s easy to get all puffed up with even the humblest  honor, says Sulpitius Severus. If the Church puts you in a position of responsibility, you may think you’re some sort of But you’re not. You’re just making a fool of yourself.

But when I think about these things, it occurs to me how unhappy and weak we are. Who is there among us who isn’t elated with pride right away, or puffed up with vanity, if one miserable fellow has greeted us humbly, or one woman has given us foolish and flattering compliments? Then what happens? Even if you don’t have any conscious feeling of sanctity, the flattery—or perhaps some fool’s mistake—makes you think you’re very holy indeed! And then, if you get fre- quent gifts, you’ll start to think they come to you because of God’s own generosity, since everything you need is given to you even while you sleep.

But then, if some signs of any power happen to fall on you, no matter how little—well, you think you’re no less than an angel!

And even if you aren’t distinguished from anyone else, either by what you do or what you’re capable of, what happens if you’re just made a cleric? Instantly you put long fringes on your robe, and you’re delighted by the way everyone greets you. You’re puffed up when people visit, and you go wandering around everywhere. Even if you used to travel on foot, or at most rode a donkey—now you’re proudly riding on foaming steeds. You used to be happy in your humble cell, but now you build a lofty fretted ceiling. You put up lots of rooms, and you install carved doors and painted wardrobes. You won’t wear cheap clothes anymore, but you have to have soft garments. You order the dear widows to weave an embroidered cloak for you, and the friendly virgins to weave you a flowing robe.

But I’ll leave it to Jerome to describe these things more sarcastically. –Sulpitius Severus, Dialogue 1, 21

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

What in my life gives me the most pride? Is that pride leading me away from what God really wants for me? Do I have the humility to see how far I am from the angels?

CLOSING PRAYER

Lord, you know my weakness.  Through the ministry of your holy angels, deliver me from the evil one and his pride.

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