Mary Magdalene, Seven Daily Demons, and Seven Antidotes

(Image for pride from a collection on the seven deadly sins by Jacques de L’Ange courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Pride! I would suggest this vice resides less in our image of our selves more in our willful attachments to it. It is not pride to acknowledge of our gifts, place, abilities, achievements or whatever else. It is pride to cling to them and to glory in them at the expense of our neighbor or our faithfulness to God or some real part of our own vocations. We know we have fallen into pride not when we acknowledge ourselves, but when we exaggerate ourselves and especially when we resist honoring persons and things outside ourselves. We sin in pride when we hold on to ourselves when others need our attention, energy, or recognition. We can especially know ourselves to have a proud attitude if we find ourselves looking down on another for any reason. In place of this may God’s mercy fill us with. . .