12/5/2021

It was good to be back, even shackled with a boot. Thank all of you for your encouragement and support while I was away, and thanks for all those offers of help – I may still need some. And thank you for welcoming Fr. Chuck Tobin as he so graciously, generously, and capably filled in for me while I was recuperating. He has indeed been a friend in need!
There are two more “deadly thoughts,” pride and acedia. I will write about pride today, and later about acedia, which is not included in the traditional seven “deadly sins.” Vanity and pride are close cousins. Vanity causes one to be selfsatisfied and complacent, while pride causes one to put oneself at the center of reality as self-important. The vain person may be blind to his/her weaknesses, yet does not see him/herself as objectively greater than others.The proud person may well be aware of his/her weaknesses, but nonetheless see him/herself as above others. There are two kinds of pride: 1) carnal pride which causes us to put ourselves above other humans, and 2) spiritual pride which causes one to see oneself as above or equal to even God. Pride is seen as the root of all evil, especially in the rebellion of Lucifer (the most gifted and beautiful of all the angels) against God.
A proud person is gifted, often has succeeded in conquering the other “deadly thoughts” and the vices they lead to, except perhaps vanity. This person will see him/herself as above the law, may be suspicious, obstinate, quick to anger, and will identify his own desires as pursuing the spiritual life, probably will not apologize or admit wrongdoing, and sees him/ herself as self-sufficient, not even beholding to God, who may or may not exist according to this person.
The remedy for pride is humility. Humility can be confused with humiliation. Humility is the ability to see things the way that they really are: It recognizes that we and all creation are dependent on a creator whom we call God. Anything we are or do depends on the graciousness of Our Lord. Mary, once again, demonstrates humility in her response to the Angel Gabriel, “Let it be done unto me according to thy word.” Again, in the Magnificat, Mary proclaims the greatness not of her decision, but of the work of God in her – her greatness lies in her humble cooperation in God’s plan. About the proud, she says, “He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit.” Pride isolates and leaves one alone, the center of a lonely and isolated world the proud create for themselves. Humility allows us to recognize the strengths, weaknesses, and dependency of ourselves and all creation on God, and so fosters a sense of community based on our common dependency on God.
So these are the seven “deadly thoughts” which can and should be contrasted to seven virtues which counteract the thoughts: gluttony vs. moderation, lust vs. chaste love, greed vs. generosity, anger vs. gentleness, sadness/dejection vs. hope, vanity vs. magnanimity, and pride vs. humility. To practice these virtues, one needs to turn to God for help, as in all things, rather than to the “deadly thoughts” which do not lead to happiness.
May we open our hearts to God’s grace this Advent!

Father Albert, O.S.B