The most deadly capital vice.

The most deadly capital vice.
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Pride is the most deadly of the seven capital vices.

While the other capital vices originated from human beings, pride originated from Satan.

Before his fall he was Lucifer, one of the brightest Angels, created by God, before the creation of man.

His brightness and beauty were free gifts of God to him.

But he began to think himself greater than God.

His pride brought about his downfall.

Lucifer became Satan.

Yielding to his temptation our first parents brought about our downfall.

Pride was the first sin committed by the created beings against their Creator.

It is the king of all the vices.

Satan, which tricked Eve into sin, continues his work even now.

He tries to play his tricks on the servants of God.

When they  do their service in the vineyard of God sincerely, people who are benefited by their service begin to applaud them.

   The applause goes straight to God because it is He who is behind the service.

No good work can be done without God's grace.

But Satan tempts the servants to think that the applause is for them.

Imagine the donkey that Jesus used to ride into Jerusalem thinking that the crowd had turned out for him!

Satan will tempt the servants to do the service for getting public applause.

They should at that time
remember the prayer taught by Our Lord: " Father, lead us not into temptation."

At every moment of their service "Glory be to God" must be their activating force.

The proud man does not teach to enlighten,

but

rather to  impress,

and

to appear as the authority.

So the Pharisees laid heavy moral burdens upon the shoulders of the people without lifting a finger to help them (Mat 23:4).

They coveted the title of “teacher” (“rabbi”)

and

“father” (teachers in the ancient world were regarded as spiritual fathers),

but

really did not want the responsibility.

When Jesus says to avoid being called “teacher” and “father,” He did not refer to the titles, but to the attitude.

Humble persons realize that the wisdom of the teachers comes from God.

It is God who instructs others through their mouths.

They know that the applause ultimately is for Him.

They are glad to redirect it back to Him as Mary does when she is praised by her cousin Elizabeth (Luke 1: 42-55).

Pride is deadly because it is so insidious.

In course of time it will make its owner spiritually blind.

The humble person, on the other hand, is secure in the love of God.

  He is not afraid to look at his own littleness, because he knows that he is a loving child of Almighty God.

Lourdu Selvam.