Thought for the Day – 6 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971) (Apologies for the late post – the usual South African problem to blame – Power Cuts! 🙄)
Pride is Robbery!
“When we are proud, we steal from God!
Everything which we are and have, both in the natural and supernatural order, is a gift from God.
Therefore, when we claim the credit for ourselves, we take from Him that which really belongs to Him.
“What hast thou that thou hast not received.” asks St Paul. “And if thou has received it, why do thou boast as if thou had not received it?” (1 Cor 4:7).
Pride is a very grave sin, therefore.
According to Sacred Scripture, “pride is the reservoir of sin, a source which runs over with vice” (Ecclus 10:15).
“The beginning of pride,” says the same Book of Ecclsiasticus, “is man’s stubbornness in withdrawing his heart from his Maker” (10:14).
It is worth meditating on these words, for because of this sin “God sends unheard-of afflictions and brings men to utter ruin” (Ecclus 10:15).
As St Augustine points out, the first sin was one of pride and it changed an angel into a demon. (In Ps 18:15).
When we reflect on the matter, it becomes quite clear, that pride is the basis of every sin (Ibid).
When man disobeys the law of God, he prefers sin to God.
Sin, therefore, is always an act of rebellion against God.
It is as if we were to say to Him: “I prefer to obey my own caprice, rather than to obey Your will.”
In this sense, it is true to state, that every sin is founded on pride and involves a turning away from God.
But, when we turn away from our Creator and Redeemer, where are we to go?
“Lord,” let us say with St Peter, “to whom shall we go? Thou has the words of everlasting life …” (Jn 6:69).”
Antonio Cardinal Bacci
AnaStpaul 