Dangers of pride

We see, too, so many difficulties overcome, so many misunderstandings clarified, so many environments renewed: an apostolate that becomes ever more extensive, more diverse and more effective. All this, my children, can sometimes become the occasion for an unjustified, but altogether possible form of self-satisfaction. We have to be on our guard against it ever happening. We must have a very sensitive conscience and react immediately.

Deeper humility

We cannot allow, even for a moment, thoughts of vanity about any service we might render to God, for in that very moment we would cease to be supernaturally effective. God does not desire conceited, self-important servants. On the contrary, he wants them to be convinced of their own unworthiness and filled with a holy determination not to hinder the work of grace: servite Domino in timore, et exsultate ei cum tremore; apprehendite disciplinam, nequando irascatur Dominus, et pereatis de via iusta,³¹ serve the Lord with fear, a fear that is the love of a child who does not wish to displease his Father; and rejoice in Him with trembling – with a tremor of love, I would translate it; lest he be angry, and you perish off the right way, and you lose the way.

Avoiding Pride

See how St Augustine comments on these words of Scripture: “He does not say, ‘Lest you do not come into the right way’; but Lest you perish in the right way (Ps 2:12). And what does he mean by this, except to warn those who are already walking in the right way to serve God with fear (Ps 2:11); that is, not to be conceited but fearful? Which signifies, that they should not be haughty, but humble. As he says in another place, Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly (Rom 12:16); let them rejoice in God, but with trembling; not boasting in anything, since nothing is ours, so that the one who boasts may boast in the Lord (2 Cor 10:17-18); lest they perish from the right way in which they have already begun to walk.”³²