MAN IS BORN WITH A HEART FULL OF PRIDE

(A Consequence of Original Sin)

Man usually rash judges his neighbor. The whole journalistic endeavor is to easily judge others with no, or the least evidence of, truth. We even introduce our judgments with, "I actually saw it; I actually heard it; I got it from a reliable source."

This is proof of the mass of pride that dries up our hearts. Most of the time we are infinitely more guilty than the person whom we are boldly judging. . .which should give us reason to fear. For, at the end, we might see him going to heaven while we are dragged down to hell.

"Oh, unfortunate pride, you dare to judge your brother on the slightest appearance of evil and how do you know that he has not repented of his fault and that he is not numbered among God's friends? Take care, rather, that he does not take the place which your pride is putting you in great danger of losing," says St. Augustine.

All those rash judgments and all those interpretations can come only from a person who has a secret pride, who does not know himself, and who dares to wish to know the interior life of his neighbor.

So, first eradicate this capital sin from your heart; let us not amuse ourselves by spending time analyzing the conduct of our neighbors. We should be content to do nothing else save weep for our own sins and work as hard as we could to correct them.

St. John Vianney  

(11-05-02)