The Eight Vices - Pride
The most sinister of demons, pride attacks the perfect and destroys all good works, leading to ruin
If you’ve been following this series on the eight vices, a question has more than likely arisen in your mind, your conscience or your heart and soul. Which vice or sin or demon is the most sinister of all. Which one is the most likely to lead you down that road of ruin, which one will take from you while convincing you it is doing the exact opposite. My dear friends, this demon is the demon of Pride!
Pride has the ability to attack all of your good works and unravel everything that you achieve as you battle and put up the good fight to your demons and vices in this life. Pride attacks the perfect to destroy it, and so preventing you from leading that good life. You see, Pride is a corrupting force and a gateway vice to all the others.
The other vices can be seen as more focused. Gluttony will attack your self-control and moderation, the same as Unchastity does. Avarice will attack your ability to live a frugal and simple life, free of the destructive urges to hoard, accumulate and compare yourself against the gains of others and in doing so lead back to the other aforementioned demons. Anger too, will serve to kill your gentleness and calm, striking at your mind, and ripping away your serenity. Remember, each demon plays a part in your destruction, while also feeding the other demons and together their collective goal is to corrupt and own your soul.
Two primary examples of Pride would be the initial fall of angels from heaven. It was their Pride that would not let them serve, thinking they should rule instead. Where do we think the phrase "Pride comes before a fall" originates from? Another is the the new religions of the world that teach that we are gods in ourselves, that we create, we manifest, we are the light. All Pride in hiding, feeding your need to more, without the need to look outside yourself to answer the bigger questions of our souls journey on earth.
What is the remedy or armor to battle and defeat Pride, well that is humility. Be humble in your thoughts, words and actions. Live your life as someone who serves something bigger than themselves and that bigger thing serving all of us, not just the most Prideful few.
Pride brings out the worst in us. Pride makes us act and behave in abhorrent ways. Pride will make us lie to others and ourselves, and Pride will never accept responsibility or blame for its actions.
Yet not I, But the grace of God which was with me | Cor 15:10
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