Assyria prided itself in accomplishing its mission to punish Israel for its pride. This is asking for trouble. So the Lord responded: "I will punish the utterance of the king of Assyria's proud heart, and the boastfulness of his haughty eyes" (Is 10:12-13). Pride has an extreme power to blind us spiritually. We can even pride ourselves on punishing others' pride.

In the Western world, we live in a culture of death, that is, a culture of sin, for "the wages of sin is death" (Rm 6:23). A culture of death and sin is necessarily a culture of pride, for pride is the capital of the capital sins. Thus we are surrounded by pride. For example, the Lord died on the cross for us and gives us His body and blood, but many Catholics say to God by their actions: "I may go to Mass and Communion, if I feel like it and it doesn't inconvenience me." This is pride. The Lord told us the Bible is His word, but many watch TV instead of reading the Bible. This is blind pride. Many act like they know more than God, the Church, and almost everyone who has preceded them. This is pervasive pride.

Therefore, let us humble ourselves (Mt 23:12) by repenting, forgiving, apologizing, serving, and taking the lowest place (Lk 14:10). Otherwise, the Lord will have to humble us in an attempt to prevent us from walking blindly into the place of everlasting pride, that is, hell.

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Robert A. Stricker, December 13, 2003

Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, December 18, 2003