“The Devil, the proud spirit, cannot endure to be mocked.”
- St. Thomas More, 16th Century
“God is stern in dealing with the arrogant, but to the humble He shows kindness.”
- Proverbs 3:34
“Hatred of God comes from pride. It is contrary to the love of God ...”
- The Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2094
“It was Pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels. “
- St. Augustine
Overweening pride, arrogance, haughtiness: these have been the stuff of tragedy. Vanity, fussiness, delicacy: the stuff of comedy. These are all forms of self-delusion, and paper-thin masks over rotting features. Pride and vanity refuse the truth about who we are and substitute illusions for reality. While vanity is mostly concerned with appearance, pride is based in a real desire to be God, at least in one’s own circle.
The first requirement of pride is spiritual blindness.
Pride goeth before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. - Proverbs 16:18