Have you noticed the blemish of pride in people around you? I see it wherever I turn. Having been in the world of business for the past several decades, I’ve witnessed enough pride to last me several lifetimes. But this isn’t only an issue among the rich and powerful; pride affects the poor just as easily. And pride obviously runs rampant in the Church, often marked both by the self-promotion of its leaders and the obstinacy of its members.

Pride not only manifests itself in rebellion against God, but is also the cause of harm to our relationships with others. The root of pride in our nature makes us feel like we’re better than those around us. This cancer spans the common experience of man, from the personal level to interaction between nations. It is witnessed in our offensive attitudes and behavior toward one another, and in extreme cases even results in crimes against humanity. So it’s not hard to see why God cannot tolerate the festering of pride in His children. It’s just too destructive. And on the flip side, this is precisely why humility is such a coveted virtue in God’s eyes.