By Tom Thomas –
“God can give His truth and life only to those who have emptied themselves. We must create a vacuum in our own souls to make room for grace. We live under the impression that we do more than we actually do.” Archbishop Fulton J Sheen.
The Holy Father’s series of communications in the past weeks to educate us on the various vices are pointers to us in the various beasts and wild animals I need to conquer within myself. The General audience of 28th February 2024 covers the vices of envy and vainglory. I start reading these words on a calm, early Sunday morning when the rest of the household is asleep. The stillness helps the words sink in.
On Envy, the Holy Father says: “If we read Holy Scripture (cf. Gen 4), it appears to us as one of the oldest vices: Cain’s hatred of Abel is unleashed when he realizes that his brother’s sacrifices are pleasing to God. Cain was the firstborn of Adam and Eve, he had taken the largest share of his father’s inheritance; yet, it is enough for Abel, the younger brother, to succeed in a small feat, for Cain to become enraged. The face of the envious man is always sad: he’s always looking down, he seems to be continually investigating the ground; but in reality, he sees nothing, because his mind is wrapped up in thoughts full of wickedness. Envy, if unchecked, leads to hatred of the other. Abel would be killed at the hands of Cain, who could not bear his brother’s happiness.
Envy is an evil that has not only been investigated in the Christian sphere: it has attracted the attention of philosophers and wise men of every culture. At its basis is a relationship of hate and love: one desires the evil for the other, but secretly desires to be like him. The other is the epiphany of what we would like to be, and what we actually are not. His good fortune seems to us an injustice: surely, we think to ourselves, we would deserve his successes or good fortune much more!
At the root of this vice is a false idea of God: we do not accept that God has His own “math,” different from ours. For example, in Jesus’ parable about the workers called by the master to go into the vineyard at different times of the day, those in the first hour believe they are entitled to a higher wage than those who arrived last; but the master gives everyone the same pay, and says, “Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?” (Mt 20:15). We would like to impose our own selfish logic on God; instead, the logic of God is love. The good things He gives us are meant to be shared. This is why St. Paul exhorts Christians, “Love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honour” (Rom 12:10). Here is the remedy for envy!”
As I read the words of the Holy Father on Envy, I think of the many times I have been guilty of feeling unhappy when the other has something that I do not have despite my efforts, but what I want. In a sense, it seems like our striving from childhood, starting with the competitive exams at school is, I have to be the best, I deserve the best. I realise this is something I indeed have to change in my life and reflect on. It is truly difficult to be happy for me to be happy for one who has something I desire and don’t have. Could the traits of envy in Cain, have been sown by his mother Eve, as we see in Gen 4:1 , her pride in saying , “ I have gotten a man…” We also see that the Lord gave Cain warnings to turn back from his envious behaviour towards his brother Abel ( Gen 4: 5-7). In fact Gen 4:7 tells us “…And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at your door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” This aids my understanding to conquer this feeling in my human nature this vice of envy, which is contrary to my Christian self. The pillars of Lenten prayer, fasting, and almsgiving must help me root out this envy.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines Vainglory as:
- excessive or ostentatious pride especially in one’s achievements
- vain display or show.
On Vainglory, the Holy Father says, “It goes hand in hand with the demon of envy, and together these two vices are characteristic of a person who aspires to be the centre of the world, free to exploit everything and everyone, the object of all praise and love. Vainglory is an inflated and baseless self-esteem. The vainglorious person possesses an unwieldy “I”: he has no empathy and takes no notice of the fact that there are other people in the world besides him. His relationships are always instrumental, marked by the dominating the other. His person, his accomplishments, his achievements must be shown to everyone: he is a perpetual beggar for attention. And if at times his qualities are not recognized, he becomes fiercely angry. Others are unfair, they do not understand, they are not up to it.”
Reading these words, I am struck at how they strike close to home. Each time I post something on social media like Facebook, Instagram on Whatsapp, in a way am I not trying to show off my accomplishments to others? It seems so much the way of the world nowadays. Whatever we do, whether we eat out, go out, buy something or do anything, we have to broadcast to the whole world. Besides using social media less, what can I do to conquer this vice?
The Holy Father suggests, “To heal the vainglorious, spiritual teachers do not suggest many remedies. For in the end, the evil of vanity has its remedy in itself: the praise the vainglorious man hopes to reap from the world will soon turn against him. And how many people, deluded by a false self-image, have then fallen into sins of which they would soon be ashamed!
The finest instruction for overcoming vainglory can be found in the testimony of St. Paul. The Apostle always reckoned with a defect that he could never overcome. Three times he asked the Lord to deliver him from that torment, but finally Jesus answered him, “My grace is sufficient for you; for strength is fully manifested in weakness.” From that day Paul was set free. And his conclusion should also become ours: “I will therefore gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (2 Cor 12:9).”
These words help me. Let me be as I am, my true self, and not project a false self to the other. It is very difficult, but as St Paul mentioned, with God’s Grace anything is possible.
As I head out into the week, these thoughts come to me- let me be happy for the success of the other, let me be myself, I have my own God given abilities and talents which I do not need to broadcast to the whole world whenever I do something. Let me just do what I have to do, work on my Christian Mission in life until the day I am called by Him. These human vices are of no use to help us reach our heavenly destination.
This Lenten prayer by Henri Nouwen helps me to focus on what is truly important:
“The Lenten season begins. It is a time to be with you, Lord, in a special way, a time to pray, to fast, and thus to follow you on your way to Jerusalem, to Golgotha, and to the final victory over death.
I am still so divided. I truly want to follow you, but I also want to follow my own desires and lend an ear to the voices that speak about prestige, success, pleasure, power, and influence. Help me to become deaf to these voices and more attentive to your voice, which calls me to choose the narrow road to life.
I know that Lent is going to be a very hard time for me. The choice for your way has to be made every moment of my life. I have to choose thoughts that are your thoughts, words that are your words, and actions that are your actions. There are not times or places without choices. And I know how deeply I resist choosing you.
Please, Lord, be with me at every moment and in every place. Give me the strength and the courage to live this season faithfully, so that, when Easter comes, I will be able to taste with joy the new life that you have prepared for me. Amen.”