Homily on Pride - The Daughter of a Darkened Mind

"Pride goes before disaster, and a haughty spirit before a fall"   (Proverbs 16:18) 

St. Nikolai Velimirovic

Of all that exists at the four corners of the earth, what, O mortal man, can make us proud except stupidities and demonic illusions? Did we not enter into the world naked and wretched, and are we not going to depart this world in the same manner? Everything that we have, did we not borrow it? And at our death, are we not going to return everything? Oh, how many times has this been said and ignored? The wise Apostle says: For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out (I Timothy 6:7). And when we offer the sacrifice to God of ordinary bread and wine, we say: “Thine own of Thine own we offer unto Thee” (Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom). For nothing that we have in this world is ours, not even a crumb of bread or a drop of wine—there is nothing that is not of God. In truth, pride is the daughter of stupidity, the daughter of a darkened mind, born of evil ties with the demons.

​Pride is a broad window through which all of our merits and good works evaporate. Nothing makes us so empty before men and so unworthy before God as does pride. If the Lord is not proud, why should we be proud? Who has more reason to be proud than the Lord, Who created the world and Who sustains it by His power? And behold, He humbles Himself as a servant, a servant to the whole world—a servant even to death, to death on the Cross!

O humble Lord, burn up within our hearts the devil’s sowing of pride with the fire of Thy Holy Spirit, and plant within it the noble sowing of humility and meekness.

​​To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.

​from The Prologue of Ohrid, January 2nd - St Nikolai Velimirovi