What is truth?

John 18:37 So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say I am a king.^* For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

^r38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”^s

Truth has been on my mind a lot lately. In this political season, we have so much “information” being fed to us. News, commercials and political memes try to lead our mind, ideas and vote.

Do they still teach about primary and secondary sources in school? The primary source might be a court document, but it couldn’t be an article about the court case that was a secondary source. (btw: SNOPES is NOT a primary source) I find it’s getting much more difficult with the seemingly infinite volume of information and ideas available now through the Internet to discover the truth of a matter.

My husband told me about a “news” story he read that turned out to be fake the other day. A coworker at lunch related the story of the “hanging chad” 2000 election and with conviction told “facts” that may or may not have been exactly as I remembered them.

I just heard a story, about a woman who confessed gossiping to a priest who gave her the following penance: go home and get a feather pillow, take it to the top of the church bell tower, open it up and throw all of the feathers over. When she was finished she went back to the priest and told him she had done it. He then told her to go to town and gather ALL of the feathers back up and put them back into the pillow. 

Once a story is told, whether truth or fiction, you can’t get it back. It’s out there and some may continue to retell it. Maybe they’ll add some flair to the story for effect or to advance their beliefs among others.

I find myself increasingly disturbed and frustrated as I cannot trust news sources – I find myself looking up to heaven and asking the same question Pontius Pilate asked Jesus “What is truth?” I find that I am becoming cynical, like Pilate, that truth is elusive and subjective.

Jesus said: “Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” John 18:37 and “I am the way and the truth^* and the life” John 14:6 and I remember where the truth is: http://www.usccb.org/bible/ I go there every morning and then march through this crazy world full blustery winds of ideas and information. I beg God to help me, to guide me and I thank Him for wanting to.

The Fighting Cocks and the Eagle

TWO GAME COCKS were fiercely fighting for the mastery of the farmyard. One at last put the other to flight. The vanquished Cock skulked away and hid himself in a quiet corner, while the conqueror, flying up to a high wall, flapped his wings and crowed exultingly with all his might. An Eagle sailing through the air pounced upon him and carried him off in his talons. The vanquished Cock immediately came out of his corner, and ruled henceforth with undisputed mastery.

Pride goes before destruction.

Aesop's Fables - Translated by George Fyler Townsend. Aesop's Fables (p. 29). Amazon Digital Services, Inc..

Mary, an example of holy humility

And Mary said:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever."

Mary's Magnificat

The Greatest in the Kingdom

 

Matthew, Chapter 18

1^a At that time the disciples^* approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”2He called a child over, placed it in their midst,3^b and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,^* you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.4^c Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.5^* And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.

Matthew, chapter 18

Wounded Heart

I've lost a daughter,
not to death,
not to drugs,
but to pride.

I recognize the finality in death and many times drugs, and there is a chance that my situation is not. Yet, as of right now, I've still lost someone I love beyond all telling.

I was contemplating the separation of Lucifer from God. Lucifer was created by God, who I have to believe loved Lucifer beyond belief. Lucifer means "Light Bearer" in Latin and he was considered of the greatest of angels.

Beautiful "Light Bearer", Prince among angels, loved dearly by God...and yet he turned his back, crossed his arms, and rejected God. Lost to pride. I wonder if God mourns like I do? When we see Jesus on the cross, we realize just how devastating the rejection of pure love can be.

If love is to be real, true and beautiful - it must be completely voluntary from both parties. Forced love, love out of obligation, only seems to add resentment, hurt and suspicion.

So love goes one way and is unreturned. Much like it is with God and us sometimes.

My daughter's opinion of me and her choice to end our relationship, does not add to or subtract from the truth of who I am. And while my heart will be forever missing a piece as long as she is gone from my life, I know who I am.

I am her mother and I love her with all of my heart (even the broken parts).

19My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;

a contrite, humbled heart, O God, you will not scorn.

Psalms, chapter 51

Wounded Pride

I prayed the Litany of Humility to get through a particularly difficult transition at work when my pride was severely wounded. This litany is completely countercultural and may be difficult to read let alone pray. But, it helped me come to the realization that "I am what I am by the Grace of God". No more and no less. No accolades can add to the truth of who I am, my talents and capabilities. No negative opinions or words can take away from the same truth.

If we measure ourselves by the opinions of others, and only value the "self" that others like, we will ride the roller coaster of self worth. For people in our lives may not like us, may deceive us, may talk behind our backs, and  may not see us for who we really are. And many people may give us high praise, may promote and put us on a pedestal.

When I fail, and I do fail, I can look at the reality of who I am and push through the failure to get to the next success. When I succeed, and I do succeed sometimes, I can feel the elation for a moment, and then set about doing the next necessary thing. Success and failure and other peoples opinions are fleeting.

I did push through that difficult time, and I'm quite happy at work now! I appreciate what I have and am grateful for the opportunity.

Hands

In viewing the Google images side by side, the images of hands from each Google search struck me. 

The hands pictured on the humility page are open as to receive, yet dirty from work or maybe farming and bringing forth life from the earth.

The pride hands are in a stop position. Not open to receive like humility hands, but more like pushing away.

Google Images "Pride" and "Humility"

A side by side look at the images in Google:

Can self-esteem and humility coexist?

My son, with humility have self-esteem;

and give yourself the esteem you deserve. Sirach 10:28

This biblical text reminds me of the Webster-Merriam definition posted a few days ago, and is instructing to have rightly placed self-esteem. Again, it seems that this text points to not having false humility and acting as if we are unworthy. 

Instead, acknowledging our gifts and talents, along with their true source is humility. And fully grounded in reality, we must use these gifts and talents to become what we were created to be.

I heard as an example the other day: Shaquille O'Neal could not have  been a race horse jockey. But in acknowledging and cooperating with his true gifts and talents he excelled at basketball and was inducted into the hall of fame this year.

Humility is not pretending that we don't have gifts or that are gifts don't matter and rightly placed self-esteem is healthy. They can coexist if we are grounded in reality.

For Reflection, Sirach 10:6-31

THE SIN OF PRIDE

6No matter what the wrong, never harm your neighbor

or go the way of arrogance.^d

7Odious to the Lord and to mortals is pride,

and for both oppression is a crime.

8Sovereignty is transferred from one people to another

because of the lawlessness of the proud.

9Why are dust and ashes proud?^*

Even during life the body decays.

10A slight illness—the doctor jests;

a king today—tomorrow he is dead.

11When a people die,

they inherit corruption and worms, gnats and maggots.^e

12The beginning of pride is stubbornness

in withdrawing the heart from one’s Maker.

13For sin is a reservoir of insolence,

a source which runs over with vice;

Because of it God sends unheard-of afflictions

and strikes people with utter ruin.^f

14God overturns the thrones of the proud

and enthrones the lowly in their place.

15God plucks up the roots of the proud,

and plants the lowly in their place.

16The Lord lays waste the lands of the nations,

and destroys them to the very foundations of the earth.

17He removes them from the earth, destroying them,

erasing their memory from the world.

18Insolence does not befit mortals,

nor impudent anger those born of women.

TRUE GLORY^*

19Whose offspring can be honorable? Human offspring.

Those who fear the LORD are honorable offspring.

Whose offspring can be disgraceful? Human offspring.

Those who transgress the commandment are disgraceful offspring.

20Among relatives their leader is honored;

but whoever fears God is honored among God’s people.^†

22Resident alien, stranger, foreigner, pauper—

their glory is the fear of the LORD.

23It is not right to despise anyone wise but poor,

nor proper to honor the lawless.^g

24The prince, the ruler, the judge are in honor;

but none is greater than the one who fears God.

25When the free serve a wise slave,

the wise will not complain.^h

26Do not flaunt your wisdom in managing your affairs,

or boast in your time of need.

27Better the worker who has goods in plenty

than the boaster who has no food.ⁱ

28My son, with humility have self-esteem;

and give yourself the esteem you deserve.

29Who will acquit those who condemn themselves?

Who will honor those who disgrace themselves?

30The poor are honored for their wisdom;

the rich are honored for their wealth.

31Honored in poverty, how much more so in wealth!

Disgraced in wealth, in poverty how much the more!

http://www.usccb.org/bible/sirach/10

Definitions: Pride and Humility

What does the Catechism of the Catholic Church say about pride and humility?

PRIDE: One of the seven capital sins. Pride is undue self-esteem or self-love, which seeks attention and honor and sets oneself in competition with God (1866)

HUMILITY: The virtue by which a Christian acknowledges God is the author of all good. Humility avoids inordinate ambition or pride and provides a foundation for turning to God in prayer (2559).

http://ccc.usccb.org/flipbooks/catechism/index.html#1/z

Merriam Webster defines PRIDE as an inordinate self-esteem and also a feeling that you are more important or better than other people. M-W defines HUMBLE as not proud or haughty and showing that you do not think of yourself as better than other people. (there are other definitions but these are the ones relevant to this study) http://www.merriam-webster.com/

When we discuss pride in our modern culture as a virtue, I think we are most commonly talking about  correctly ordered pride. For example: I'm proud of a job well-done. I'm proud of my child's achievement. I'm proud of my parent's perseverance through illness. Pride doesn't sound like a deadly sin in these contexts - it seems correct and natural.

So when do we cross the line from correctly placed to disordered pride? That's what this study is about - exploring those lines more carefully.

Angels and Demons

In the beginning, before God created man He created pure spirits - we call them angels. These creatures are so powerful, so awesome, that every time they come to man in a biblical reading man is terrified. Like us, these creatures have free will, freedom of choice.

Catholic tradition holds that Lucifer, the angel of light, rejected God's plan for man. Lucifer in his pride would not humble himself to serve this God-man, Jesus. A great battle of wills and loyalty ensued among the angels and they chose sides. Lucifer became Satan, the father of lies and pride determined to thwart God's plan for man.

Could it be this former "angel of light" knows how to convince us as he convinced a third of the angels that God has a bad plan for us?

Could it be that we have been deceived and what we celebrate as good (pride as a virtue) could actually be separating us from the great plan for our life both now and eternally?

Excerpts from "Sons of Light" by Mother M. Angelica is worth reading and considering this root of pride.  https://www.ewtn.com/library/mother/ma45e.htm

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen.

Paradise Lost

Let's start at the very beginning...

Paradise Lost by John Milton
"Had cast him out from Heav'n with all his host
Of Rebel Angels, by whose aid aspiring
To set himself in Glory above his Peers,
He trusted to have equal'd the most High,
If he oppos'd; and with ambitious aim
Against the Throne and Monarchy of God
Rais'd impious War in Heav'n and Battel proud"

"round he throws his baleful eyes
that witness'd huge affliction and dismay
Mixt with obdurate pride and steadfast hate"

http://www.paradiselost.org/

Amateur Philosopher

Human beings are separated from all other beings because of our desire to know why. This blog is my explorations of why and the search for truth.

My latest wonderings are around the celebration of "PRIDE" and the meaning of humanity waving this flag. My wonderings are much deeper than sex and sexual orientation.

I'm exploring how pride as a "virtue" effect our relationships both with God and with each other. As a Catholic Christian, I will be exploring this from a largely Judeo-Christian perspective based on tradition, biblical texts and ideas from other thinkers I respect and who make sense to me.

I suppose I have something to learn for myself about humility and pride. Ideas also a bit troubling and perplexing to my little brain.