Pride and Arrogance are Direct Refusal of God

HOMILY | Baruch 1:15-22 | Luke 10:1-12

Our readings today gives us a glimpse of the long history of resistance and refusal of the people of Chorazin, and Bethsaida of the proclamation of Jesus. Jesus sounds to favour more Tyre and Sidon because of the apparent reception of these Cities of his proclamation with the apparent practices of repentance. Let us not forget that Tyre and Sidon have been the subject of much condemnation in the old testament for their sinfulness and their cruelty to the Israelites. These cities are relentless enemies of Israel. This is the reason why the Prophets Isaiah (23:1), Jeremiah (25:22), Ezekiel (26:3, 27:2, &28:2), and Amos (1:10) have condemned Tyre and Sidon.

Jesus’ condemnation of Capernaum might be coming from the same the same fate of the King of Babylon who boasfully downgraded the heavens, and would be building thrones above the stars and clouds of God, would sit above the assembly, and would make himself like God. (Is. 14:13-15). Our first reading makes an atonement for the sins of the inhabitants, kings and princes of Jerusalem and of Judah. God has his own way of dethroning the boastful and the prideful. And most often banishment to the depths of Hades is the punishment of arrogance and pride.

In what way do we become arrogant and proud? Clearly by the examples and implications in our readings, pride and arrogance is founded on our refusal to listen to the proclamations of God and the Prophets and of Jesus. We choose to disobey and listen because of pride. The Spiritual exercises of Ignatius of Loyola tells us about this. Pride is the root of all sin. The Youth Catechism offers a powerful definition of sin; as a rejection of God and the refusal to accept his love and not bothering to love at all. (YouCat 315). Anyone who rejects you, rejects me, and also the one whom you sent me.

There can be no other example of these things apart from Jesus Christ himself and the man we celebrate today. St. Francis of Assisi listened, accepted the love of God and bothered to love the poorest of the poor and the lepers. We know his story. And his story is a powerful model of metanoia or change of heart from being worldly to the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience. He is a model of what our readings today talk about; someone who listened, accepted and obeyed.

He shunned an exalted life in order to be lowly, and be a credible minister to the lowly. He is the Catholic Champion of Charity to the poor and the downtrodden of his time. He embraced poverty so he could live his ministry freely. The Ignatian Spiritual exercises reminds us that the Vows is our safeguard from pride and arrogance and from sin. May the example and intercession of St. Francis inspire us to listen, accept God, to love and to live our vows most eloquently.