Lord, help me overcome the sin of vainglory. I humbly ask for the grace to have a healthy fear of offending God. I ask to be open to your grace. Jesus, you know that I sometimes struggle with vanity, which is a seed that leads to the deadly sin of pride. Help me realize the emptiness of earthly glory and instead keep my heart focused on heavenly glory so that I might have a humble and contrite heart.
All the glory that I may receive from others is empty and transient. I know I shouldn’t desire it or seek it. What good is the praise of man if it is for works that go against your will and the natural law? I know nothing in my life is a product of my own glory. Everything I have comes from you. I have no reason to boast about anything given to me or any good deed I do. It is evil to allow vainglory to grow within me. Vanity is a deception and it denies the reality that I owe everything I have to you. I owe you gratitude and praise for my talents, my natural endowments, the opportunities I have been given, and even my successes.
It is only by the grace of God that my natural endowments are cultivated. Lord, please offer me the grace I need to overcome the sin of vainglory. Please grant me the virtue of fear of God so that I will produce good fruit for your glory. Do not let me boast or allow myself to take pleasure in the empty praise of others regarding my natural talents and abilities. Let me work to please you instead of human admirers; help me do everything for you with a healthy fear of God.
You are the true source of all good things in my life and your grace is necessary to purify my heart and make me a saint. I praise you and I thank you for every natural talent and every good gift I have been given. I humbly ask for the grace to overcome the sin of vainglory. Please cultivate in me a deep desire to please you in my thoughts, words, and deeds.
AMEN.
“The end does not justify the means. Thus the condemnation of an innocent person cannot be justified as a legitimate means of saving the nation. On the other hand, an added bad intention (such as vainglory) makes an act evil that, in and of itself, can be good (such as almsgiving)."
Overcome Sin of Vainglory with Fear of Offending God
Concerning Sin of Vainglory and Fear of God
by St. Hildegard von Bingen
“When for love of God you free your body from earthly affairs, you will grow as a beautiful flower, blossoming and never withering in the heavenly Jerusalem with the Son of God, in Whom are all ornaments for souls; for the old person produces all human abominations, but the new builds all the
holiness of virtue. So when you have come to such holiness, blush to imitate the ancient serpent, who cast himself out of the place of beatitude because he was hungry for vainglory.
What does this mean? If you see anyone better adorned than you, do not in eagerness of mind ascend above him, saying, “I want to be above him or like him!” If you exalt yourself so, are you a faithful servant, since you are provoking the Lord to anger by opposing yourself to Him? But if you see that someone has stronger resources than you, and out of envy disparage him, you are not walking in the plain road but going by trackless ways.
So be eager to serve God in humility and do not give yourself up madly to pride; and do not exalt yourself in vain pretense over one who, if assessed justly, shines with a greater desire of eternal life than you burn with yourself, and who for his heavenly ardor is invited to the height of blessedness by Him Who loves all lovers of truth. For if you do, He Who by His inspiration summoned you to the service of humility and the other to the gift of charity may come with the eye of knowledge and judge you with His righteous judgment, saying:
“You lifted yourself up in eager pride to a place for which you are not fit; leave your vainglory and submit in duty, and give this beloved one of mine the place of honor you so rashly seized!”
Scivias, Book Two, Vision Five, Paragraph 31
Week 1 of the Virtue Meditations Series
Overcome Sin of Vainglory with Fear of Offending God
Reflection:
Vainglory is a sin of the heart and is offensive to God.
Do you secretly want to be praised for your natural talents, endowments, intelligence, creativity, strength, physical abilities, or influence on others? Do you strive to be seen and acknowledged by others for the good that you do? Do you feel you need validation from others to have self-esteem? When you are not acknowledged, do you secretly have bad feelings?
The Sin of Vainglory is A Hidden Vice
Vainglory is a hidden sin because it hides a secret intention that is masked a good deed. You perform a good deed for the impression it makes on another person, and not for the glory of God alone. Your intention is connected to your pride and not to humility and obedience to God. Your focus is on impressing man and not on serving God. You want to be elevated above others and you may even offer self-praise and elevate yourself in a given situation.
Every one of us fails in our relationships with others. This is natural because we are human, and the sin of vainglory is one that we all struggle with. Vainglory is a part of our fallen natures. We strive to be like Jesus, who is perfect in all virtues, but we often fail. Fortunately, God is merciful. Sometimes our sin is hidden, and in the case of the sin of vainglory, it can be attached to our good works, turning our good deeds into evil interior intentions that offend God.
Having a Healthy Fear of Offending God
To overcome the need to have the approval of others we have to shift our focus from the things of this earth to the things of heaven. When we allow ourselves to see with God’s eyes and let go of the need for praise, we can do his will without worrying about the opinions of others. We no longer need their praise and admiration. Likewise, when we know we are doing God’s will, we are also immune to their criticism. The virtue of fear of God also helps us overcome envy, too. We no longer have a resentment toward others who succeed where we have failed, or who are honored above us by others. When our brothers and sisters succeed for Christ we are happy to see it and give glory to God for their good works.
Courage to do the Right Thing No Matter What
Do you fear disappointing God? A proper fear of God has to do with wanting to please God above all things. This virtue is cultivated through prayer and having a desire to be in an intimate relationship with the Lord. When we grow in our love of God we also grow in our desire to please him. This is what fear of God stems from. It is a healthy desire to avoid offending God whom you should love with all your heart. The humble soul is in daily communication with God. He is constantly asking for the Lord’s guidance in all things. He seeks the wisdom of God for all his actions so that God may be glorified through his good deeds.
What does this look like?
Are you willing to take courage and do the right thing for the sake of God’s will and according to natural law, or do you find yourself putting your head down and continuing a path you know is wrong for the sake of those in authority above you, whom you strive to receive honor and praise from? This is another form of vainglory because it lacks a healthy love for God and a desire to please him above all things.
The Church teaches us that the path of vainglory is empty and leads us toward hell because it keeps us focused on the things of this world. The world is passing away. As Christians, we must look to God and focus on eternal things. When we have a healthy fear of God and we do good works for his sake, we no longer make decisions based on what others may think but for the glory of God. And this is where the power of the Holy Spirit can do the most good because we are able to receive the grace God wants to give and act according to his will in any given situation. When we can overcome the sin of vainglory we can become meek and humble of heart, with a healthy fear of offending God. God gives us more grace when we are surrendered to his will and have no attachments to the things of this world.
Going Further:
Now that we have prayed for and meditated on the sin of vainglory, you may want to go further by reading the first chapter of Ecclesiastes. Prayerfully ponder the words of King Solomon and reflect on them. You may want to reread them and journal about a word or phrase that sticks out to you:
Vanity of Human Toil
“Vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! What profit have we from all the toil which we toil at under the sun?
One generation departs and another generation comes, but the world forever stays. The sun rises and the sun sets; then it presses on to the place where it rises. Shifting south, then north, back and forth shifts the wind, constantly shifting its course. All rivers flow to the sea, yet never does the sea become full. To the place where they flow, the rivers continue to flow.
All things are wearisome, too wearisome for words. The eye is not satisfied by seeing nor has the ear enough of hearing. What has been, that will be; what has been done, that will be done. Nothing is new under the sun! Even the thing of which we say, ‘See, this is new!’ has already existed in the ages that preceded us. There is no remembrance of past generations; nor will future generations be remembered by those who come after them.”
Let us Pray:
Now that we understand the virtue of fear of God, let’s begin with a prayer of petition for it.
Virtue of Fear of God
Prayer of Petition
Eternal Father, I am the work of your creation, made in your image and likeness but too weak to conquer the devil by my own power. I ask you for the grace to grow in virtue, surrendering all my thoughts, words, and deeds to you. Please help me resist the devil and all his tricks. Jesus says that whoever believes in him will do the works that he does and that whatever we ask in Jesus’ name he will do so that You may be glorified. Heavenly Father, you sent us your Son to show us what it means to have perfect virtue in life. Jesus is fully human and fully divine and has perfect virtue. Father, have mercy on me and please give me the grace I need to grow in the virtue of fear of God so that I might grow in holiness and imitate Christ in my thoughts, words, and deeds. AMEN.
Now let’s contemplate the Lord by listening to him speak to us in the Gospels. Slowly meditate on the following passage, reflecting on the virtue of fear of God. Take your time. Pause over a word or phrase that speaks to your heart. Reread the passage again, and then ask Jesus to show you how you can imitate Christ and better overcome the sin of vainglory. Choose a word or phrase from this passage to write in your journal, and add your thoughts. Go back and prayerfully reread it throughout the week.
Virtue of Fear of God
Jesus Teaches us to Avoid the Sin of Vainglory
from the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 6
[Jesus said] “But take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
Let us Pray:
Eternal Father, I humbly ask for the grace to overcome my need for human praise and the secret desire of my heart to be glorified by men for the good deeds that I do. Help me remember the words of Solomon and the advice of Jesus. Please help me develop a healthy fear of God so that all my thoughts, words, and deeds are done for your glory and with a pure heart. I do not want to be a hypocrite. I long to have a deep intimate relationship with you. Please convict my heart when I sin against you with the vice of vainglory and offer me the grace I need to repent and turn toward humility of heart. I ask all this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, AMEN.
Virtue of Fear of God
A Prayer for an Increase in Virtue for Others
Lord Jesus Christ, you say that when two or more are gathered in your name, you are with us. Jesus, in your name I lift up every person who has joined this prayer challenge or will join it in the future. I ask you to give us all the grace we need to grow in virtue and holiness so that we may love and serve you in our lives and through the people we love and care for. Help us in our thoughts, our words, and our actions. Guide us all by your Holy Spirit and give us the strength to overcome every temptation from the evil one. We ask all this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, AMEN.
Together as a group we will pray for each other and strive to make good resolutions and keep them. Remember, it’s your heart that God wants to capture. Your efforts are out of love for him and a desire to imitate him as best you can in holiness.
If you fail to have fear of God and give in to vainglory, do not quit trying. Be merciful to yourself and learn to love the process of striving to be more like Jesus every day. When you confess your sins he forgives you, so be merciful to yourself and forgive yourself. Being virtuous is a process. No one is perfect, so just start anew every time you fail.
How do I Practice Virtue?
You’ve learned about the 18th Virtue, and you’ve prayed for God to give you grace. Now what? Let’s take a look at the Catechism for some guidance on how we can make Week 18 a successful effort.
Our moral life has its source in faith in God who reveals his love to us. St. Paul speaks of the obedience of faith as our first obligation. He shows that ignorance of God is the principle and explanation of all moral deviations. Our duty toward God is to believe in him and to bear witness to him.
The first commandment requires us to nourish and protect our faith with prudence and vigilance, and to reject everything that is opposed to it. There are various ways of sinning against faith: Voluntary doubt about the faith disregards or refuses to hold as true what God has revealed and the Church proposes for belief. Involuntary doubt refers to hesitation in believing, difficulty in overcoming objections connected with the faith, or also anxiety aroused by its obscurity. If deliberately cultivated doubt can lead to spiritual blindness.
Incredulity is the neglect of revealed truth or the willful refusal to assent to it. Heresy is the obstinate post-baptismal denial of some truth which must be believed with divine and catholic faith, or it is likewise an obstinate doubt concerning the same; apostasy is the total repudiation of the Christian faith; schism is the refusal of submission to the Roman Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him.
Making Resolutions
Take a moment to reflect on the virtue of fear of God. What are the ways you can freely practice this virtue this week? Ask the Lord to give you opportunities, and when you feel the Holy Spirit prompting you, take action. Write down your resolutions for this coming week in your prayer journal. Remind yourself to complete these resolutions daily for this entire week, and as the Spirit prompts you, feel free to write about your experiences with this virtue throughout the week.
In My Thoughts:
Jesus, this week I promise to take time daily to conform my thoughts by… (make your intention).
In My Words:
Jesus, this week I promise to take time daily to conform my words by… (make your intention).
In My Actions:
Jesus, this week I promise to take time daily to conform my actions by… (make your intention).
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Week 19 Mental Prayer Meditation
Obedience to God as a Way of Life
“Obedience to God as a way of life” – Join us for our 19th meditation on the 35 virtues of St. Hildegard of Bingen.