Pride, Pride, Pride

Pride. How many times have we seen or heard this word over the last 20 years? We have heard it used to support warped agendas and repeatedly shouted by those in media, entertainment, education, and politics. This word is everywhere and, unfortunately, it is not going away any time soon.

Those who suffer from homosexual attraction and gender dysphoria need psychological and spiritual help, but most of them will probably not receive it any time soon. And those who support their destructive behavior need an awakening of mind and soul. Sadly, they are so entrenched in their causes that they cannot see the true purposes of human existence and behavior.

St. Paul’s Words on This Issue

Their behavior reminds me of St. Paul’s words in Romans 1:20-32:

"Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, His eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse; for although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles.

Therefore, God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason, God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error.

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a base mind and to improper conduct. They were filled with all manner of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity, they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s decree that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do them but approve those who practice them."

I know this is a lengthy quote, but St. Paul’s words are so appropriate for describing today’s culture that summarizing them would not have done justice to the point he was, and still is, making.

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“Pride” and How We Should Respond to It

A recent article by CatholicVote relates how an LGBTQ “Pride Fest” event was canceled after the Florida legislature passed a law forbidding sexually explicit and lewd entertainment from being displayed in front of children.

First, the fact that such a law needs to be passed reflects the sad state of our society. Second, why would any adult want to make sexually explicit and lewd gestures in front of children? Third, why would any parent take their child to an event filled with such perversion and stupidity? These events are not entertainment, they are demonic assaults exhibited and defended by people who are all too willing to do the devil’s work.

And let’s not obscure what is going on here. These events are nothing more than an attempt to desensitize society to child molestation. They are merely a prelude to the eventual legalization of pedophilia. And let’s not mince words about the political party to blame for all of this. It is the same party that perpetually and almost unanimously defends and expands access to baby killing – the Democrat party. If they are already murdering children, then raping them is just a walk in the park.

But their disgusting behavior at least leads to a pertinent question, How do we deal with such evil and imbecility? Honestly, I know of only one answer, and Jesus gave it to us. In Mark 9:14-29, a father brings his son, who has a deaf and dumb spirit, to Jesus for healing. Jesus tells the father that all things are possible to those who believe. Then the father replies, “I believe; help my unbelief.” I love the father’s response. It reflects both his faith and humility. He knows he needs Jesus as much as his son needs Him.

After this, Jesus heals the boy, but his disciples are bewildered as to why they could not heal him. Jesus responds, “This kind [of spirit] cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.” “This kind” of spirit is deaf (cannot listen) and dumb (cannot understand) and, therefore, will not respond to the typical exorcism invocations. Hence, prayer and fasting are required.

Like the situation presented in Mark 9, we must respond to this kind of spirit, who is active in our world, with prayer and fasting. Unfortunately, we cannot teach people to turn to God when they are so willingly futile in their thinking. Rather, we must put our trust in God through prayer and fasting. Lord Jesus, I believe; help my unbelief.

True Pride

Now, true pride does not seek to put oneself, one’s ideology, one’s sexuality, or one’s identity above God. It acknowledges and loves God as Creator and Father. It puts Him above all else. Again, St. Paul’s words are apropos. He writes, “Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:31). Boasting of the Lord means conforming our lives to His standard of being, not the other way around. We let Him change us, we do not manipulate Him. We tell others about Him and pray that they will reflect on His commands and actions with a spirit of love.

I have begun to take this posture of boasting when dealing with Protestants. Rather than getting bogged down in arguments about this or that Catholic doctrine, I simply tell people that Jesus founded the Catholic Church to continue His mission in the world, and He does not make mistakes. In other words, I boast of the Lord.

If they want to have a civilized conversation after this, I am all for it. But the fact that Jesus founded the Catholic Church and gave her His preeminent authority is not up for dispute. (If you want to learn more on this topic, please read my two-part article on counterfeit churches.) Catholics have pride in this fact: We belong to the Church founded by God the Son. We are members of His body. This is a beautiful truth to behold and to transmit to a world full of lies. We must be proud of it, and we must never compromise in the face of evil!

This article was originally published at Catholic Stand.