June 24, 2015

“The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, “G*d, I thank you that I am not like other men…unjust, adulterers….or even like this tax collector. The tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “G*d, be merciful to me a sinner!” Luke 18:11, 13

“The principal evils into which a man may fall through vain rejoicing in his good works and habits I find to be seven:

The first evil is pride…for a man cannot rejoice in his works without esteeming them.

The second evil is…this: it is our judging others, by comparison with ourselves…when it seems to us that their acts and good works are inferior to our own.

The third evil is that…they look for pleasure in their good works, they usually perform them only when they see that some…praise will result from them.

The fourth evil follows this. It is that they will have no reward from G*d, since they have desired in this life to have joy or consolation or honor or some other kind of interest as a result of their good works…they have received their reward.

The fifth of these evils is that such persons make no progress on the road to perfection. For, since they are attached to the pleasure and consolation which they find in their good works it follows that, when they find no such pleasure…they commonly faint and cease to persevere.

The sixth of these evils is that such persons commonly deceive themselves thinking that the things and good works which give them pleasure must be better than those that give them none.

The seventh of these evils is that, insofar as man stifles not vain rejoicing in moral works, he is to that extent incapable of receiving reasonable counsel and instruction with regard to good works that he should perform. Such persons as this are greatly weakened in charity toward G*d and their neighbor; for the self-love with respect to their good works in which they indulge causes their charity to grow cold.”

John of the Cross (1542 – 1591), Ascent of Mount Carmel, Book III, Ch. XXVIII, “For All The Saints”, volume II (p. 128-129)

Enough said…..Amen.

Pastor Dave