– Vainglory-

From Padre Pio writtings:

I feel on my knees before a picture of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, bursting into tears and complaining to our tender Lord that he had allowed those “wretches” … to deceive me again… But Jesus appeared to me once more: “Do not be afraid” …  How is it that you doubted the truth? When will you learn to recognize the voice of your Father and Spouse? … my soul enjoyed and indescribable peace. (Pietrencina 28/07/1913, Letters I,p. 443)

From Padre Pio writtings:

In order that we might understand how opposed vainglory is to perfection Our Lord shows how he reproved the Apostles when he found them full of complacency and vainglory because the devils had obeyed their commands: “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you” (Lk 10:20) … This vice is all the more to be feared by reason of the fact that there is no contrary virtue by which it can be fought. In point of fact, every vice has a remedy and an opposite virtue: anger is demolished by meekness, envy by charity, pride by humility and so forth. Vainglory alone has no contrary virtue by which it can be combatted. It seeps into the holiest acts and even in humility itself, if one is not watchful, it proudly sets up its tent. (Pietrelcina 2/8/1913, Letters I, p.445/446)

From Padre Pio writtings:

St. Jerome was quite right (Cf. Epist 22 ad Eustachium: PL 22, 394_425) when he compared vainglory to one’s shadow. In point of fact, our shadow follows us everywhere and even marks our steps. If we run, it runs too. If we proceed at a slow pace, the shadow does likewise. If we sit down, our shadow takes the same posture. Vainglory acts in the same way; it follows virtue everywhere. It would be useless for the body to try to escape from its shadow which accompanies it always and everywhere. The same thing happens to anyone who is striving for virtue, for perfection: the more he flees from vainglory the more he is beset by it. (Pietrelcina 2/8/1913, Letters I, p.447)

From Padre Pio writtings:

The virtues are to be kept as a person keeps a treasure which if not hidden from the sight of envious people, will be seized. The devil is always on the watch; he is the most envious of all and he seeks to seize at once this treasure consisting of the virtues as soon as he recognizes it. This he does by having us attacked by this powerful enemy which is vainglory. (Pietrelcina 2/8/1913, Letters I, p.449)

Letters I, Edited by Melchiorre of Pobladura and Alessandro of Ripabottoni

English Version edited by Father Gerardo Di Flumeri O.F.M. Cap. 2and edition 1973

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