Fighting self-righteousness

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

          THOSE gospel episodes where Christ bewailed the

self-righteousness of the leading Jews of his time remind us that we

really need to be aware of this common anomaly, called

self-righteousness, and do everything to fight it.

          Self-righteousness is a common disease, since all of us have

our share of pride and arrogance. We may not acknowledge it—a more

insidious situation to be in, since pride has a tremendous blinding

power—but we can fall into it from time to time, especially when we

make rash judgments, easily jump to conclusions, stereotype people,

making a habit of finding fault at others, etc.

          What is worse is when it is not only quiet and secretive,

but rather open and loud, and can even get physical, or when it

defines the very character of a person. It is shown in the way he

carries himself, how he looks at others, how he speaks and reacts to

things. He oozes with over-self-confidence, with a tone of voice that

cannot be other than bossy and strident.

          The source of their problem are the gifts given to us, when

we would not know how to handle them properly. Instead of being

humbled by them and always aware that the gifts are meant for God’s

glory and the good of others, we make these endowments a source of our

pride. We become highly opinionated. We like to dominate any

discussion. We would want always to have the last word.

          We have to be most careful of this spiritual virus. The

moment we see the slightest signs of its onset in us, we have to react

immediately and strongly, deepening our humility and strengthening our

desire to always glorify God and to be at the service of others.

          We should reflect the attitude of Christ who said that “the

Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his

life as a ransom for many.” (Mt 20,28) We have to learn how to pass

unnoticed even as we are determined in carrying out our tasks and

duties in life.

          The awareness of our gifts or special charisms should also

intensify the awareness of the great responsibility we have to fulfill

because of them. Because of this, we should always feel the need to go

to God, convinced that it can only be with him that we can do things

properly. We should never think we can simply rely on our own powers.

          And then let’s start to figure out how to reach out to

others and serve them the way God wants them served through those

God-given gifts. When we see a self-righteous bully, let’s pray for

him and offer sacrifices for him, and do everything to help him

discover his proper place and use his gifts rightly.

          We should never think that our talents, gifts, blessings and

other privileges and advantages we can have in life are a right to

lord it over others, or to be proud and vain, or to expect more

privileges. They are never meant to make us feel superior to others,

turning us into conceited persons.

          If ever, these things should only make us more aware of the

greater responsibility we have to contribute to the common good. That

consideration, which we should try to be with us always, should sober

us and stop us from making fantastic, baseless ideas of ourselves.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com