Action and contemplation are very close companions; they live together in one house on equal terms. Martha and Mary are sisters.
Bernard Of ClairvauxRead
Pride only, the chief of all iniquities, can make us treat gifts as if they were rightful attributes of our nature, and, while receiving benefits, rob our Benefactor of His due glory.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Pride can distort our perception of the gifts we receive, leading us to believe we deserve them rather than acknowledging their source.
This quote by Bernard of Clairvaux highlights the dangerous nature of pride, suggesting that it can lead us to misinterpret the gifts and benefits we receive in life. Instead of recognizing these blessings as acts of grace from a higher power or benefactor, pride can trick us into thinking they are our due, thereby robbing the true source of appreciation and glory.
Themes
PrideGiftsHumilityGloryBenefactor
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about the importance of humility in leadership.
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Neither fear nor self-interest can convert the soul. They may change the appearance, perhaps even the conduct, but never the object of supreme desire... Fear is the motive which constrains the slave; greed binds the selfish man, by which he is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed (James 1:14). But neither fear nor self-interest is undefiled, nor can they convert the soul. Only charity can convert the soul, freeing it from unworthy motives.
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The piercing nail has become a key to unlock the door, that I may see the good will of the Lord. And what can I see as I look through the hole? Both the nail and the wound cry out that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself... Through these sacred wounds we can see the secret of his heart, the great mystery of love.
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What I know of the divine_x000D_ science and holy scripture,_x000D_ I learnt in the woods and fields.
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Learn the lesson that, if you are to do the work of a prophet, what you need is not a sceptre but a hoe.
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