In a dangerous presentation, Saint John Cassian presents to us the danger of the sin of vainglory. All other sins, no matter how much malice and deception are used, when a person struggles against them, they become weak before him. As for the sin of vainglory, it is unique, as it fights the believer with his own weapons, that is, with his victory. Whenever he conquers any sin, even the sin of vainglory itself, sin finds a stronger field to fight him with his own victories.

The sin of vain glory fights the believer physically and spiritually. If he wears luxurious clothes, obtains honors, and enjoys success, it fights him with these same things. If he wears shabby clothes and humbles himself, fleeing from dignity, it fights him deep down as if he is better than others. He went astray from others.

Fighting the sin of “vainglory” requires special grace from God, along with seriousness and constant caution.

Saint John Cassian says:

[Because when Satan cannot create false glory in a person through his good grooming and elegant clothing, he tries to create it through a disheveled uniform and dirty, neglected clothes.

 If he cannot bring down a person through pride, he will bring him down through humility.

If he cannot push him to transcendence with the grace of knowledge and eloquence, he drags him down under the weight of silence.

If a person fasts openly, he will be attacked by the pride of arrogance and conceit, and if he conceals it out of contempt for the pride that results from it, he will fall prey to the sin of pride itself.

In order not to be deterred by the stigma of vainglory, he avoids prolonging prayers in front of his brothers, but because he practices them secretly, without anyone being aware of it, he is not saved from the pride of vanity.] (Chapter 4)

He says Saint Augris:

[The thought of “vainglory” is the most vile type of thought.

This thought comes to those who walk in the life of righteousness, and the person begins to glorify his struggle and collect for himself the praise of others. He imagines the demons being terrified of him, his healing of women, the crowds crowding around him touching the hem of his garment, and finally he predicts his consecration to the priesthood. And people come to him to make him a priest, and when he refuses the priesthood, they bind him and lead him against his will.

After the devil ignites these false hopes in him, he withdraws, leaving room for other battles presented by the devil of pride or the devil of complaining, who comes immediately and presents him with ideas that contradict these hopes, so that at times he surrenders to the ideas of the devil of adultery, who moments ago thought of himself as a saint. And a venerable priest![2]]

Father Tadros Yacoub Malti

Chapter one

Our seventh struggle is directed against vainglory, and what its nature is

Our seventh struggle is directed against the spirit of vanity, which it is correct to call the spirit of vainglory or idleness. It is a spirit that takes many forms, and it is also fickle and cunning. Therefore, it is impossible, I do not say to beware of it, but rather to see and discover its depths, even with the most keen eyes.

Chapter II

False glory not only attacks the monk physically, but also spiritually

Because this, like other falls, not only attacks the monk from the physical aspect, but also from the spiritual aspect, infiltrating the mind with trickery and deception. Even those who cannot be tempted by physical vices have a deep wound at the core of their spiritual abilities, and it is more difficult to fight against it, and even more difficult to guard against.

The attack on all other vices is frank and unvarnished, and in the case of each of them, when the one who provokes them is met with unequivocal rejection, he leaves even more weak. When the defeated enemy attacks its prey again, it is less powerful. As for this scourge, when it attacks the mind through physical pride and it is repelled by a decisive and pious response, it remains constant like some evils that take many forms. It changes its original disguise and character, and tries, under the guise of virtue, to deal its conqueror a devastating blow that will destroy and eliminate him.

Chapter III

How vainglory takes on many shapes and forms

It can be said that all falls and whims are simpler and have only one form, while vain glory takes many shapes and forms, and moves and attacks a person from every direction. He attacks his oppressor from all sides, because he tries to harm the soldier of Christ in his clothing, his behavior, his walk, his voice, his work, his nights, his fasts, his prayers, when he withdraws, when he looks up, in his knowledge, in his silence, in his obedience, in his humility, and in his patience, like an extremely dangerous rock hidden by the noisy waves. They cause unforeseen destruction to those who sail with a calm breeze and wind, as long as they are not alert or guarded against them.

the fourth chapter

How vainglory attacks the monk from the right and from the left

“Who aspires to walk the royal road?”With weapons of righteousness to the right and to the left“It should pass according to the teaching of the Messenger.”With glory and dishonor, with bad reputation and good reputation“(2 Corinthians 6:7,8), and carefully to direct its straight course amidst the crashing waves of temptation. With caution, we hold the rudder, and the Spirit of the Lord blows and spreads its fragrance around us, as long as we know that if we deviate a little to the right or left, the ship of our life will soon crash over the rugged rocks.

Therefore, Solomon the Wise warned us, saying: “Do not turn to the right or to the left” (Proverbs 4:27). Meaning, do not praise your virtues in front of yourself. Or take pride in your spiritual achievements on the right, and do not turn to the path of vices towards the left, and choose from these vices for yourself, and to use the words of the Apostle: “Glory in your shame” (Philippians 3:19).

Because when Satan cannot create false glory in a person through his good grooming and elegant clothing, he tries to create it through a disheveled uniform and dirty, neglected clothes. If he cannot bring down a person through pride, he will bring him down through humility. If he cannot push him to transcendence with the grace of knowledge and eloquence, he drags him down under the weight of silence. If a person fasts openly, he will be attacked by the pride of arrogance and conceit, and if he conceals it out of contempt for the pride that results from it, he will fall prey to the sin of pride itself. In order not to be deterred by the stigma of vainglory, he avoids prolonging prayers in front of his brothers, but because he practices them secretly, without anyone being aware of it, he is not free from arrogant pride.

Chapter V

A comparison that shows the nature of vainglory

Our sheikhs brilliantly describe the nature of this disease as being like an onion. Whenever a person removes one of its layers, he finds it covered by another layer, and as much as it is exposed, we find it immune.

Chapter six

The sin of vainglory cannot be eliminated by the advantages of loneliness

In loneliness, too, do not stop pursuing the one who fled from contact with all people in pursuit of pride. The more any person completely rejects the world, the more urgent her pursuit of it becomes. It attempts to exalt with pride one person because of his extreme endurance of work and hardship, another because of his complete readiness to obey, and a third because he rises above others through his humility.

A person may be tested by his extensive knowledge, another by his extensive reading, and a third by his long stays. Thus, this scourge does not attempt to infect a person except through his virtues, introducing obstacles that lead to death through the very things in which it seeks the sustenance of life. This is because when people aspire to walk the path of holiness and perfection, the enemies do not place their nets anywhere to deceive them, but rather in the path on which they are walking, in accordance with the words of blessed David: “They stretched out a net for me beside the road, and set traps for me” (Psalm 14:5). Even on the same path of virtue that we walk, striving to seek “the prize of our high calling” (Philippians 3:14), we may exalt ourselves with the success we achieve and from there we fall, and the nets of pride are cast at the feet of our souls. Therefore, those among us who cannot be defeated in the battle against the enemy are defeated by the greatness of victory itself. Or on the other hand (which is another type of deception) by exhausting our maximum self-control energy, we are unable to continue walking due to physical weakness.

Chapter VII

Vainglory raises its head when defeated and is more eager to fight than before

All vices become weak when defeated, and when they are conquered, they fail day by day. In its relationship to both space and time, it diminishes and disappears, or in any case, because it does not resemble the opposite virtues, it is easy to reject and avoid it. But when this vice is defeated, it rises from its fall to fight again with greater ferocity. When she imagines that she has been eliminated, she regains life again. She is more powerful because of her death!

Other types of vices usually only attack those you have defeated in combat. As for this, it pursues those who defeat it and is more severe, and the more a person resists it, the more it attacks him for his arrogance in defeating it. Here lies the cunning of our deceitful enemy. I mean in fact, since he cannot subdue the soldier of Christ with the enemy's weapons, then he subjugates him with his own spears.

Chapter Eight

Do not be afraid to tread vainglory in the desert, nor with old age

As we said, sometimes the severity of some vices is lessened by the facilities that the situation provides for them, and also when the substance of sin and the opportunity available to it are removed, these vices are disgraced. But this sin penetrates the deserts along with the person fleeing from it, and it cannot be imprisoned from any place, or appear helpless when removing any external matter from its path. Because she finds what encourages her in the exploits of the virtues of the person she attacks. Because all other vices, as we said before, sometimes diminish with the passage of time and disappear, but with these, the length of life, if not supported by skillful diligence and prudent prudence, does not hinder them, but actually provides them with new fuel for vanity.

Chapter Nine

False glory becomes more dangerous when mixed with virtues

Finally, other tendencies that are completely different from the virtues that contradict them, and that attack us openly as if in broad daylight, are easy to defeat and guard against. However, since these tendencies are intertwined in the fabric of our virtues, involved in the fray, the fighting is as if it were under the cover of the darkness of the night. It dangerously deceives those who lack caution.

Chapter Ten

An example showing how King Hezekiah was brought down by the spear of vainglory

We read about Hezekiah, king of Judah, that he was a righteous man, complete in everything, and attested by the Holy Scriptures. He fell with one arrow of vainglory, after his virtues were numerous. Thus he defeated the pride and arrogance of the one who, with one prayer, was able to annihilate one hundred and eighty-five thousand soldiers from the Assyrian army, through the angel, in one night. I will neglect to mention the long list of this king’s virtues, content myself with only one of them. After the Lord determined the end of his life and the day of his death, he agreed, through one prayer, to extend it for fifteen years. The sun moved back ten degrees, which it had advanced towards sunset, and with its return, it dispersed the shadow lines that followed its path. With this miracle, transcending the laws of nature, one day extended into two days for the entire world. Then King Hezekiah was reassured that the Lord would grant him healing and long life. But after such great signs that the mind can hardly believe it, and after such evidence of his goodness, hear what the Bible says about the types of this very success that destroyed him: “In those days Hezekiah was sick to the point of death, and he prayed to the Lord, and he spoke to him and gave him a sign.” (2 Kings 20)... That which we read about in the Fourth Book of Kings, which was mentioned by the Prophet Isaiah regarding the return of the sun... But the Holy Bible says, “Hezekiah did not return according to what had been bestowed upon him, for his heart was lifted up, and he was angry with him and with Judah and Jerusalem. Then Hezekiah humbled himself because of His heart was lifted up, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah” (2 Chronicles 32:24,26).

How dangerous and hideous the scourge of vanity is! One act based on pride destroys this great amount of piety, many virtues, faith, and sincerity of worship! Thus, his good deeds would have been forgotten as if they had never happened, and he would have incurred the wrath of the Lord, had he not appeased Him by restoring his humility. Therefore, someone who has fallen from the height of virtue can rise to the same height from which he descended by humility in the same steps. Want to see another example of a similar fall?

Chapter Eleven

The example of King Uzziah, who was destroyed by the same scourge

As for Uzziah, the ancestor of this king that we were talking about, he is another of those to whom the Bible testifies to many virtues. But after he was inspired by his virtues and the many victories he achieved thanks to the sincerity of his worship and faith, he fell prey to pride and vain glory. The Bible says about him: “The name of Uzziah became famous because the Lord helped him and strengthened him, but when he strengthened himself, his heart was lifted up to destruction and he betrayed the Lord his God” (2 Chronicles 26:15,16). Here you see another example of a very terrible mistake.

Thus, two men of such integrity and virtue were destroyed by the methods of their victory and defeat. From these two models we see how dangerous the multiple colors of success and prosperity are. Those who cannot be harmed by adversity, may be destroyed by hope and a comfortable life, unless they take care. And those who survived the fall were killed during the fighting, falling before their spoils and victories.

Chapter Twelve

Multiple testimonies against vainglory

The Apostle warns us, saying: “Do not be impressed” (Galatians 5:26). The Lord rebukes the Pharisees, saying: “How can you believe when you receive glory from one another, and you do not seek the glory that comes from the one God?” (John 4:44) Blessed David also speaks about them threateningly: “The Lord has scattered the bones of those who flatter people” (Psalm 53:5).

Chapter thirteen

In the ways in which vainglory attacks a monk

Also, in the case of beginners and those who have only slightly advanced either in the abilities of the mind or in knowledge, these people become swollen in their thoughts, either because of the sweetness of their voices and the beauty of their chants, or because of the leanness of their bodies or the goodness of their appearance, or the wealth of their families and the ancestors of their birth, or because they rejected the life of the soldier and turned away from Its ranks and decorations. Sometimes vainglory may lead a person to be convinced that if he had not abandoned the world, he would have easily become wealthy and risen in the ranks of dignity, which for him may be far from achievement and achievement, and he becomes haughty and puffed up with vain hope for uncertain things. In the case of those things that he never achieved, he is filled with pride and vanity, as if they had actually owed him something, so he turned away from them and despised them.

Chapter fourteen

How does vainglory prompt a person to seek priestly orders?

Pride may create a desire to obtain priestly degrees, such as becoming a priest or deacon. He may be deluded that if he holds this position, he will accomplish his work with piety and precision, which will make him an example of holiness for other priests to emulate. And that he will save many, not only with his lifestyle, but also with his preaching and teaching. It would also make a person, even when he is alone sitting in his hermitage, wander with his thoughts and imagination to other hermitages and monasteries, and he will guide many people while in a state of imaginary joy.

 Chapter fifteen

How vainglory poisons the mind

The unfortunate soul is affected by such vanity, as if it were in the midst of a deep sleep, that it is often carried into a trance by such thoughts, and is filled with these imaginings, to such an extent that it is impossible for it to merely look at existing things, or at the brothers, as long as they She enjoys absorbing herself in these things, which she prepares for her along with her wandering thoughts, as if they were reality and not just illusions.

Chapter sixteen

In a person the president approached and found him a prey to vainglory

I remember while I was in the Sqit desert, a sheikh went to another brother’s cell to visit him, and when he reached the door, he heard him muttering inside. He stood still for a short while, reviewing what he had been reading from the Bible, or reciting it from memory by heart (as was the custom) while working. And when he listened with his sharp ears, he was amazed! He found that he was giving people a captivating sermon that captivated people's minds. And when the old brother heard him standing without moving, finishing his speech, and returning to his place and dismissing the crowds of converts to the Christian religion, as a deacon does, then he knocked on the door, and this brother went out to him and received him with the reverence and respect he was accustomed to and took him in with him (and knowing what his thoughts had caused him Who was worried) asked him what time he would arrive so that he would not be harmed by waiting at the door for a long time. The sheikh replied thoughtfully: “You arrived exactly here and you are dismissing the group of converts.”

Chapter seventeen

It is not possible to treat hiccups unless their roots and causes are discovered

I thought it advisable to introduce these things into this little book, so that we might learn, not only by explanation, but also by examples, of the severity of temptations and the power of sins that injure a miserable soul. Therefore, we need to be more careful in avoiding the enemy’s snares and various forms of deception. For the Egyptian fathers set forth these things, so that by relating them, as if they were still suffering from them, they exposed the battles and laid them bare, with all the vices from which they actually suffer, and from which those who are younger must also suffer. Hence, when they clarify the illusions that result from all tendencies, the initiates and those enthusiastic in the spirit become aware of the secret of their wars, as they see them as if they were in a glass cup, and look for the causes of the sins that bother them, and the ways to cure them. As long as they are instructed in advance how to understand coming wars, they learn how to guard against them or meet and fight them.

Likewise, skilled doctors have become accustomed to not only treating diseases that actually exist, but also trying to avoid expected diseases and prevent them with their prescriptions and healing potions. Likewise, true psychiatrists, through spiritual deliberations, like a heavenly antidote, eliminate in advance those spiritual diseases that may arise, and do not allow them to take root in the minds of those who are younger, as they reveal to them the causes of the ills that threaten them, and the types of treatment that will cure them.

Chapter eighteen

How a monk should avoid women and bishops

There is an old wisdom that the fathers still circulate, although I do not express it without feeling shame on my part, since I could not avoid meeting my sister, or escape from the hands of the bishop. I mean that the monk must escape by all means from women and bishops. This is because neither side will allow the person with whom his relationship has been strengthened to continue to care for the tranquility of his cell, or to persevere with pure eyes in divine contemplation by penetrating into the depths of sacred things.

Chapter nineteen

Types of treatment with which we can conquer false glory

The soldier of Christ who wishes to struggle lawfully in this true spiritual battle must strive by all means to conquer this abnormal, capricious, and multiform being, who, when he attacks us from all sides like a variety of evils, from which we can escape with such a remedy:

Thinking about David’s words: “The Lord has scattered the bones of those who entertain people” (Psalm 53:5). First of all, we must not allow ourselves to do anything out of vanity or to achieve any vain glory.. Likewise, when we have begun something well, we should strive to support it with the same care, lest the disease of vainglory creep in and destroy all the fruits of our labors.

Also, anything of trivial benefit or value should be avoided in the ordinary life of the brothers, so that it does not become a gateway to vainglory.

We should also distance ourselves from everything that distinguishes us from others and makes us worthy of honor among them, as if we are the only ones capable of achieving it.

By these signs we prove that the stain of vainglory is attached to us, which would have been very easy for us to escape if we thought that we were not only losing the fruits of those works that we accomplished out of vanity, but also committing a grave sin. Just as impious people will suffer eternal torment, as we offend God with what we do in order to appease people, which we should not have done for His sake, so the One who knows the secrets of our hearts will condemn us, as we have preferred people over God, and the praise of the world over the praise of the Lord.

Footnote related to the title: Translation: Monk Basil the Syrian (former).

[2] To Anatolis on the Eight Thoughts, 8.