The tyranny of self-righteousness

WE have to be wary of this subtle spiritual disease called

self-righteousness. It’s subtle because it usually afflicts one

without him entirely knowing he is so afflicted. Self-righteousness

usually prides itself as having the light always but a light that

blinds rather than illuminates.

  

            The common marks of a self-righteous person are many.

Self-righteous people are often quick to judge, quick to comment on

issues even without enough basis if only to bolster their views. They

too are quick to stereotype people not so much to simplify matters as

to suit their own interests.

   

            If they happen to be quiet, it is not so much out of

charity, prudence and discretion as out of having some mental

reservations.to hide things like grudges, critical and uncharitable

thoughts, doubts, suspicions and the like. Actually, they are more

dangerous quiet than when they talk.

  

            They are often irritable, and that’s because they make

their opinions almost like dogma and therefore they find it hard to

accept views other than theirs. They are what are called closed or

narrow-minded people. They are difficult to work with. Often rigid,

impatient and intolerant of others, they prefer to work alone or can

work only with those who are like-minded.

  

            They welcome only praises for themselves and their work,

and consider suggestions, reminders and corrections as their mortal

enemies. Averse to admit their faults, they are quick to find faults

in others but to justify themselves always. They listen only to

themselves.

   

            To transform themselves or to change some aspects of their

life is almost impossible to happen. They find it hard to flow with

the times. They are often stuck to a certain era, fashion, culture,

etc.

  

            They are guided only by their own ideas and estimation of

things, made worse when they get the conviction that they are superior

to others because of their social status, intellectual capability,

wealth or academic attainment. The worst case is when they make their

apparent spiritual superiority the reason for their

self-righteousness.

  

            They only see their point of view, and are blind to the

valid points other opinions may have. Thus, they are incapable of

salvaging the legitimate points of others, and of entering into some

kind of tolerance and consensus if only to achieve a certain degree of

agreement and unity needed in working together with others. They live

in a kind of black-and-white world, and find it hard to suffer

variations of that kind of world.

  

            If they happen to work with great energy, most likely it’s

done with bitter zeal. The finer requirements of charity and delicacy

are ignored or considered as a drag. They work more for their

self-satisfaction than for the common good.

   

            Since the source of their righteousness is their own

selves, their goodness will sooner or later dissipate, and if not

converted, they can only fall into hypocrisy and inconsistency, lies

and deception to save their face. In the process, they harden some

more in their conceit, and the slippery slope continues.

  

            We have to do everything to avoid this anomaly to take

hold on us. And the secret again is to be vitally united and

identified with Christ who, in all the purity of the truth and charity

that he is, knew and continues to know how to deal with everyone in

all possible human situations and predicaments.

  

            We cannot over-emphasize this truth. It’s only Christ who

can show us what true righteousness is and what self-righteousness is.

Christ precisely had to contend with self-righteous people among some

of the leading Jews of his time. He showed them the shallowness and

even the inanity of their views that were often stuck in legalism and

complicated casuistry that is already devoid of common sense.

  

            We need to go to Christ to be able to distinguish between

truth and sophistry, between justice and pure revenge, between mercy

and malice. We need to go to Christ to know when to be tolerant and

when to be intolerant, when to be patient and when to be impatient.

  

            To do this, we need to have an abiding, intimate

relationship with Christ. This is always possible as long as we learn

how to pray, offer sacrifices, wage continual ascetical struggle, have

recourse to the sacraments, study the doctrine of our faith and

morals.

  

            In fact, we need to avail of a systematic plan of acts of

piety that would support us all throughout the day in our spiritual

life, so that we can have a living contact with Christ, and see,

understand and react to things with him.

  

            This is one way of avoiding the claws of self-righteousness.