The Seven Deadly Sins are so insidious because they often take root to such a degree that they manifest as immutable personality traits. We say someone “has a temper,” rather than admit he habitually commits sins of anger. We claim “he is a cheapskate” rather than recognize the sin of avarice.
We know that pride is the chief of the Seven Deadly Sins. As such, it is omnipresent at the root of other sins. Pride is defined as “an excessive love of self” (Fr. James McElhone,…