Question: Slava Isusu Christu. Father, how can I fight pride? I try to read the books of the church fathers, pray, but when I do it in a public place I have thoughts like "I am better than them" "Let them see that I am praying" I am fighting these thoughts but I feel weak. I want to pray in a public place but I am attacked by thoughts like the ones I described earlier. What should I do?
Answer from Fr Oleg Kovalenko:
Slava Isusu Christu vo veki! Glory to Jesus Christ! Thank you for this honest and crucial question – pride is a battle every Christian faces.
When you pray publicly and thoughts whisper "I am better than them" or "Let them see me," recognize this for what it is: the enemy exploiting your desire for holiness. Even the holiest ascetics faced such temptations. St. John Climacus in the Ladder of Divine Ascent teaches that pride is the, while St. Peter of Damascus warns it often attacks us precisely when we do good.
Let me share with you my advice, shift your focus – instead of wrestling directly with prideful thoughts (which often strengthens them), anchor yourself in humility. Before praying publicly, quietly say: "Lord, I am nothing without You. Help me pray for these souls." When vanity arises, immediately pray: "Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me – a sinner."
Another idea for you, – try to see others through Christ's eyes: St. Silouan of Athos wept for those who didn’t know God, praying: "O Lord, grant all people to know You by Your Holy Spirit!" When you notice others distracted by worldly cares, ask God to give you His compassion for them – not judgment. As St. John Chrysostom reminds us: "No one is saved alone; we are all members of one another."
Also try to embrace hidden acts of love. What I mean, St. Theophan the Recluse advised: "For every visible act of piety, do three unseen ones". Try this: secretly pray for someone who annoys you, do a small kindness without anyone noticing. This starves pride and nurtures humility.
Finally, I would like to share with you the wisdom from the holy fathers:
St. John of Kronstadt: "Pride vanishes when we remember: every breath we take is God’s gift."
St. Ignatius Brianchaninov: "The greatest humility is seeing your own sins and trusting God’s mercy – not your efforts."
St. John Climacus: Pride makes us fall "like dry leaves from a tree"; humility is the "ladder to heaven" that seems low but lifts us highest.
Your desire to pray openly – even amid these attacks – is beautiful. Remember: noticing the temptation is the first victory. Keep turning to Christ in your weakness. We will pray for you here in Minsk!
With love in Christ,
Fr.Oleg
The image in the article is illustrative.
