God Is Love, But Pride Leads Away From Him

“God is charity [love].” — 1 John 4:8 (Douay-Rheims)

“God is charity [love]: and he that abideth in charity, abideth in God, and God in him.”

— 1 John 4:16 (Douay-Rheims), Douay-Rheims

God Is Love

One of the greatest truths revealed in Sacred Scripture is that God is love.

“God is charity [love].”

— 1 John 4:8 (Douay-Rheims), Douay-Rheims

God created mankind out of love, redeemed us through love through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and calls every person into eternal communion with Him. Every commandment, every sacrament, and every teaching of the Catholic Church ultimately leads us toward authentic love of God and love of neighbor.

True love is never separated from truth. God’s love does not affirm sin; rather, it calls sinners—including every one of us—to repentance, holiness, and everlasting life.


The Sin of Pride

Sacred Scripture warns us about one of humanity’s oldest and most dangerous sins: pride.

Pride is traditionally counted among the Seven Deadly Sins because it is the root from which many other sins grow. St. Augustine described pride as the beginning of all sin, and Scripture teaches:

“Pride is the beginning of all sin.”
— Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 10:15 (Douay-Rheims)

The devil himself fell through pride. Rather than humbly submitting to God, he sought to exalt himself. Pride turns the heart away from God and toward self. It says, “My will be done” instead of “Thy will be done.”

The Christian life is the exact opposite. Jesus Christ teaches humility, repentance, self-denial, and obedience to the will of the Father.


God’s Design for Marriage

From the very beginning, God established marriage as the lifelong covenant between one man and one woman.

Jesus Himself reaffirmed this divine plan:

“Have ye not read, that he who made man from the beginning, made them male and female?… Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh.”

— Matthew 19:4–6 (Douay-Rheims), Douay-Rheims

The Catholic Church has consistently taught that marriage is ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of children. This is not merely a human tradition but part of God’s design for creation.

Authentic love always seeks what is good according to God’s will.

As St. Paul reminds us:

“Charity… rejoiceth with the truth.”

— 1 Corinthians 13:6 (Douay-Rheims), Douay-Rheims

Love does not redefine truth—it rejoices in it.


A Christian Response to Pride Month

Many Christians are concerned that Pride Month often promotes views of sexuality, marriage, and human identity that conflict with Sacred Scripture and the perennial teaching of the Catholic Church.

For this reason, many Catholics do not view Pride Month as a celebration of authentic Christian virtue but as the promotion of ideas that can lead people away from God’s plan for human flourishing.

Jesus warned that the devil comes:

“To steal, and to kill, and to destroy.”

— John 10:10 (Douay-Rheims), Douay-Rheims

Whenever society encourages people to reject God’s truth, Christians should recognize the spiritual dangers involved.

At the same time, Catholics must never forget that every human person is created in the image and likeness of God and possesses inherent dignity. Every person deserves respect, compassion, and charity. The Church calls every person—including every Catholic—to ongoing conversion, repentance, and holiness.


The True Alternative: Humility and Love

The answer to pride is humility.

The answer to confusion is truth.

The answer to sin is repentance.

The answer to hatred is authentic Christian love.

God’s love does not leave us where we are—it transforms us into saints.

The Gospel invites every person, regardless of past sins or present struggles, to encounter Jesus Christ, receive His mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and follow Him faithfully.

The Church’s message is never one of hatred. It is the loving invitation of Christ:

Repent, believe the Gospel, and receive the gift of eternal life.

In a culture that often celebrates self-expression above all else, Christians are called to something infinitely greater: surrender to God. Only when we lose ourselves for Christ’s sake do we truly find ourselves.

May we reject pride in every form, embrace humility, seek holiness, and remain always in the love that comes from God alone.


Sources

Sacred Scripture (Douay-Rheims):

  • 1 John 4:8, 16
  • Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 10:15
  • Matthew 19:4–6
  • 1 Corinthians 13:6
  • John 10:10

Catechism of the Catholic Church:

  • §§1601–1605 (Marriage)
  • §§2357–2359 (Persons experiencing same-sex attraction)
  • §1822 (Charity)
  • §§2540–2541 (Humility)

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