St. Martin de Porres says: “Praise be to Jesus.”

“I have come so that all may have this knowledge. True and genuine virtue remains hidden from the soul; otherwise it is false and a spiritual pride. Thus, the soul that thinks he is humble, patient or charitable, or who seeks to be recognized as such, is being tricked by Satan and guilty of pretense.”

“The truly virtuous soul sees all others as more holy, more virtuous than himself. He does not congratulate himself in his thoughts on acting humble or being patient or on behaving in any way virtuous. If he does so, he has slipped into spiritual pride, to be sure.”

“Spiritual pride is like a vanity in which the soul admires his own holiness and efforts in virtue. Such a one is actually slipping backwards on the stairway of holiness instead of advancing. Remember, Lucifer stood by the Throne of God before his fall from grace.”

“I tell you all of this by way of warning, so that you do not fall victim to this most insidious snare of evil.”