Bernard of Clairvaux & The First Step of Pride

“The first step of pride is curiosity. How does it show itself? Here is an example. There stands a monk who up to this time had every appearance of being an excellent monk. Now you begin to notice that wherever he is, standing, walking or sitting, his eyes are wandering, his glance darts right and left, his ears are cocked. Some change has taken place in him; every movement shows it. These symptoms show that that monastic’s soul has caught some disease. One who used to watch over his own conduct now is all watchfulness for others.” Bernard of Clairvaux, a twelfth-century Cistercian reformer, quoted in Common Prayer, February 11.