Watch Out for Spiritual Pride

Silly Status Showdown

This is a light and funny game to get everyone laughing and relaxed. It also ties into the idea of how we sometimes try to “look important” in silly ways. You’ll need some index cards or sticky notes and pens.

Write silly “important-sounding” titles on each card—like “Supreme Ruler of the Snack Table,” “Most Holy Homework Finisher,” or “Captain of Clean Socks.” Here are some suggestions:

• Commander of Crumbs
• Duke of Doodles
• Most Holy Homework Finisher
• Queen of Quiet Time
• Supreme Ruler of the Snack Table
• Captain of Clean Socks
• Grand Master of Lost Pencils
• King of the Water Fountain
• Emperor of Empty Notebooks
• Minister of Mismatched Shoes
• Lord of the Longest Yawn
• High Priest of Ping Pong
• Prince of Pens That Don’t Work
• Knight of the Wobbly Chair
• Archbishop of Awkward Silences
• Guardian of the Group Chat
• Wizard of the Whiteboard
• Bard of the Bathroom Pass
• Chancellor of the Charging Cables
• Pope of the Pizza Line

Give each student a random card without showing it to them. Tape it on their back or forehead so they can’t see their own title, only others’.

Now, for five minutes, let everyone walk around and treat each other based on their made-up status. Treat the feet of the “Captain of Clean Socks” with high respect, or make a big deal out of the “Supreme Ruler of the Snack Table” when they get near the food. Keep it light and silly.

After a few minutes, have them guess their own title. To make it easier, write the titles on a board for them to see the options. Then bring everyone back together and ask the following:

Follow-up questions:

• What was funny about this game?
• How did it feel to be treated based on a silly title?
• Did it change how you acted?

That was a pretty goofy way to see how we sometimes treat people differently based on status or title. And let’s be honest—sometimes we even try to act important just to get attention or feel better than others. It’s all fun in a game, but in real life, this can be a problem.

In our faith lives, we can fall into the same trap. We might think going to church, knowing Bible verses, or praying out loud makes us “more holy” than others. But that’s not what God is looking for. He cares about what’s inside—our hearts, our honesty, and how we treat people.

Let’s listen now to a reading from the Gospel of Matthew where John the Baptist has something strong to say about this. As you listen, think about how we sometimes try to look good instead of being real with God and others.

Read Matthew 3:1-12 (John the Baptist’s Call to Repentance) – the Gospel for the 2nd Sunday of Advent Year A

John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: A voice of one crying out in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.

When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’

For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Spiritual pride is something we don’t often talk about, but it can really hurt our relationship with God and with others. It’s when we start to think we’re better than other people because of our faith, our prayers, or the good things we do. It’s sneaky. It can slip into our minds without us even noticing. And once it’s there, it makes us act in ways that are not loving, not kind, and not what God wants from us.

In Matthew 3:1-12, John the Baptist calls people to repentance. He’s not gentle about it either. He speaks with bold words to people who were very sure of their own holiness. Some of them thought they were fine just because they were part of Abraham’s family. In today’s language, that would be like saying, “I’m Catholic, I go to church, so I’m good.” But John said that wasn’t enough. God wanted their hearts to change. He wanted them to show real signs of that change. Not just talk about being good. Not just look holy on the outside. But to actually live differently, with honesty and humility.

Now think about this. Have you ever had thoughts like these?

“I go to Mass every Sunday. I’m better than those who don’t.”

“I pray more than my friends. I must be more holy.”

“I always know the right answers in religion class. That means I’m a better Catholic.”

These kinds of thoughts can happen to anyone. Maybe they’ve crossed your mind. Maybe you’ve even said something like this out loud. But here’s the problem: when we think this way, we turn our eyes away from God and start looking at ourselves. We start comparing ourselves to other people. And that’s not what real faith is about.

Jesus warned about this a lot. He told stories about Pharisees—people who looked very religious but were proud inside. They followed all the rules and prayed in public, but they were missing something important. Their hearts were closed. They didn’t love others. They didn’t show mercy. They weren’t open to hearing God’s voice.

Jesus doesn’t want us to be like that. He wants us to be humble, kind, and ready to grow. Even though He was the Son of God, He never acted proud. He washed His disciples’ feet. He spent time with people others avoided. He forgave sinners and listened to the poor. If anyone had a right to brag, it was Jesus. But He didn’t.

So what can we do to avoid spiritual pride?

First, thank God when something good happens. If you helped someone, if you understood something in prayer, or if you did the right thing—don’t brag. Just quietly thank God. Say, “Thank you, Lord, for helping me do that.” It keeps your heart in the right place.

Second, stay curious and humble. Don’t think you know everything. There’s always more to learn. Sometimes someone who doesn’t go to church might still teach you something about love, kindness, or forgiveness. Be ready to listen.

Third, remember that everyone struggles. You might not see other people’s weak spots, but they have them. And so do you. We all do. God doesn’t love you more because you know more or do more. He loves you because you’re His child.

Fourth, check your heart. Ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?” Are you doing something just to look good? Just to be praised? Or are you doing it out of love for God and others? That question can really help you stay honest.

Being close to God isn’t about showing off. It’s about becoming more like Jesus. And Jesus never showed off. He served. He forgave. He loved deeply. That’s what we’re called to do too.

So next time you catch yourself thinking you’re better than someone else, pause. Ask God for help. Say a quick prayer. And remember that the most holy people are often the most humble. They don’t talk about how great they are. They quietly love, quietly serve, and quietly walk with God.

That’s the kind of faith that matters. And that’s the kind of person God is calling you to be.

In small group discussions, encourage everyone to listen with respect and speak honestly. Remind the youth that no one is forced to share, but all are invited. Make sure everyone has a chance to talk if they want. Try not to rush. Let the group take time to think about each question. Remind them that there are no perfect answers. This is a chance to grow and learn together.

• Have you ever felt like you were doing better than others in your faith? What made you feel that way?
• Can you think of a time when someone else acted like they were “more holy” than others? How did that make you feel?
• What do you think it means to have a “changed heart”?
• Why do you think spiritual pride is so easy to fall into?
• What helps you stay humble in your faith?
• What do you think Jesus would say to someone who acts proud about their faith?
• Why is it important to thank God when we do something good?
• What is one way you can grow in humility this week?
• How can we help each other stay focused on God and not on comparing ourselves?
• What is one thing you learned today that you want to remember?

Here’s your challenge for the week: practice humility in quiet ways. That means doing good things without needing attention or praise. You don’t have to tell others what you did. Just do it because it’s right and because you love God.

Here are a few ways you can try this. First, do a kind act for someone—like helping a classmate, doing a chore at home, or saying something encouraging—and don’t tell anyone about it. Second, when you pray this week, thank God for the good things you’ve done instead of bragging in your mind. Third, if you catch yourself comparing your faith to someone else’s, stop and say a quick prayer for that person instead. Keep your heart focused on love.

Let’s end our time together by turning to God in prayer.

Loving Father,
Thank you for bringing us together today. Thank you for every person here and for the chance to grow in faith. We know that sometimes we focus too much on ourselves. We try to look good instead of being good. We compare ourselves to others. We forget that You love us all the same.

Help us to remember what we learned today. Teach us to be humble, kind, and real. Help us to be more like Jesus, who served others with love and never looked down on anyone.

As we go into the week, help us to stay close to You. Remind us to listen to Your voice, not the voice of pride. Give us the courage to live our faith quietly, honestly, and with joy.

We ask this in the name of Jesus our Lord.
Amen.

Themes

• Call to humility: John the Baptist teaches us not to be proud. We are not better than others just because we do good things. God wants us to be humble and honest.
• Repentance and change: Turning away from sin is part of following Jesus. It means asking for forgiveness and trying to do better. This is a daily part of Catholic life.
• Inner conversion matters: God cares more about our hearts than our appearance. We must focus on growing inside, not just looking holy. True faith starts within.
• Fruit of good works: Real faith shows in our actions. We need to love others and help those in need. This is how we show we belong to Christ.
• Danger of pride: Pride can make us think we don’t need God. It can also cause us to judge others. We must be careful not to fall into this trap.
• Baptism as beginning: Baptism starts our journey with God. But we must keep choosing to follow Him. Faith is not just a one-time event.
• Trust in God, not status: Being part of a church or family doesn’t save us. We need a real relationship with God. Faith is personal and active.
• God sees the heart: We can’t fool God with words or looks. He knows if we are sincere. We must be honest with Him and ourselves.
• Mercy and warning: God gives us chances to change. But He also warns us not to delay. We should listen and act now.
• Prepare for Jesus: John prepared people to meet Jesus. We are also called to prepare our hearts. Jesus wants to be close to us.
• Live what we believe: Saying we are Catholic is not enough. We must live like it matters. Others should see Christ in us.

Background Material

This lesson focuses on the message of John the Baptist in Matthew 3:1-12. He calls people to repent, to change their lives, and to prepare for the coming of Jesus. He also warns them not to rely on their family background or religious identity to feel safe with God. John tells them they need real change in their hearts. His words remind us that faith is not just about what we say or where we come from. It is about how we live and who we are becoming.

This message fits deeply into Catholic teaching. The Church teaches that pride is a serious sin. It makes us think we are better than others. It can lead us to look down on people or to think we don’t need God. The Catechism says, “Pride is undue self-esteem or self-love, which seeks attention and honor and sets oneself in competition with God” (CCC 1866). Pride gets in the way of love, especially love for God and neighbor.

John’s message also connects with the call to ongoing conversion. Catholics believe that we are always called to grow. Even after baptism, we need to keep turning our hearts back to God. This is part of what we call “ongoing conversion.” It means not just saying we believe in God, but showing it in our lives. The Church calls this “bearing fruit.” Jesus often talks about good fruit in the Gospels. In John 15:5, He says, “Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit.” Good fruit means love, mercy, justice, and peace.

Another important teaching here is about humility. Jesus Himself was humble. Even though He was God, He did not act proud. Philippians 2:8 says, “He humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” As followers of Jesus, we are called to live this way too. Humility helps us admit our faults. It helps us trust God more. It also helps us treat others with kindness.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a special way the Church helps us fight pride and grow in humility. In confession, we admit our sins. We say we are sorry. We receive God’s mercy. This sacrament helps us stay close to Jesus and reminds us that we always need His grace.

The Catechism also teaches, “The way of perfection passes by way of the Cross. There is no holiness without renunciation and spiritual battle” (CCC 2015). This means we will struggle with things like pride. But with God’s help, we can change. We can become more loving, more humble, and more like Christ.

This lesson gives youth a chance to look honestly at themselves. It invites them to think about their attitude and how they live out their faith. It reminds them that God is not looking for perfect people. He is looking for hearts that are open and willing to grow.

Music Suggestions

• Ready the Way by Curtis Stephan
• Come Alive / Dry Bones by Lauren Daigle
• Change Our Hearts by Rory Cooney

More Youth Ministry Lesson Plans and Reflections

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