The day was sunny. The guests were buzzing about with smiling faces and “Congratulations” on their lips, and I was cutting 100 pieces of cake.

It was a lovely graduation party.

My son, who loves dessert, sidled up to me and quickly made off with one of the bigger pieces loaded with lots of frosting. Everyone was happy.
But in a few minutes, my son returned.

“Mom, I feel cheated,” he said, pointing to one side of his piece of cake that was missing some frosting. 

“Can I just grab a little more frosting?”

I thought he was kidding.

“Get out of here!” I chortled as I pretended to slap his hand.

Then I became incredulous when I realized he wasn’t kidding.

In our little family, I didn’t believe entitlement existed. 

My husband and I made sure of it, striving to instill a perpetual sense of gratitude in each of our four children.

And yet, despite our best efforts, here it was, an unexpected form of pride, hidden in a sweet frosting-covered request.

Hidden pride

Ah, pride, my old nemesis. Whenever I think I’ve eradicated it from every corner of my spiritual life, it emerges in the most hidden places — masked by this smile, appearing alongside that motivation, peering from behind these thoughts.

Emotions such as humiliation, anger, impatience, and entitlement, to name a few,  all stem from pride, which consistently clings to a sense of deservedness.

In reality, we deserve nothing, yet the God of the universe comes down every day to be with us in each Mass — not because we deserve it, but because out of His pure goodness He loves us.

The key difference 

What is the difference between entitlement and a childlike trust that expects God to give you what you need? 

The difference lies in the recognition of how unworthy we really are and how good God is.

Humility makes all the difference.

Pride focuses on self. Humility forgets self and focuses on God.

If you meet a really humble man, said C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity, “Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him . . . He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all.”

Seeking His Heart 

When we strive each day to recollect ourselves before God, to offer Him our needs, our minds, souls, strength, and hearts, plus our trust, gratitude, love, adoration, and praise, we learn bit by bit to truly place all our efforts into the supernatural heart of Our Father.  

When we do this — placing our whole selves into the heart of Our Father and asking Him to replace our human hearts with His own — there is simply no more room for pride.

“O sweet embrace, clasp me, a poor little speck of dust; hold me tight in Your embrace, that I may become completely united with God,” said St. Gertrude (Divine Intimacy, p. 572).

Childlike humility 

When I am able to practice childlike surrender in all humility, I am just a child resting in her Father’s arms, with so much love and tenderness for Him Who loves me infinitely.

When I can approach God with this childlike humility, I am not thinking about the frosting I deserve on my cake — or the things I deserve in my life — I’m not thinking about my cake or myself at all.

Only about God and getting lost in His heart.