"Virtues are like treasures that will get stolen if they are not hidden from the eyes of the envious. The devil is always vigilant, and he is the worst of all those who envy, because he quickly tries to steal these treasures-our virtues-when he is presumably out of sight, and he does it by attacking us through the very formidable enemy of self-conceit.

Our Lord, who is always solicitous of our good, warns us about it in various places in the gospel in order to preserve us from this great enemy. Does he not tell us when we want to pray that we should withdraw to our room and close the door as we pray face-to-face with God, so that our prayers are not seen by others? That when fasting we should wash our faces so that others do not know we are fasting because of our pale faces? That in giving alms we should not let the right hand know what the left hand is doing?"

-St. Pio of Pietrelcina