Quite a list we’ve had, eh? This completes what has been called the Seven Capital Sins. They were first listed by a monk in the 5th Century who was an acute student of human behavior. His list caught on and later theologians promoted these 7 to describe “the field of battle” each human soul contends with while on earth.
Greed and Envy:
They go together, don’t they? Webster defines Greed as “an excessive desire for acquiring or having . . . a strong desire for more than one needs.” Like all sin, this desire begins with something good. Human beings cherish material, relational, and psychological experiences that bring pleasure and a sense of wellbeing. Nothing wrong with that. Things like a comfortable home, food and clothes that satisfy, friendships that bring happiness all are good things that God wants us to enjoy. “God looked at everything He had made and found it very good.” Genesis Ch. 2
But somehow we have within ourselves this “desire for more” that exceeds rightreason. Look at your closet. Do we really need another pair of shoes/jacket/ sweater? Have you watched that show about hoarders? Oh dear. Having more can become a sickness.
Why do we do this? Psychologists have a field day looking for reasons to accumulate such excess. Insecurities, fears, worry about the future, can move us to protect and comfort ourselves with these “things”.
Okay, we get it. But what makes this “hunger for more” sinful? It damages who we are as created by God. We give a value to lesser things that takes the place of where our true happiness lies in loving God and others. We become “consumers” or “hoarders” and this keeps us from living lives of charity. How serious is this sin? It depends on what we neglect as a result of this habit. Do we fail to fulfill our duty as parents, children, friends, Christians? Does it keep us from giving ourselves in charity to others?
Sister (or brother!) to greed, is Envy. It can be defined as “a sadness or displeasure at the spiritual or temporal good of another.” Catholic Encyclopedia. St. Thomas Aquinas says “envy makes the good of another an evil to oneself because it is falsely seen as lessening that person.”
There are times however when someone receives honor or reward for something they don’t deserve. The displeasure caused here is not sinful so long as it is expressed in a reasonable manner. But if it is a true good our neighbor possesses our displeasure toward them is envy and a sin against the love we owe them.
Most times envy is not deliberate. We don’t sit down to think “what can I find in them that I wish they didn’t have?!” It just happens. And most times, it’s about trivial things. But you see the point, right? We should be glad for the good fortune of others. (A cousin to envy is jealousy. They’re similar in being dis- pleased with the good fortune of another but jealousy adds the thought, THAT SHOULD BE MINE!)
Please understand these last three weeks are meant to be a help in explaining what ails the human heart by way of sin. Greater still is the Mercy of God to which we have access through the love of Christ and the Sacrament of Penance/Confession.
Dear friends, don’t be discouraged. We all have our weaknesses. The Lord invites us to come to Him for healing and renewed friendship. Remembers His words, “I have come to call sinners, not the selfrighteous.”
Bless this Holy Week ahead.
Fr. Tim
