The Pastor’s Column
March 7, 2010
The Seven Capital Sins: Covetousness
Understanding the seven capital sins, which are also called the seven deadly sins, or as Bishop Fulton J. Sheen referred to them, “the seven pallbearers of the soul,” will help us see how sin conspires and works in our life to bring us to misery and death and possibly hell. This deeper spiritual understanding can lead to healthy change, repentance, renewed love for God and neighbor, and actually good health.
The Capital Sins are called “capital” because they are the sins that influence all others. In my Lenten sermons and columns I am giving them the focus. My resource is the booklet, The Seven Capital Sins” (Published by Tan.) It states: There is a seven-headed monster that each one of us has to fight our whole life through. This monster is SELF-SEEKING or SELF-LOVE. Its seven heads are Pride, Covetousness (avarice), Lust, Anger, Envy, Gluttony and Sloth.
Below are some of the quotes that I used in last weekend’s sermon on covetousness, also known as avarice.
Covetousness is an inordinate love of worldly goods. It is a desire to accumulate and possess material things. It induces us to employ all sorts of means, just or unjust, in order to acquire them. Actually, it is a sign of mistrust in God and His Divine Providence.
If we are covetous, we do not love God, our neighbor, or ourselves. We love money and possessions. … We do not love and serve God because no one can at one and the same time love and serve two masters: God and Mammon.
If we do not love God, our neighbor, or self, we have no charity, and without charity how can we enter Heaven? … “The desire of money is the root of all evils.” (I Tm 6:10)
Our inordinate love or covetousness may not be just for money, but for other things: books, art, china, jewelry, cars, houses, real estate – anything. So, whether we are rich or poor, we may be guilty of avarice or covetousness.
Some indicators and symptoms of this vice: Hardness of heart toward the poor or our relatives in need, Reluctance to support the Church and other charitable entities, Stinginess, paying our bills and debts grudgingly.
The malice of the true miser … he lives a poor and miserable life. He groans over the least misfortune or loss. He has but one thought – money. He often dies in squalor and poverty, though possessing a handsome fortune.
Avarice leads to telling lies, cheating, stealing, taking bribes, giving false testimony …
The remedy for covetousness is fighting it with generosity, liberality, kindness and mercy. “Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.” (Matt. 5:7) and “It is more blessed to give, rather than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)
Covetousness may have a spiritual counterpart in our exercise of piety, when we seek only spiritual delight in them for ourselves … rather than for love for God.
Lenten Confessions are on Tuesday night from 7 PM to 9 PM and every Saturday from 3 PM to 4 PM.
Msgr. McGrath
Click here to download the entire bulletin.