Covetous Desires
« The Tenth Commandment : Desires of the Holy Spirit »
A Disordered Seeking (2535)
By the sensitive appetite, man desires what he does not have. These desires (although good in themselves) can exceed the limits of reason and lead us to covet what belongs to or is owed to another.
Sins (2536)
This commandment forbids:
- Greed - The desire to amass unlimited earthly wealth
- Avarice - A passion for riches and the power that comes from them
- Any desires which involve unjust harm to our neighbor's goods
"We should banish our desires for whatever does not belong to us. Our immense thirst for goods is never quenched. As it is written ‘He who loves money never has enough'" (Roman Catechism). It is not sinful to desire to gain a neighbor's goods by just means.
Difficult Struggle (2537)
Some people "have a harder struggle against their criminal desires." Among these, the Roman Catechism mentions:
- Merchants - Who in scarcity can charge high prices
- Friends - Who can take advantage of impoverished neighbors
- Lawyers - Who are eager for important cases
Envy (2538-2540)
Envy must be banished. Nathan told King David the parable of the rich man (with many sheep) who envied and stole the poor man's one sheep (1 Kings 1:1-29). "Envy arms us against one another. We are engaged in making Christ's Body a corpse. We devour one another like beasts" (St. John Chrysostom).
Envy (sadness at another's goods and the desire to acquire them even unjustly) is a mortal sin when it wishes grave harm to another. "Envy is the diabolical sin" (St. Augustine). "From envy are born hatred, calumny, joy at a neighbor's misfortune, and sadness at his prosperity" (St. Gregory the Great).
Envy (a form of sadness) comes from lack of charity. "Rejoice in your brother's progress and you will immediately give glory to God. Conquer envy by rejoicing in the merits of others" (St. John Chrysostom).