Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Isaiah 56:11
Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. Ecclesiastes 5:10
Greed (Latin, avaritia), also known as avarice or covetousness, is the desire for material gain. "Avarice" is more of a blanket term that can describe many other examples of greedy behavior. These include disloyalty, deliberate betrayal or treason (especially for personal gain), scavenging and hoarding of materials or objects, theft and robbery, or manipulation of authority.
It is similar to Gluttony and Envy, but gain rather than consumption or possession is key. Thomas Aquinas condemned Greed because "it is a sin directly against one's neighbor, since one man cannot over-abound in external riches, without another man lacking them...it is a sin against God, just as all mortal sins, inasmuch as man condemns things eternal for the sake of temporal things."
Greed is self-serving. No one is ever greedy for something for someone else. Someone once asked a billionaire why he wanted more money when he was already rich, and he answered, "Because its there." No matter how much of anything a greedy person has, he has an insatiable appetite to want to more. Greed is covetousness, with covetousness being a foundation stone in all of the seven deadly sins.
There are at least three forms of greed:
1) an obsessive desire for ever more material goods and the attendant power.
2) a fearful need to store up surplus goods for a vaguely defined time of want.
3) a desire for more earthly goods for their own sake.
Your punishment in Hell will be: You'll be boiled alive in oil. Bear in mind that it's the finest, most luxurious boiling oil that money can buy, but it's still boiling.
To avoid this fate, you must practice
the Heavenly Virtue of Charity
Charity covereth a multitude of sins Peter 4:8
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. 1 Corinthians 13:4
In Christian theology charity, or love (agapē), means an unlimited loving-kindness towards all others. The term should not be confused with the more restricted modern use of the word charity to mean benevolent giving.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it aptly: "Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbour as ourselves for the love of God" (no. 1822).
Showing posts with label sins and virtues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sins and virtues. Show all posts
Dec 15, 2009
Dec 8, 2009
The Sin of Envy
A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones. Proverbs 14:30
For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one. Job 5:2
For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. Genesis 26:14
Envy has been with us ever since Cain slew his brother Abel. Envy is the sin of the have-nots against the haves. That doesn't mean we have to be poor to be envious because the rich rarely know who they are. On the other hand, the poor know who the rich people are: they are the folks who have fifty percent more than we have. Poverty is a state of mind induced by our neighbour's new car. Envious people count other people's blessings instead of their own.
Envy is the only deadly sin that is also listed in the Ten Commandments:
Thou shall not covet thy neighbour's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to thy neighbour Exodus 20:17
Jealousy or envy causes one to become spiteful inside, and secretly wish ill-will towards another. That ill-will or spite is usually released through sarcasms, gossip, or remarks filled with spite in order to hurt the other person in an attempt to put them in their so-called place. Self-centered people manifesting envy usually try to glorify themselves because of their lack, and they do this through spite, anger, self-righteousness, gossip, etc.
Envy is the dislike felt toward another because they have a position, possession or quality one desires. You just want it, but you want it without wanting to pay the cost for it. It's a free-ride type of desire.
Dante defined Envy as "love of one's own good perverted to a desire to deprive other men of theirs." In Dante's Purgatory, the punishment for the envious is to have their eyes sewn shut with wire because they have gained sinful pleasure from seeing others brought low.
Medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas said of Envy: "Envy according to the aspect of its object is contrary to charity, whence the soul derives its spiritual life... Charity rejoices in our neighbour's good, while envy grieves over it."
Your punishment in Hell will be: You'll be put in freezing water.
If you wish to avoid this fate, you must practice:
The Virtue of Contentment
To do this, you must become moderate in your wishes. Contentment can come either from having more or wanting less. The contentment provided by the latter is seven times more durable than the former. We must learn to be satisfied with our lot even when we don't have a lot. In other words, always be content with what you have.
Give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs! For if I grow rich, I may become content without God. And if I am too poor, I may steal Proverbs 30:8-9.
For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one. Job 5:2
For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. Genesis 26:14
Envy has been with us ever since Cain slew his brother Abel. Envy is the sin of the have-nots against the haves. That doesn't mean we have to be poor to be envious because the rich rarely know who they are. On the other hand, the poor know who the rich people are: they are the folks who have fifty percent more than we have. Poverty is a state of mind induced by our neighbour's new car. Envious people count other people's blessings instead of their own.
Envy is the only deadly sin that is also listed in the Ten Commandments:
Thou shall not covet thy neighbour's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to thy neighbour Exodus 20:17
Jealousy or envy causes one to become spiteful inside, and secretly wish ill-will towards another. That ill-will or spite is usually released through sarcasms, gossip, or remarks filled with spite in order to hurt the other person in an attempt to put them in their so-called place. Self-centered people manifesting envy usually try to glorify themselves because of their lack, and they do this through spite, anger, self-righteousness, gossip, etc.
Envy is the dislike felt toward another because they have a position, possession or quality one desires. You just want it, but you want it without wanting to pay the cost for it. It's a free-ride type of desire.
Dante defined Envy as "love of one's own good perverted to a desire to deprive other men of theirs." In Dante's Purgatory, the punishment for the envious is to have their eyes sewn shut with wire because they have gained sinful pleasure from seeing others brought low.
Medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas said of Envy: "Envy according to the aspect of its object is contrary to charity, whence the soul derives its spiritual life... Charity rejoices in our neighbour's good, while envy grieves over it."
Your punishment in Hell will be: You'll be put in freezing water.
If you wish to avoid this fate, you must practice:
The Virtue of Contentment
To do this, you must become moderate in your wishes. Contentment can come either from having more or wanting less. The contentment provided by the latter is seven times more durable than the former. We must learn to be satisfied with our lot even when we don't have a lot. In other words, always be content with what you have.
Give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs! For if I grow rich, I may become content without God. And if I am too poor, I may steal Proverbs 30:8-9.
Dec 1, 2009
The Sin of Gluttony
In the words of nineteenth-century Russian Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov:
Wise temperance of the stomach is a door to all the virtues. Restrain the stomach, and you will enter Paradise. But if you please and pamper your stomach, you will hurl yourself over the precipice of bodily impurity, into the fire of wrath and fury, you will coarsen and darken your mind, and in this way you will ruin your powers of attention and self-control, your sobriety and vigilance.
Medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas said of Gluttony: Gluttony denotes, not any desire of eating and drinking, but an inordinate desire... leaving the order of reason, wherein the good of moral virtue consists.
Gluttony is a serious sin because it enslaves the soul to the body, even though the soul, which is superior, is supposed to be in charge. Gluttons eat not for the sake of fueling their bodies or to participate in social gatherings; but rather they eat just for the sheer pleasure of consuming.
Gluttony contributes to lawlessness because gluttony is excess, and that excess indulges the self and leads to a lack of self-control. The time or activity that one spends glutting himself takes away time from other things, and brings forth a life of irresponsibility. In order to justify the time spent on whatever consumes him, the glutton can't be wrong because that might infringe on the freedom to do what he wants. Therefore, when things go awry, everyone else is responsible for the problems. The glutton has to fill himself with what he wants to do to satisfy self, and this is usually done at the expense of others.
Gluttony is the act of immoderate eating and/or drinking. It focuses on pleasure alone and finds it in food and drink. Enjoying a delicious dinner is not sinful, but eating to the point of hurting yourself (vomiting, or becoming obese) is sinful. Having an occasional drink to celebrate a holiday or festive occasion is not sinful, whereas drinking to the point of drunkenness is a sinful act.
Eating what you don’t even want just for the sake of eating is gluttony. Eating more than you want or need in order to prevent others from getting “your” share is also gluttony. Using alcohol to loosen inhibitions so you can rationalize sin is a form of gluttony which leads to other sins.
Your punishment in Hell will be:
You'll be force-fed rats, toads, and snakes.
And you were just worried about getting fat?
If after all that you're still considering hurling yourself off the precipice of bodily impurity, why not do it with some . . .
DOUBLE PEANUT BUTTER PAISLEY BROWNIES
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) Peanut Butter Chips
1/2 cup Hershey's Syrup
Heat oven to 350F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan. In large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter. Add sugar and brown sugar; beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in vanilla. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt; mix into peanut butter mixture, blending well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Spread half of batter into prepared pan; spoon syrup over top. Carefully spread with remaining batter; swirl with metal spatula or knife for marbled effect. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares. About 36 brownies.
See you in Hell! or Overeaters Anonymous
To overcome the sin of Gluttony, you must practice the:
Heavenly Virtue of Temperance
Deciding how much to eat and drink in advance, and not just “diving in” is a way to practice temperance. Temperance should be combined with periodic fasting and abstinence.
Religious fasting (such as the kind that overcomes gluttony) is not a starvation diet. In the church “fasting” means periodically reducing the amount of food you eat.
The church recommends periodic fasting of three smallish meals (two “less-than-half-of-a-regular-sized-meals” and one regular-sized meal) with no snacks in between. The church also recommends abstinence – avoiding meat or a favorite food altogether, when overcoming gluttony.
Wise temperance of the stomach is a door to all the virtues. Restrain the stomach, and you will enter Paradise. But if you please and pamper your stomach, you will hurl yourself over the precipice of bodily impurity, into the fire of wrath and fury, you will coarsen and darken your mind, and in this way you will ruin your powers of attention and self-control, your sobriety and vigilance.
Medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas said of Gluttony: Gluttony denotes, not any desire of eating and drinking, but an inordinate desire... leaving the order of reason, wherein the good of moral virtue consists.
Gluttony is a serious sin because it enslaves the soul to the body, even though the soul, which is superior, is supposed to be in charge. Gluttons eat not for the sake of fueling their bodies or to participate in social gatherings; but rather they eat just for the sheer pleasure of consuming.
Gluttony contributes to lawlessness because gluttony is excess, and that excess indulges the self and leads to a lack of self-control. The time or activity that one spends glutting himself takes away time from other things, and brings forth a life of irresponsibility. In order to justify the time spent on whatever consumes him, the glutton can't be wrong because that might infringe on the freedom to do what he wants. Therefore, when things go awry, everyone else is responsible for the problems. The glutton has to fill himself with what he wants to do to satisfy self, and this is usually done at the expense of others.
Gluttony is the act of immoderate eating and/or drinking. It focuses on pleasure alone and finds it in food and drink. Enjoying a delicious dinner is not sinful, but eating to the point of hurting yourself (vomiting, or becoming obese) is sinful. Having an occasional drink to celebrate a holiday or festive occasion is not sinful, whereas drinking to the point of drunkenness is a sinful act.
Eating what you don’t even want just for the sake of eating is gluttony. Eating more than you want or need in order to prevent others from getting “your” share is also gluttony. Using alcohol to loosen inhibitions so you can rationalize sin is a form of gluttony which leads to other sins.
Your punishment in Hell will be:
You'll be force-fed rats, toads, and snakes.
And you were just worried about getting fat?
If after all that you're still considering hurling yourself off the precipice of bodily impurity, why not do it with some . . .
DOUBLE PEANUT BUTTER PAISLEY BROWNIES
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) Peanut Butter Chips
1/2 cup Hershey's Syrup
Heat oven to 350F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan. In large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter. Add sugar and brown sugar; beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in vanilla. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt; mix into peanut butter mixture, blending well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Spread half of batter into prepared pan; spoon syrup over top. Carefully spread with remaining batter; swirl with metal spatula or knife for marbled effect. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares. About 36 brownies.
See you in Hell! or Overeaters Anonymous
To overcome the sin of Gluttony, you must practice the:
Heavenly Virtue of Temperance
Deciding how much to eat and drink in advance, and not just “diving in” is a way to practice temperance. Temperance should be combined with periodic fasting and abstinence.
Religious fasting (such as the kind that overcomes gluttony) is not a starvation diet. In the church “fasting” means periodically reducing the amount of food you eat.
The church recommends periodic fasting of three smallish meals (two “less-than-half-of-a-regular-sized-meals” and one regular-sized meal) with no snacks in between. The church also recommends abstinence – avoiding meat or a favorite food altogether, when overcoming gluttony.
Nov 24, 2009
The Sin of Lust
The Sin of Lust
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. Exodus 15:9
And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. Samuel 11:2
The woman, if you know your bible stories, was Bathsheba; and what does David do about this?
And he [David] wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah [Bathsheba's husband] in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die. Samuel 11:15
Easy to see why Lust is considered the most deadly of all the sins.
Monsignor Wojciech Giertych, the Pope’s personal theologian, notes that men are more prone to commit sins of lust, while women of pride. While I'd have to agree with this on principle, I really have to wonder if that's true considering the steady rise in romantic erotica sales. :-)
Lust is the self-destructive drive for pleasure out of proportion to its worth. Sex, power, or image can be used well, but when they are out of control they become the sin of Lust.
The sin of Lust occurs when one intentionally initiates and continues to fantasize about another person in a lustfully sexual way, knowing that it is wrong, but choosing to do it anyway. Even thinking lustful thoughts about another person is sinful, but acting on that thought is even worse because it has social consequences.
If you’d like to check to see how “lustful” you are, check the Lust Test.
Your punishment in Hell will be: You'll be smothered in fire and brimstone. Not kisses.
To combat Lust, you must practice:
The Heavenly Virtue Chastity
Chastity is refraining from sexual activity until marriage and then enjoying a lifetime of sexual activity within the bounds of marriage.
Chastity is also moderation in dress, speech, thoughts, and sexual activity. Without chastity, humans are not unlike animals which copulate purely out of instinct. Chastity compliments the higher intelligence of humans.
Let us be careful of the company we keep, and avoid all occasions of sin to preserve virtue of chastity. Let us form the habit of temperance in all things, so as to strengthen our self-control. We should often have recourse to prayer and the sacraments, receiving these frequently. "Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh" (Gal. 5: 16)
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. Exodus 15:9
And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. Samuel 11:2
The woman, if you know your bible stories, was Bathsheba; and what does David do about this?
And he [David] wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah [Bathsheba's husband] in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die. Samuel 11:15
Easy to see why Lust is considered the most deadly of all the sins.
Monsignor Wojciech Giertych, the Pope’s personal theologian, notes that men are more prone to commit sins of lust, while women of pride. While I'd have to agree with this on principle, I really have to wonder if that's true considering the steady rise in romantic erotica sales. :-)
Lust is the self-destructive drive for pleasure out of proportion to its worth. Sex, power, or image can be used well, but when they are out of control they become the sin of Lust.
The sin of Lust occurs when one intentionally initiates and continues to fantasize about another person in a lustfully sexual way, knowing that it is wrong, but choosing to do it anyway. Even thinking lustful thoughts about another person is sinful, but acting on that thought is even worse because it has social consequences.
If you’d like to check to see how “lustful” you are, check the Lust Test.
Your punishment in Hell will be: You'll be smothered in fire and brimstone. Not kisses.
To combat Lust, you must practice:
The Heavenly Virtue Chastity
Chastity is refraining from sexual activity until marriage and then enjoying a lifetime of sexual activity within the bounds of marriage.
Chastity is also moderation in dress, speech, thoughts, and sexual activity. Without chastity, humans are not unlike animals which copulate purely out of instinct. Chastity compliments the higher intelligence of humans.
Let us be careful of the company we keep, and avoid all occasions of sin to preserve virtue of chastity. Let us form the habit of temperance in all things, so as to strengthen our self-control. We should often have recourse to prayer and the sacraments, receiving these frequently. "Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh" (Gal. 5: 16)
Nov 17, 2009
The Sin of Sloth
Part three of my series on the Seven Deadly Sins is the Sin of Sloth, also known as the sin of Idleness.
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. Ecclesiastes 10:18
The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. Proverbs 21:25
Medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas said Sloth is "sluggishness of the mind which neglects to begin good... [it] is evil in its effect, if it so oppresses man as to draw him away entirely from good deeds."
A slothful person is loose, meaning a waywardness with a view to doing what he wants, since slothfulness is tied to gluttony. Apparently he can be a gossip, having a loose tongue and can't trusted to be told anything in confidence. He is also deceitful, using lies and deceit in order to get what he wants and to enable him to do only what he wants to do. He appears to be a follower, subjecting himself to other people's rule because he doesn't really think for himself.
The modern view goes further, regarding laziness and indifference as the sin at the heart of the matter. Sloth is often seen as being considerably less serious than the other sins, more a sin of omission than of commission.
Your punishment in Hell will be: You'll be thrown into snake pits.
If you don’t want to end up in Hell because of your slothful ways, you must practice
the Heavenly Virtue of Zeal or Diligence
Zeal is shown by a diligent and careful nature as proved by one's actions and work. It includes a decisive work ethic, budgeting of one's time; and monitoring one's own activities to guard against laziness. It the decision to fulfill all of the responsibilities in your vocation or state in life.
Diligence includes suitable recreation, particularly on the Lord’s Day after Mass, after you have fulfilled your responsibilities.
The dignity of the human person is rooted in his creation in the image and likeness of God; it is fulfilled in his vocation to divine beatitude. It is essential to a human being freely to direct himself to this fulfillment. By his deliberate actions, the human person does, or does not, conform to the good promised by God and attested by moral conscience. Matthew 5:3-12
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. Ecclesiastes 10:18
The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. Proverbs 21:25
Medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas said Sloth is "sluggishness of the mind which neglects to begin good... [it] is evil in its effect, if it so oppresses man as to draw him away entirely from good deeds."
A slothful person is loose, meaning a waywardness with a view to doing what he wants, since slothfulness is tied to gluttony. Apparently he can be a gossip, having a loose tongue and can't trusted to be told anything in confidence. He is also deceitful, using lies and deceit in order to get what he wants and to enable him to do only what he wants to do. He appears to be a follower, subjecting himself to other people's rule because he doesn't really think for himself.
The modern view goes further, regarding laziness and indifference as the sin at the heart of the matter. Sloth is often seen as being considerably less serious than the other sins, more a sin of omission than of commission.
Your punishment in Hell will be: You'll be thrown into snake pits.
If you don’t want to end up in Hell because of your slothful ways, you must practice
the Heavenly Virtue of Zeal or Diligence
Zeal is shown by a diligent and careful nature as proved by one's actions and work. It includes a decisive work ethic, budgeting of one's time; and monitoring one's own activities to guard against laziness. It the decision to fulfill all of the responsibilities in your vocation or state in life.
Diligence includes suitable recreation, particularly on the Lord’s Day after Mass, after you have fulfilled your responsibilities.
The dignity of the human person is rooted in his creation in the image and likeness of God; it is fulfilled in his vocation to divine beatitude. It is essential to a human being freely to direct himself to this fulfillment. By his deliberate actions, the human person does, or does not, conform to the good promised by God and attested by moral conscience. Matthew 5:3-12
Nov 10, 2009
The Sin of Wrath
Part two of my series on the Seven Deadly Sins is the Sin of Wrath
“Whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment" - Matthew 5:22
"A mild answer calms wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." - Proverbs 15:1
Wrath (Latin, ira), also known as anger or "rage", may be described as inordinate and uncontrolled feelings of hatred and anger. These feelings can manifest as vehement denial of the truth, both to others and in the form of self-denial, impatience with the procedure of law, and the desire to seek revenge outside of the workings of the justice system (such as engaging in vigilantism) and generally wishing to do evil or harm to others.
So in other words, Wrath is pretty much the way I felt about the cable company after they sent that do-nothing technician to my house on Friday. :-)
The transgressions born of vengeance are among the most serious, including murder, assault, and in extreme cases, genocide. Wrath is the only sin not necessarily associated with selfishness or self-interest (although one can of course be wrathful for selfish reasons, such as jealousy, closely related to the sin of envy).
Dante described vengeance as "love of justice perverted to revenge and spite". In its original form, the sin of wrath also encompassed anger pointed internally rather than externally. Thus suicide was deemed as the ultimate, albeit tragic, expression of wrath directed inwardly, a final rejection of God's gifts.
Medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas said Anger is "the name of a passion. A passion of the sensitive appetite is good in so far as it is regulated by reason, whereas it is evil if it set the order of reason aside."
Wrath is ruled by the sign of Mars. This is the Sin most likely to harm other people, particularly when mixed with another Sin. It is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury.
Your punishment in Hell will be: You'll be dismembered alive.
To combat a Wrathful nature, we have
the Heavenly Virtue of Patience
Patience is the ability to endure waiting, delay, or provocation without becoming annoyed or upset, or to persevere calmly when faced with difficulties.
Guardian of faith, it is the preserver of peace, the cherisher of love, and the teacher of humility. It governs the flesh, strengthens the spirit, sweetens the temper, stifles anger, extinguishes envy, and subdues pride. Patience also bridles the tongue, refrains the hand, tramples upon temptations, endures persecutions, consummates martyrdom.
Patience produces unity in the church, loyalty in the State, and harmony in families and societies. It teaches us to forgive those who have injured us, and to be the first in asking forgiveness of those whom we have injured.
Patience, my lord. Why, 'tis the soul of peace.
Of all the virtues 'tis near'st kin to heaven.
It makes men look like gods; the best of men
That e'er wore earth about him was a sufferer,
A soft, meek, patient, humble, tranquil spirit,
The first true gentleman that ever breath'd.
Thomas Dekker and Thomas Middleton The Honest Whore Part One, act V scene II
“Whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment" - Matthew 5:22
"A mild answer calms wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." - Proverbs 15:1
Wrath (Latin, ira), also known as anger or "rage", may be described as inordinate and uncontrolled feelings of hatred and anger. These feelings can manifest as vehement denial of the truth, both to others and in the form of self-denial, impatience with the procedure of law, and the desire to seek revenge outside of the workings of the justice system (such as engaging in vigilantism) and generally wishing to do evil or harm to others.
So in other words, Wrath is pretty much the way I felt about the cable company after they sent that do-nothing technician to my house on Friday. :-)
The transgressions born of vengeance are among the most serious, including murder, assault, and in extreme cases, genocide. Wrath is the only sin not necessarily associated with selfishness or self-interest (although one can of course be wrathful for selfish reasons, such as jealousy, closely related to the sin of envy).
Dante described vengeance as "love of justice perverted to revenge and spite". In its original form, the sin of wrath also encompassed anger pointed internally rather than externally. Thus suicide was deemed as the ultimate, albeit tragic, expression of wrath directed inwardly, a final rejection of God's gifts.
Medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas said Anger is "the name of a passion. A passion of the sensitive appetite is good in so far as it is regulated by reason, whereas it is evil if it set the order of reason aside."
Wrath is ruled by the sign of Mars. This is the Sin most likely to harm other people, particularly when mixed with another Sin. It is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury.
Your punishment in Hell will be: You'll be dismembered alive.
To combat a Wrathful nature, we have
the Heavenly Virtue of Patience
Patience is the ability to endure waiting, delay, or provocation without becoming annoyed or upset, or to persevere calmly when faced with difficulties.
Guardian of faith, it is the preserver of peace, the cherisher of love, and the teacher of humility. It governs the flesh, strengthens the spirit, sweetens the temper, stifles anger, extinguishes envy, and subdues pride. Patience also bridles the tongue, refrains the hand, tramples upon temptations, endures persecutions, consummates martyrdom.
Patience produces unity in the church, loyalty in the State, and harmony in families and societies. It teaches us to forgive those who have injured us, and to be the first in asking forgiveness of those whom we have injured.
Patience, my lord. Why, 'tis the soul of peace.
Of all the virtues 'tis near'st kin to heaven.
It makes men look like gods; the best of men
That e'er wore earth about him was a sufferer,
A soft, meek, patient, humble, tranquil spirit,
The first true gentleman that ever breath'd.
Thomas Dekker and Thomas Middleton The Honest Whore Part One, act V scene II
Nov 3, 2009
The Sin of Pride
Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I do not have a computer virus, I have a screwed up internet connection (the support guy said he’s never seen such a low connection speed before), probably an outside line. The bad news is I have to wait until Friday for them to come fix it. So looks like I’ll be posting my updates from school this week. On the plus side, no internet means no gaming, which means more writing this week.
As promised, today I’m starting a series on the Seven Deadly Sins. I came up with the idea while doing some research on them ‘cause I thought they’d make a cool subject for a poem. The poem didn’t work out, but fortunately I saved a bunch of the information.
We start with the Sin of Pride.
Proverbs 16:18 - Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
"These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren." ( Prov. 6:16-19).
Pride, also known as Vanity, is considered the mother of all sins, the sin from which all others spring. It is the sin that turned the archangel Lucifer the “seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty” into the devil, the one for whom Hell itself was created. We're warned to guard our hearts against pride lest we too "fall into the same condemnation as the devil."
It was the sin of pride which first led Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. In Genesis we read, "Then the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.' So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.”
The sin of pride is a preoccupation with self. Pride is all about "me, myself, and I." So even as the word "pride" is centered upon an "i," the sin itself is also centered upon "I." It is identified as a desire to be more important or attractive than others, failing to acknowledge the good work of others, and excessive love of self
Your punishment in Hell will be: You'll be broken on the wheel.
To save yourself from being sent to Hell for the sin of Pride, you must practice:
The Heavenly Virtue Humility
The term "humility" is derived from the Latin word "humilitas", a noun related to the adjective "humilis", translated not only as "humble", but also as "low", or "from the earth”. It is defined as: modest behavior, selflessness, and the giving of respect - giving credit where credit is due and not unfairly glorifying one's own self.
St. Bernard defines it as: "A virtue by which a man knowing himself as he truly is, abases himself" while St. Thomas says: "The virtue of humility consists in keeping oneself within one's own bounds, not reaching out to things above one, but submitting to one's superior"
No man can humiliate another, but only himself, and this he can do properly only when aided by Divine grace. Humility removes pride and according to the words of St. James: "God resisteth the proud, and giveth his grace to the humble" (James 4:6).
As promised, today I’m starting a series on the Seven Deadly Sins. I came up with the idea while doing some research on them ‘cause I thought they’d make a cool subject for a poem. The poem didn’t work out, but fortunately I saved a bunch of the information.
We start with the Sin of Pride.
Proverbs 16:18 - Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
"These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren." ( Prov. 6:16-19).
Pride, also known as Vanity, is considered the mother of all sins, the sin from which all others spring. It is the sin that turned the archangel Lucifer the “seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty” into the devil, the one for whom Hell itself was created. We're warned to guard our hearts against pride lest we too "fall into the same condemnation as the devil."
It was the sin of pride which first led Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. In Genesis we read, "Then the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.' So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.”
The sin of pride is a preoccupation with self. Pride is all about "me, myself, and I." So even as the word "pride" is centered upon an "i," the sin itself is also centered upon "I." It is identified as a desire to be more important or attractive than others, failing to acknowledge the good work of others, and excessive love of self
Your punishment in Hell will be: You'll be broken on the wheel.
To save yourself from being sent to Hell for the sin of Pride, you must practice:
The Heavenly Virtue Humility
The term "humility" is derived from the Latin word "humilitas", a noun related to the adjective "humilis", translated not only as "humble", but also as "low", or "from the earth”. It is defined as: modest behavior, selflessness, and the giving of respect - giving credit where credit is due and not unfairly glorifying one's own self.
St. Bernard defines it as: "A virtue by which a man knowing himself as he truly is, abases himself" while St. Thomas says: "The virtue of humility consists in keeping oneself within one's own bounds, not reaching out to things above one, but submitting to one's superior"
No man can humiliate another, but only himself, and this he can do properly only when aided by Divine grace. Humility removes pride and according to the words of St. James: "God resisteth the proud, and giveth his grace to the humble" (James 4:6).
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