Envy — It’s a Killer

CatholicExchange.com ^ | 11-04-06 | Fr. James Farfaglia

[Salvation]

	by Fr. James Farfaglia Other Articles by Fr. James Farfaglia Contact this Author

Envy — It’s a Killer

11/04/06

		Quick — what do Cain, Satan, and Claudias (Uncle of Hamlet) have in common? And do you have it in common with them?
In This Article... Bad Company The Envy Trap Be Transformed

Bad Company

I’m talking here about envy, one of the seven deadly sins. They all had it — Satan still has it — and if you have it, well, suffice it to say you may not want to be in their company.

To diagnose whether you have envy — or whether envy has you — consider what it is. Envy is the act of being saddened by another's qualities or good fortune as if that good constituted a threat to our own superiority.

Many times envy may include desiring to see another person deprived of that particular quality or good fortune that offends us. Unchecked, envy becomes an extremely destructive force. Lucifer is said to have rebelled because he was envious of the Word, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. Those ruled by envy are dangerous and cause terrible divisions in families, neighborhoods, the business world, and in the Church.

This appalling vice is rooted in pride because the envious must always be superior. Always perceiving others as threats, the envious can never allow potential rivals to collaborate with them unless they can retain control. Their envy always fastens on some brilliant quality, virtue, or aspect of character of another. When others achieve recognition or success, the envious are saddened and are moved to do everything in their power to destroy the object of their envy. Thus the envious may employ character assassination, calumny, and physical harm — even murder — in their quest for dominance.

Moreover, the envious create terrible dissension. Christian unity is lost in communities where the envious contend. The envious know no interior peace because they are always seeking anything that will further their quest for superiority. They ruthlessly seek positions of power and do all that they can to remain in power, even if this means destroying those in their way. They use excessive work as a means of satisfying this inner lust for supremacy. The envious live in unending torment until they can eclipse those they perceive to be their rivals. Many obsessed with envy are made insane with power and commit horribly destructive acts or become mentally ill.

Human history provides abundant examples of envy. From the Bible, Cain envied his brother Abel; Joseph was envied by his brothers; and the Prodigal Son was envied by his older brother. Shakespeare illustrates this sin in Hamlet. Claudius, Hamlet's uncle, envied Hamlet's father, his brother. His envy spawned lust and murder, and led to the innocent deaths of Ophelia, Gertrude and Hamlet.

For some strange reason, the sin of envy is a cancer within much of the clergy. Many holy and zealous priests are frustrated in their ministry precisely because their brothers do not want them to succeed. As you can see, envy is a terrible sin.

The Envy Trap

Envy is a mortal sin when the impulses are fully consented to and put into action; one is then fully culpable. Its effects are very corrosive. Furthermore, envy is classified as a capital sin, one of those sins so pernicious that in the words of the Catechism, “it engenders other sins, other vices" (1866). This terrible sin is made more terrible because it arouses sentiments of hatred toward those we may envy. All capital sins can be mortal sins, but not all mortal sins are capital sins. The capital sins, or deadly sins, are at the root of other sins.

"They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, he began to ask them, 'What were you arguing about on the way?' But they remained silent. They had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest” (Mk 9: 33-34).

The Apostles fell into the envy trap. As fallen creatures they were prone, like us, to sin. Jesus continually taught His disciples how they must be. Even at the Last Supper, the Apostles were seeking places of honor, and Jesus gave them a final lesson by assuming the office of a slave by washing their feet. Jesus gives us the antidote for envy. He reminds us once again that every true disciple must be humble. "If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all" (Mk 9: 35).

Be Transformed

Ambition is a very powerful force in the human psyche. Jesus does not tell us to live passive and uninteresting lives. He challenges us to channel our ambition by dying to our selfish tendencies and living out the spirit of service so characteristic for those who desire to live authentic Christianity.

To drive His point home, Jesus points to an innocent child and says, “Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in My name, welcomes Me; and anyone who welcomes Me welcomes not Me but the One Who sent Me” (Mk 9: 37).

The lesson here is clear: serve one another without looking for anything in return. Commonly we form friendships in order to get ahead or achieve a particular goal. This is especially true in the business world. But Jesus is telling us to serve without any hidden selfish motives.

What does all of this have to do with envy? If we break the cycle of selfishness, envy will disappear, too. But dying to self is not an easy enterprise. True Christianity demands intense daily mortification and a profound spiritual life.

However, selfishness is a serious problem for many Catholics nowadays, one unrecognized cause being the hardening of hearts through the contraceptive mentality so prevalent today. It saddens me to hear married practicing Catholics affirm that they do not want to have any more children. Such egotism generates other forms of selfishness as well. Envy is one of them, and the lack of volunteerism is another — as is not putting our fair share in the Sunday collection basket — and so is failure to use the sacrament of Confession.

We need to eradicate all forms of selfishness from our lives if we really want to be transformed into authentic Christians. The ultimate goal of the Christian way of life is transformation into Christ. He is the way, the truth and the life. Selfishness has to be dealt with very seriously and the terrible sin of envy must be rooted out as the danger it is. We need to die to our egotism so that we may become more and more like the Risen Lord.

© Copyright 2006 Catholic Exchange


Father James Farfaglia is Pastor of St. Helena of the True Cross of Jesus Catholic Church in Corpus Christi, Texas. Originally from Ridgefield, Connecticut, Father has founded and developed apostolates for the Catholic Church in Spain, Italy, Mexico, Canada and throughout the United States. He may be reached by email at Icthus@GoCcN.org.

[Salvation]

Envy is a practice in futility. You are putting Mike and all his belongings into what might be called the secular set of Beaitutdes:

"Blessed are those who have lots of stuff."

You and I both know that stuff does not make a person here on earth happy, nor does it lead to eternal life in heaven.

Even Jesus Christ tells us in the Beatitudes:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

What does it mean to be "poor in spirit"? The Greek noun translated "poor" is ptochos speaking of extreme poverty, without the means of self-support.

[Kolokotronis]

From "The Paradise of the Holy Fathers"

"BROTHER: What is envy?

ABBA: Hatred toward the virtues of other folk, and wickedness towards the good, and a bitter mind towards the innocent, and anger against those who are prosperous in this world, and the cloaking of the upright conduct of those who repent, and vexation with the peace of the lovers of God."

[Salvation]

Excellent.

[P-Marlowe]

I thought you were on the joke thread. LOL!

I was series.

[SolomoninSouthDakota]

"Erm. Is it envy if you wish you had as much as someone else has? Without taking anything from them?

Let's say my best friend "Mike" has all kinds of good stuff in life.

Is it envy if I think "More Power to Mike, I wish I was like him!"?"

That is exactly envy.

[cornelis]

Is there anything missing from that answer? Why the hatred? What is the motivation for the wickedness? What causes the anger?

[Tax-chick]

You rarely find the word "covetous" anywhere nowadays.

I had a talk about it with my priest some years back, when we were living on beans. He said it wasn't "covetousness" to want a van, a lawn tractor, and some meat for supper, unless you wanted to take them away from the neighbors!

[cornelis]

Odd. I never think of taking anything from my neighbors. I suppose some people are disposed to such behavior. I know children are more easily disposed to coveteousness. What disposes a person to envy?

[Tax-chick]

Great summary! It probably says something similar, although less poetic, in the Baltimore Catechism, and in the Presbyterian Shorter Catechism, as well.

Until the last 75 years or so, Christian congregations or denominations addressed sin in very concrete and distinct terms. I think it's very helpful.

[cornelis]

What is the most common form of envy in today's society?

[LibKill]

That is exactly envy.

:(

OK. I guess I should try to be satisfied with what I've got.

My life is a durn sight better than some I've seen.

I shall try to be grateful.

[SolomoninSouthDakota]

Not at all.

[cornelis]

Right, and envy is a social sin.

[Salvation]

**Why the hatred? What is the motivation for the wickedness? What causes the anger?**

Isn't all sin built on a lack of love?

Therefore, with envy, there is no love, because we lust for the articles of the world.........no love there. (Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods.)

[Tax-chick]

I never think of taking anything from my neighbors.

No, neither do I. It probably is related to the abundance of material goods available to us. If I want a lawn tractor exactly like the Carters', I can go to Home Depot and buy one. If I want a pool like theirs, I know who the contractor is.

The commandment against "covetousness" in the strict sense - "I want HIS stuff" - is still relevant when applied to coveting your neighbor's wife, since a wife is an individual person, or perhaps his house, which is not instantly duplicable.

I think that's why we hear more about "greed" than about "covetousness," even though they're not identical concepts.

What disposes a person to envy?

That's the big question, isn't it? We're told somewhere in the Bible that envy was the sin that led the angels to fall, so it's clearly foundational as a choice against God.

[Tax-chick]

Therefore, with envy, there is no love, because we lust for the articles of the world.........no love there.

Excellent point. "Never love anything that can't love you back," as Don Aslett says.

[cornelis]

Love does cover a multitude of sins, but a knowledge of causes is part of wisdom.

I'm generally a loving person. So are my children. But my understanding of love may blind me from my faults.

[Salvation]

I like that quote.

[LibKill]

After a little thought, I have a lot to be thankful for:

1. I live in what most people would consider a great country. Texas.

2. I enjoy pretty good health. Not perfect, but pretty good. I don't have any chronic conditions.

3. I'm not all that damn smart, but the powers that be did not gift me with mental retardation either.

4. I have beer.

5. Did I mention beer? Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. - Benjamin Franklin.

This examination of envy and my own life has convinced me that I am, and should be, happy. Further, I do not, and should not, envy anyone. Thanks to all.

[Salvation]

**But my understanding of love may blind me from my faults.**

Yes, unless one is willing to undergo an examination of one's own conscience frequently.