One Sin as the Cause of Another

Covetousness, not as a general inordinateness of desire or asa general tendency to such inordinateness, but as a special sin, is the root of all actual sins. This special covetousnessis the inordinate desire for riches. Riches (that is, money) open aready avenue to all excesses and sins, and are longed for by sinners. Not money itself, but the love of money, the desire for it, is the root of all evil, as St. Paul says (I Tim.6:10).

Pride as an inordinate desire to excel (not the pride which is an actual contempt of God or an inclination to this contempt), is back of the primal covetousness. Pride is therefore the beginning of all sins. Man wants goods or riches to have some perfection by possessing them, or some excellence, or some outstanding quality, or some notable enjoyment. Thus, whilecovetousness is the root of evil, pride is the beginning of sins.

Therefore covetousness and pride are fundamental or capital sins. These sins are like generals in an evil army; all the action of the evil warfare stems from them. And thereare also colonels and majors in the evil army; these too are listed with the capital sins.

There are five sins in addition to pride andcovetousness that are rightly reckoned as capital sins. Hence, the count of capital sins is seven: pride, covetousness, lust, anger,gluttony, envy, sloth.