Covetousness

Covetousness is an inordinate love of possessing. It isin conflict with sound reason, and is therefore a sin.

Covetousness, as the immoderate love of getting and possessing money, is a special sin. It is a general sin inasmuch as its scope is extended to include inordinate desire of possessing anything: goods, position, knowledge.

As a special sin or vice, covetousness stands directly opposed to the virtue of liberality.

To covet riches to such a degree as to be willing to do anything whatever to possess them, is a mortal sin. Most sins ofcovetousness, however, are venial sins.

Covetousness, since it can be a venial fault, is notthe greatest of sins. Yet great sins indeed may be born of thecovetous spirit. The vice of covetousness is hard to cure, but it can be cured.

Covetousness is not a sin of the flesh, but of the spirit; it is a spiritual sin, not a carnal sin. For though the riches coveted are material things, the evil of covetousness is inthe desire for satisfaction in the possession of these things, and not in the things themselves.

Covetousness is that ‘love of money” which isthe root of evil. Many evils sprout from this root. It is therefore listed among the capital sins.

A capital sin is a source-sin, a spring from which other sins readily flow. The sins which flow most readily fromcovetousness, and are therefore called “daughters ofcovetousness,” are the following: fraud, lying, perjury,dissatisfaction or restlessness, violence, and hard-heartedness.