Whether Covetousness Is Always a Mortal Sin?
Objection 1: It seems that covetousness is always a mortal sin. For
no one is worthy of death save for a mortal sin. But men are worthy
of death on account of covetousness. For the Apostle after saying
(Rom. 1:29): "Being filled with all iniquity . . . fornication,
covetousness [Douay: 'avarice']," etc. adds (Rom. 1:32): "They who do
such things are worthy of death." Therefore covetousness is a mortal
sin.
Obj. 2: Further, the least degree of covetousness is to hold to one's
own inordinately. But this seemingly is a mortal sin: for Basil says
(Serm. super. Luc. xii, 18): "It is the hungry man's bread that thou
keepest back, the naked man's cloak that thou hoardest, the needy
man's money that thou possessest, hence thou despoilest as many as
thou mightest succor."
Now it is a mortal sin to do an injustice to another, since it is
contrary to the love of our neighbor. Much more therefore is all
covetousness a mortal sin.
Obj. 3: Further, no one is struck with spiritual blindness save
through a mortal sin, for this deprives a man of the light of grace.
But, according to Chrysostom [*Hom. xv in the Opus Imperfectum,
falsely ascribed to St. Chrysostom], "Lust for money brings darkness
on the soul." Therefore covetousness, which is lust for money, is a
mortal sin.
_On the contrary,_ A gloss on 1 Cor. 3:12, "If any man build upon
this foundation," says (cf. St. Augustine, De Fide et Oper. xvi) that
"he builds wood, hay, stubble, who thinks in the things of the world,
how he may please the world," which pertains to the sin of
covetousness. Now he that builds wood, hay, stubble, sins not
mortally but venially, for it is said of him that "he shall be saved,
yet so as by fire." Therefore covetousness is some times a venial sin.
_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 3) covetousness is twofold. In
one way it is opposed to justice, and thus it is a mortal sin in
respect of its genus. For in this sense covetousness consists in the
unjust taking or retaining of another's property, and this belongs to
theft or robbery, which are mortal sins, as stated above (Q. 66, AA.
6, 8). Yet venial sin may occur in this kind of covetousness by
reason of imperfection of the act, as stated above (Q. 66, A. 6, ad
3), when we were treating of theft.
In another way covetousness may be taken as opposed to liberality: in
which sense it denotes inordinate love of riches. Accordingly if the
love of riches becomes so great as to be preferred to charity, in
such wise that a man, through love of riches, fear not to act counter
to the love of God and his neighbor, covetousness will then be a
mortal sin. If, on the other hand, the inordinate nature of his love
stops short of this, so that although he love riches too much, yet he
does not prefer the love of them to the love of God, and is unwilling
for the sake of riches to do anything in opposition to God or his
neighbor, then covetousness is a venial sin.
Reply Obj. 1: Covetousness is numbered together with mortal sins, by
reason of the aspect under which it is a mortal sin.
Reply Obj. 2: Basil is speaking of a case wherein a man is bound by a
legal debt to give of his goods to the poor, either through fear of
their want or on account of his having too much.
Reply Obj. 3: Lust for riches, properly speaking, brings darkness on
the soul, when it puts out the light of charity, by preferring the
love of riches to the love of God.
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