Greed and thoughts

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First, when does greed become a mortal sin? Is it even in small matters such as taking the biggest piece of steak at the dinner table, or taking an extra turn at a video game when others are waiting, or must it be very serious such as giving workers very little pay and things like that?

Second, is it a mortal sin to wish bad upon someone? We just had our large inflatible pool that we spent much money on slashed open for the second time and I thought, “how would they like to meet some razorwire next time”, and thinking about things like that.
 
CCC 2539 Envy is a capital sin. It refers to the sadness at the sight of another’s goods and the immoderate desire to acquire them for oneself, even unjustly. When it wishes grave harm to a neighbor it is a mortal sin.

There’s more from the Catechism on greed here:
christusrex.org/www1/CDHN/tenth.html
 
I don’t see wishing harm on someone who slashes one’s expensive pool twice, as Greed or Envy.

It would be a natural angry reaction. Even Jesus got angry when it was justified.
If not dwelt upon, I don’t see it as a mortal sin either. Now,** if plotting this revenge,** that would be different and should be confessed and discussed in this Sacrament of Reconciliation.

A solution would be to somehow catch the person doing this, or if known, report him and his action to the police… and let them punish the person responsible for badly damaging your expensive pool.
Meanwhile pray that it stops happening too! (Or maybe you can invite the person to come swimming with you?! Perhaps he is currently filled with envy for Your pool?) 🤷
 
As to what degree an act or thought becomes Mortal Sin is best answered by a priest in Confession.

As to thinking “How would he like it if . . .” does not sound like actually wishing harm on someone. It sounds like wondering in a moment of anger. Entertaining such a thought for too long a time is, however, a problem. One who loves, as Christ would have us love, should not feed his anger.

And it does not sound like the passing thought is trying to INVOKE God to punish the person. Invoking God to reach out and punish is a serious matter and to be avoided in my view.

As I recall, Jesus taught that no longer was “an eye for an eye” justice acceptable. Love of others (the second greatest commandment) requires us to forgive as often as necessary - 70 times 7.

I may be an shaky ground with this: It seems OK to seek restitution, to be restored as much as possible to condition prior to the harming act. Car insurance seems Moral.

BUT it quite another thing to go out and bash the other guy’s car because he keyed your car or slashed your pool.

As to greed in business, again judgment is needed. If we both need identical legal services and I go to a $200 hour lawyer and you go to a $400 lawyer, was your lawyer just greedy?

But if you are a $200 hour lawyer and I drive up in a new gold Porshe, should you charge me $400 just because you think I can pay more than your regular fee?

As to a just pay, please google RERUM NOVARUM to read what Pope Leo XII had to say about 120 years ago.
 
“how would they like to meet some razorwire next time” sounds to me like picturing harm to someone more than picturing how razorwire would simply deter them. (It is analogous to the difference between just seeing an attractive person and having lustful thoughts.)

If the image / hope / prayer is of a harmed perpetrator, then that would show hating the sinner and not their act. It would not be loving your neighbor (there are no caveats on who you may exclude). It would not show forgiveness (and you regularly pray that your sins be forgiven as you forgive others). It sounds like a mortal sin to me and in the very least is a very slippery slope.

I struggle with this too from time to time…
 
We all, on occasion, commit the “seven deadly sins” but how are we to know when it has turned into mortal? This has always confused me.:confused:

For instance, stealing a penny from your friend is a sin…but not mortal, correct? (I can’t imagine one cent being a grave matter). But stealing $500 would be a mortal sin. Again, correct? So then what about $5, $35 or $125 dollars?

Or another example, sloth is sin. But how do you determine that laying around the house has passed the point of just resting…to being a mortal sin?

Sorry, if my example’s seem silly, I just really would like to be able to understand this better because there seems to be such a fine line. 🤷
 
dailey said:
We all, on occasion, commit the “seven deadly sins” but how are we to know when it has turned into mortal? This has always confused me.:confused:

For instance, stealing a penny from your friend is a sin…but not mortal, correct? (I can’t imagine one cent being a grave matter). But stealing $500 would be a mortal sin. Again, correct? So then what about $5, $35 or $125 dollars?

Or another example, sloth is sin. But how do you determine that laying around the house has passed the point of just resting…to being a mortal sin?

Sorry, if my example’s seem silly, I just really would like to be able to understand this better because there seems to be such a fine line. 🤷
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I hear you dailey!

I also would like to know when greed and sloth becomes mortal sin? I know that discerning mortal sin in regards to stealing depends not only the amount you still from someone but also who you still from. For example, it would most likely be venial sin to still $10.00 from a rich person but mortal sin to still the same amount from a poor person.

Let’s say someone spends $100.00 on clothes each month, would that be considered a mortal sin of greed?
 
For a sin to be MORTAL – it Has to be SERIOUSLY Wrong, you have to KNOW it is Seriously Wrong, and you have to DO IT ANYWAY - your free will.

SERIOUSLY WRONG is the big point here, and you do have to use your Mind and conscience for this. I think stealing is WRONG, but I do think for it to be** SERIOUSLY **Wrong, it would have to be Hurtful to the person or place you took something from… - or certainly Breaking the Law could be seriously wrong too… a bank robbery of people’s money - - but not taking a pencil or pad of paper from a store or place of business…

Of course your best decision on sin is to tell it to a priest in the Sacrament of confession and ask his guidance on the seriousness… it does help one learn, and understand, and it always helps one to be forgiven.
 
Moscati said:
CCC 2539 Envy is a capital sin. It refers to the sadness at the sight of another’s goods and the immoderate desire to acquire them for oneself, even unjustly. When it wishes grave harm to a neighbor it is a mortal sin.

…
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About 20 years ago, there was an article * in the Wall Street Journal about a study done on how ordinary people felt about “the rich” and income taxes. The study concluded that the average person would be willing to be hurt [by having to pay higher taxes] just to stick even higher taxes to the rich.

Obviously, there is plenty of envy going around, so why do we hear only about greed from the politicians and media?*
 
I believe when you become pocessed by it…its becomes more important than God at that point.

God bless
 
In several places, St Paul equates greed with idoloty.
Why is it idolotry? Because you are seeking to provide life for yourself rather than relying on God to provide for you. You are being your own god (the generic definition of a person’s god is that to which they turn for life and all good, as they perceive good), and so you are your own idol, facing toward yourself for “good” rather than facing toward God.
 
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