The sin of envy?

[HabemusFrancis]

As we all know there are 7 deadly sins. As Catholics (and Christians generally I think) we consider pride to be the worst sin, partly because it was Satan’s sin and the only sin that would cause us to elevate ourselves above God?

I accept and agree that pride is the worst sin. But how does envy rank? Based on what I know about it, I’d imagine it would be second, if not in fact first.

I say that, because even as far as sins go, envy seems uniquely malign. It seems the only sin that by it’s nature causes one to hate another person.

I suppose anger or wrath causes hatred of other people, but in my experience wrath lasts a much shorter time than envy, which has a huge potential of just eating away at a person.

I also realize that many people who feel wrathful are provoked to wrath by the sins or bad actions of other people. I think wrath is typically not the right response but for some reason can understand and sympathize with it much more than envy.

Envy just never seems like something I could or would ever validate or encourage. I never seem to sympathize with the envious (whether they appear in literature, film or in real life.) Even if I understand the envy ( I’ve felt it myself) it just seems like such a destructive thing to partake in.

Further, the other thus far unmentioned sins (lust, avarice, gluttony, sloth) all seem to just be exaggerations, or excessive loves of permissible things (sex,money, food and leisure.)

Envy on the other hand… just seems in and of itself bad with no redeeming “flip side” if that makes sense.

Is envy a unique sin in the Catholic Church, or just a sin like any other?

 

[pianistclare]

Envy is Lucifer’s great sin.

 

[Nelka]

Maybe you should start a poll?

 

[claymcdermott]

I think traditionally, you’ll find theologians and and artists of the Middle Ages ranked pride and envy as the two worst.

Dante’s Purgatorio ranks the capital sins with pride as worst, then in descending order, envy, wrath, sloth, avarice, gluttony, and then lust.

So I think your intuition is common throughout Church history.

 

[Arizona_Fat_Gir]

My two little dogs sometimes become envious of each other.

It is usually over food, and of course, attention from me. Attention will start a fight.

I think one of the things envious people may feel is that they are not loved as much as someone else. Sure, it can be over things, like cars, clothes, houses, but love is a very big thing for jealousy and envy to start up. Envy is a very unpleasant feeling especially if one feels unloved by another party. Sibling rivalry is based on it.

 

[HabemusFrancis]

I think traditionally, you’ll find theologians and and artists of the Middle Ages ranked pride and envy as the two worst.

Dante’s Purgatorio ranks the capital sins with pride as worst, then in descending order, envy, wrath, sloth, avarice, gluttony, and then lust.

So I think your intuition is common throughout Church history.

Sort of funny that Dante rated lust the “least bad” of the captial sins. It just seems the reverse of the stories of nuns and priests from the '50s telling parochial school children that sexual sins are the ones most likely to land you in Hell .

Well isn’t it always the sin of envy that causes the “evil stepmother” to hate the good and sweet child victim of hers? From Cinderella to the Brothers Grimm, to Harry Potter authors and folklorists have known envy’s bitter fruits