Sources and Causes of Sins and Their Opposite Virtues
--
366. The seven deadly sins are: pride, greed, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth.
--
367. These seven sins are called deadly because they are the heads and serve as sources and roots of other vices that arise from them.
--
368. The deadly sins are mortal sins when they seriously break a commandment of God or the Church.
--
369. Pride is a disordered desire to be preferred over others.
--
This detestable vice caused the fall of the bad angels and made our first parents fall.
--
Every sin comes from pride.
--
370. Greed is a disordered desire for wealth.
(See what was said in Part 2: 7th and 10th commandments).
--
371. Lust is a disordered desire for sensual pleasures.
(See what was said in Part 2: 6th and 9th commandments)
--
372. Anger is a disordered desire for revenge.
--
Few people are free from committing some act of anger.
--
Holy anger refers to the horror of sin and the just desire to punish evildoers; this kind of anger is not a sin.
--
373. Gluttony is a disordered desire to eat and drink.
(See what was said about the 5th commandment, regarding the vice of drunkenness)
--
374. Envy is the sorrow because of another person's good.
--
375. Sloth is a laziness of spirit in doing good deeds and fulfilling one’s obligations.
--
The vice of sloth is a thief that steals the most precious treasures.
--
Many could easily gain great merits and rewards for heaven, but laziness makes them lose it.
--
And many, through laziness, lose both temporal well-being and even eternal well-being.
--
376. It is not a sin to feel these bad desires and appetites, but to want them and not restrain them.
--
377. The seven virtues opposed to the seven deadly sins are:
Against pride, humility.
Against greed, generosity.
Against lust, chastity.
Against anger, patience.
Against gluttony, temperance.
Against envy, charity.
Against sloth, diligence.
--
Humility is recognizing that from ourselves we have only nothingness; treating ourselves and enduring being treated as nothing and as sinners, and giving God the glory for all the good that is in us.
--
True humility is founded on truth. Humility is the most necessary.
--
The worst of vices is pride; the best of virtues is humility.
--
Our Lord Jesus Christ wanted to be a Teacher, especially of humility, saying:
“Learn from Me, for I am meek and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:29)
--
Generosity means not coveting what belongs to others and gladly giving your own to the poor and for pious works.
--
Chastity is restraining and moderating sensual appetites.
--
Patience is suffering injuries and hardships with peace and serenity.
--
Temperance is having moderation in eating and drinking.
--
Charity is wishing and doing good for others for the love of God.
--
Diligence is a readiness of will to do good.