A Lenten Series on the Seven Deadly Sins - Part 3: Avarice and Vainglory

03-08-2026Weekly ReflectionJen Arnold, M.A.

Welcome to the third Sunday of Lent! This year’s Lenten reflection series has been focused on facilitating metanoia (conversion) in our hearts and lives by rooting out sin. Drawing on wisdom from Kevin Vost’s book The Seven Deadly Sins: A Thomistic Guide to Vanquishing Vice and Sin, we are examining how we can, in a practical sense, combat sin in our lives and replace it with virtue. Last week, we covered sloth and envy. Hopefully, you have had a chance to see how those two vices may creep into your life and you practiced keeping them at bay over the last week. Now, we’ll look at two more vices.

We will begin with the deadly sin of avarice. Avarice is extreme greed for wealth or material gain. Money itself is not evil, but the love of money is. Scripture tells us, “For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs” (1Tim 6:10). It is perfectly reasonable to work to provide for yourself and your family and to strive to earn enough money to live in a nice house, have enough food, go on vacations, and retire comfortably. God created us with an innate desire to work and be productive, which is a good thing. However, we can do so to a fault, to the detriment of our relationships with others and with God. There are two clear signs you may be suffering from avarice. The first is restlessness. Do you find that you are never satisfied, always wanting more, or moving from one thing to another, never really experiencing true spiritual joy? The other is seen in how generous you are with your money or belongings. Do you remain tightfisted, or do you give generously to the Church and charities?

In addition to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the sacramental remedy to avarice is the Eucharist. Firstly, Eucharist means “thanksgiving,” so to participate in the Eucharist is to offer gratitude to God for everything. Secondly, Christ is truly present in the Eucharist – body, blood, soul, and divinity – and he is the antidote to the restlessness that avarice induces. Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28). You will not find the same peace and rest in any earthly goods that you will in Jesus Christ.

If you suffer from the vice of avarice, you need to start paying attention to the things that trigger it. Perhaps you often find yourself thinking of ways to make more money, chase bigger deals, or purchase things you don’t really need. Perhaps you have turned away from opportunities to give to others or to tithe to the Church when you can afford to do so. Note the ways in which you have chosen to serve mammon over God.

According to St. Thomas, the virtue directly opposed to avarice is liberality. He says that the virtues of justice and liberality are related to one another in that they both involve how we deal with others and external goods. “[J]ustice gives another what is his, whereas liberality gives another what is one’s own” (ST, II-II, Q. 117, art. 5). Additionally, “to spend money on oneself is an inclination of nature; hence to spend money on others belongs properly to virtue” (Ibid.). Therefore, those who suffer from avarice can combat it simply by giving more money away. Also, to give for the good of others, or for the good of the Church, even to the point of suffering a little bit, is all the more virtuous! That said, St. Thomas reminds us that prudence is still a virtue to be practiced as well. We ought to remain wise in our choices.

We live in a culture of materialism and consumerism, bolstered by excessive advertising that stirs our senses, passions, emotions, and imaginations. It is virtually impossible to escape. So, in order to work against these things and immerse yourself in the spirit, you have to be very intentional. Find opportunities to engross yourself in things money can’t buy by setting aside time for prayer, Eucharistic adoration, and meaningful interactions with others. Make it a point to turn off the television or the car radio so you can sit in silence and meditate on divine mysteries. Participate in opportunities to serve the poor.

Note that Jesus himself embraced poverty. He was born poor, in a stable surrounded by animals, and worked as a carpenter before beginning his public ministry. He told us to give Caesar his due, praised the poor widow for giving all that she had, and taught that the love of money is evil. If we are to live in imitation of Christ, we ought to recognize that nothing we acquire here on earth can accompany us to our eternal home in heaven. Any attachment to earthly goods is a hindrance to the soul’s growth in holiness.

We will now move on to the deadly vice of vainglory. Recall from the first reflection in this series that we are not following the seven deadly sins as listed in the Catechism. Rather, we are using the list provided by St. Thomas Aquinas, who included vainglory among the seven, with pride implicated as the root of all vices. Vainglory is inordinate pride in oneself, one’s achievements, or an excess of vanity. St. Thomas says it is to seek glory for the wrong things, from the wrong people, or for the wrong reason. Some characteristics of vainglory include trying to make others envious, seeking praise, feeling superior to others, boasting, being close-minded to others’ ideas, failing to admit when one is wrong, and disobedience. Note if any of these tendencies have taken hold in your life.

The sacrament that most directly opposes vainglory is Confirmation. When we are confirmed, we receive the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit — wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. They are gifts from God, and there is nothing we can do to earn them. Furthermore, when we accept these gifts and intentionally use them to fight our spiritual battles, we have less time and energy to worry about what others think of our worldly state.

As you examine how the vice of vainglory moves you to sin, ask yourself if you are seeking glory for the wrong things, with the wrong people, and for the wrong reasons? Honestly ask yourself if you care what others think about you and why. Before you share an achievement with someone, ask yourself what your motivations are. If you don’t like to admit you’re wrong, or don’t want to follow the rules, consider why that might be.

The single most appropriate prayer to combat vainglory is, “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.” In praying the Glory Be, you are properly directing all glory where it rightly belongs — to God! Along with this simple prayer, any prayer glorifying God will help you to stop glorifying yourself.

St. Thomas tells us that the two virtues that help to combat vainglory are fortitude and magnanimity. Fortitude enables us to continue to do difficult things to obtain a good goal. Magnanimity is about rising above small-mindedness and pettiness for a more noble moral character. When we employ these virtues together, we seek out achievements that are not impressive by the world’s standards but greatly increase our growth in holiness. Training our minds to notice the truth, goodness, and beauty all around us will help to immerse us in God’s glory. The more we recognize the truth, goodness, and beauty that come from God, the more we will be repulsed by the lies, evil, and ugliness of vainglory.

Consider the humility of Jesus Christ. He is God, the one most worthy of all glory and praise, yet he received so little glory and sought no praise while he walked on this earth. His concern was not for his own glory, but for building up, healing, encouraging, and directing others away from sin so they might achieve salvation. He did this to the point of death on a cross, the least glorifying place of all. Seek to imitate Jesus when dealing with vainglory.

This week, consider how the vices of avarice and vainglory may play a role in your life and consider ways in which you can implement a battle plan to combat them.

Keys to Combating the Seven Deadly Sins

• Examination of conscience
• Embracing the sacraments
• Watching the steps of our movements toward sin
• Practicing prayer
• Cultivating virtue
• Immersion in the world of the spirit
• Imitation of Christ