envy
envy, in Roman Catholic theology, one of the seven deadly sins. The theological definition of envy is resentment or sadness at another’s good fortune or excellence, with an often insatiable desire to have it for oneself. Envy is more than simple jealousy because it includes the belief that another’s excellence or blessings lessens one’s own, and it makes one want to destroy another’s good fortune. As a deadly sin, envy is believed to generate other sins and further immoral behaviour; it can be countered with the heavenly virtue of gratitude.
Envy is toxic to happiness and can manifest as material envy and spiritual envy. Material envy is resentment toward others who have more material fortune, such as money, talent, strength, beauty, or friends. Spiritual envy is resentment toward others’ spiritual goodness or those who have progressed in holiness. Spiritual envy is more evil than material envy and is considered to be a sin against the Holy Spirit.
The seven deadly sins were first enumerated by Pope Gregory I (the Great) in the 6th century and were later elaborated by St. Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century. Along with envy, they include pride, wrath, lust, greed, gluttony, and sloth. Of envy, Pope Gregory I wrote, “From envy are born hatred, detraction, calumny, joy caused by the misfortune of a neighbor, and displeasure caused by his prosperity.” In Catholic teaching, envy was one of the factors that led to the Fall of Man, the consequence of which was death. Satan’s temptation of Eve in the Garden of Eden originated with Satan’s pride and his envy of God and of Adam and Eve.
Stories of envy and its destructive consequences abound in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). As told in the book of Genesis, Cain’s murder of his brother Abel was caused by envy and wrath (4:3-8). Cain envied his brother because God favoured Abel’s sacrifice. Envy also led Joseph’s brothers to sell him into slavery because he was the favourite of their father, Jacob (Genesis 37:3-28). In book 1 of Samuel, David, the future king of Israel, became the target of King Saul’s envy after slaying the giant Goliath. When David was greeted with joyful dancing and singing for his victory, Saul’s envy and insecurity led him to try to kill David (18:6-11).
Like greed, envy is forbidden by the Ten Commandments, which prohibit coveting another’s goods. Like wrath, envy is warned against by St. Paul in the New Testament as one of the “works of the flesh,” for “those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Letter of Paul to the Galatians 5:19-21).