The Seven Deadly Sins. Presented by Monsignor James Gaston. Mother of Sorrows Parish, Murrysville. The First in this Lenten series, Monsignor Gaston explores the History of the Seven Deadly Sins and the first of the Seven: PRIDE.

1. THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS
Looking for Love
in the Wrong Places
Mother of Sorrows Church – Lent 2015

2. The Seven Deadly Sins,
also known as the capital vices
or cardinal sins, is a classification of
vices (a part of Christian ethics)
that has been used since early Christian
times to educate and instruct Christians
concerning fallen humanity's
tendency to sin.

3. In the currently recognized version,
the sins are usually given as
wrath, greed, sloth, pride,
lust, envy, and gluttony.
Each is a form of “Idolatry-of-Self” – or
narcissism.

4. Biblical Lists
Proverbs 6:16-19
Among the verses traditionally associated with King
Solomon, it states that the Lord specifically regards
"six things the Lord hates, and seven that are an
abomination to Him", namely:
1.A proud look (haughty eyes)
2.A lying tongue
3.Hands that shed innocent blood
4.A heart that devises wicked plots
5.Feet that are swift to run to evil
6.A deceitful witness that utters lies
7.The one that sows discord among kindred

5. Biblical Lists
Galatians 5:19-21
“The works of the flesh are obvious:
immorality, impurity, licentiousness,
idolatry, sorcery, hatreds
rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury,
acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions,
occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies,
and the like.”

6. History
4th century monk Evagrius Ponticus listed eight evil thoughts in Greek:
Γαστριμαργία (gastrimargia) gluttony
Πορνεία (porneia) prostitution, fornication
Φιλαργυρία (philargyria) avarice
Ὑπερηφανία (hyperēphania) inordinate self-esteem
Λύπη (lypē) sadness envy, sadness at another's
good fortune
Ὀργή (orgē) wrath
Κενοδοξία (kenodoxia) boasting
Ἀκηδία (akēdia) acedia dejection

7. History
 Acedia (sloth)
 Gula (gluttony)
 Fornicatio (fornication, lust)
 Avaritia (avarice/greed)
 Superbia (hubris, pride)
• Tristitia (sorrow/despair/despondecy)
 Ira (wrath)
 Vanagloria (vainglory)
John Cassian

8. The 1997 Catechism of the Catholic Church #1866 ff. lists the sins as:
"pride, avarice, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, and sloth/acedia“
Each of the seven deadly sins now also has an opposite
among corresponding seven holy virtues sometimes
also referred to as the contrary virtues:
Pride : Humility
Greed : Simplicity
Wrath : Contentment
Luxury : Peace
Gluttony : Moderation
Envy : Joy
Sloth : Strength/Courage
History

9. Pride
The term is derived from the Greek mythology of Narcissus.
Narcissus was a handsome Greek youth who rejected the desperate
advances of the nymph Echo. As punishment, he was doomed to fall in love
with his own reflection in a pool of water. Unable to consummate his love,
Narcissus pined away and changed into the flower that bears his name, the
narcissus.

10. Pride
Hubris
Egotism
Narcissism

11. The Sin of Pride
 Superbia: “aiming at what is above”
vs. healthy self-respect and elation of one’s
achievements/good fortune
 Genesis 11:1-9 – Tower of Babel – compare with
Acts 2:1-13
 Matthew 23 Denunciation of (Pride of) the Scribes and
Pharisees
 Luke 18:10-13 – Pharisee and Publican at prayer
 Pope Gregory the Great – 4 species of proud persons

12. Pride
Personality Disorder/Dysfunction?
Superiority Complex
The behaviors of Pride

13. Pride
Questions for Reflection
What is the difference between healthy
self-esteem and the sin of pride?
When does competition “cross the line?”
How does humility differ from low self-esteem?

14. THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS
Looking for Love
in the Wrong Places
Mother of Sorrows Church – Lent 2015