The Lure of Avarice | Fr. Joseph-Anthony Kress & Fr. Gregory Pine
October 30, 2025
The Lure of Avarice: The Catholic View on this Deadly Sin
In the Godsplaining podcast episode entitled, The Lure of Avarice | Fr. Joseph‑Anthony & Fr. Gregory, the friars explore the sin of avarice. They show how avarice corrupts the heart, distorts relationships, and undermines our spiritual life by replacing trust in God with trust in money. Through biblical examples, practical reflections, and pastoral guidance, they encourage listeners to cultivate generosity, detachment, and a proper orientation toward stewardship of God’s gifts.
Understanding Avarice
What is avarice?
Avarice, or greed, one of the seven deadly sins. In this episode of Godsplaining, Fr. Joseph-Anthony and Fr. Gregory guide us through understanding the sin and vice of avarice, what reliance upon God really means, where tithing comes into play in our Christian lives, and filling your garden with good virtues.
Why does avarice matter?
The sin and vice of greed keeps us from a fulfilling relationship with God, distorts human flourishing and relationships, impedes Christian discipleship (especially generosity), impacts our interior life and readiness for Eternal Life.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is avarice different from simply working hard or wanting to provide for my family?
The Catholic Church encourages prudence, diligence, and responsible stewardship — these are virtues.
Avarice crosses the line when the desire for more becomes excessive, dominating one’s thoughts, priorities, or moral choices. The key test: Am I using possessions as tools for love, or am I using people to gain possessions?
Why is avarice considered a “deadly” sin?
It’s “deadly” because it’s a root sin — it breeds other sins, such as injustice, envy, dishonesty, and neglect of the poor.
Avarice corrodes the soul’s trust in God and makes charity (love of God and neighbor) harder to practice.
What are the spiritual consequences of avarice?
Avarice enslaves the heart, damages relationships, and disrupts peace with God.
It leads to spiritual blindness — we begin to see the world through the lens of gain and loss, not grace and love.
Jesus warns: “You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24).
How can avarice be overcome?
The traditional remedies are:
- Generosity (giving freely from what you have)
- Detachment (learning to live simply)
- Trust in Providence (believing God will provide)
- Thanksgiving (recognizing all is gift)
- Confession and prayer, asking God for freedom from attachment
Practicing these virtues slowly reorders the heart.
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