It is one of those old-timey words that is rarely used. Avarice is often considered a synonym of greed, but in its use, it feels like so much more. It is one of the Seven Deadly Sins. It is greed on steroids. It is capitalism that is not only out of control but used as a weapon. As we head into the season of getting, we will be bombarded with images of Scrooge on what will seem like a daily basis. Whether he is depicted as a cute duck or a raving monster, Ebeneezer is the poster child for avarice. While greed, to me, is capitalism without any moral restrictions, avarice is something more. It is all-consuming – it is gain at the expense of everything else – it is today’s American dream. And nightmare.
Do I protest too much? I don’t think so. This administration is planning to build a ballroom while taking SNAP away from millions. DOGE slashed and burned jobs while spending millions lining the pockets of the wealthy. Congress and the president allowed the government to shut down while putting millions of lives at risk. This is not fiscal responsibility – this is avarice. This isn’t frugality – this is sinful. I believe in personal responsibility and hard work; I also believe in the command to help those who are helpless and hurting – avarice doesn’t care about circumstances or chaos or bad luck. Avarice takes it all and says, when asked for help (in the words of Scrooge), “Then let them die and decrease the surplus population.”
And yet – I have read and heard about people standing up to avarice. Stories of generosity and compassion – stories about empathy and sacrifice. We are seeing some of this popping through the avarice, making it possible for people to avoid homelessness and starvation. Where there is avarice, there is also the antidote – love and generosity. Because avarice is fed by self-loathing. Avarice is nurtured by selfishness and arrogance and entitlement. As always, we are posed with a choice – will we allow our better angels to make the world a place where the light shines through, or will we allow our inner demons to destroy it all for the sake of having it all, plunging us into darkness? We will see.
Prayer – Holy God, cure our avarice – cure our madness – cure our greed. Amen.
Today’s art is “Avarice, from the Seven Deadly Sins” engraved by Pieter Van Der Heyden, 1558.