The Seven Deadly Sins (and what little I knew about them)

"Sin is the failure to live freedom excellently."

-George Weigel

    This morning I listened to the priest at 8 a.m. 1160AM (seriously, he’s good. Check him out), and today he talked about the Seven Capital Sins.  To my surprise, there was a lot more to these sins than I had known, and he noted how misunderstood (and therefore rarely confessed) these sins were.  He said it is these sins that lead to all the small ones that we’re know we get ourselves into.
    Here are my notes below from what I’ve heard, along with the virtue to overcome these sins I found on another source.  These sins are also ranked purposely in this order as the most grave being number 1.  Good thing I don’t have any (I mean, all) of these…
 
#1 Pride
Replacing God with ourselves.  Thinking that I am in control, and not God.  Thinking I do not need Him, that I can handle life on my own.  Thinking that I am better than another.  The pride of thinking people ought to be more like myself and pointing people that way as an end, instead of pointing to the ultimate perfect person as the example to follow---Jesus Christ.
Virtue to overcome: Humility

#2 Avarice (also known as greed or love of money, things, power)
Money in itself is not bad, but it’s the thinking that money and things can bring us love and happiness.  It’s when the of desire of attaining money does not end for the sake of another, but to acquire more money or things to bring us happiness.  Because the only thing that can really love us back is people. 
Virtue to overcome: Generosity

#3 Envy
Desiring that someone be as miserable as you are.  This is also the concept of not being content with one’s life and what another possesses.  For we all have access to what is True, Good, and Beautiful---God and his love.
Virtue to overcome: Brotherly (and sisterly) love

#4 Anger (or wrath)
The emotion of anger is not bad in itself, it’s the will to do a hurtful action based from our anger.  It’s also the feeling of righteousness, to desire contempt---to put one underneath ourselves. 
Virtue to overcome: Meekness

#5 Sloth
Sloth is not laziness, but it is the will to replace God with nothingness action.   It is the apathetic attitude to not find Truth, and the lack of desire to find the opinion of both sides of the argument.  It can also be the replacement of doing many busy things in front of our truer priorities and what we ought to do. 
Virtue to overcome: Diligence

#6 Lust
Appreciating beauty that walks by is not bad, but to capture it and fantasize about it for our pleasure is lustful.  It’s filling the emptiness of love with temporary highs of the flesh or emotional fantasy.
Virtue to overcome: Chastity

#7 Gluttony
This is the act of filling our emptiness in our personhood by filling our stomach with food or drink.   Our desire to want to feel nothing, instead of sorrow, by resorting to excess consumption, instead of turning to God to fulfill our personhood.
Virtue to overcome: Temperance

So, what do you think?  In the clear? Of if you're like me, got some work to do...

Amén.