Thought for the Day – 24 February – Avarice and Ambition

Thought for the Day – 24 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Avarice and Ambition

“The unscrupulous businessman and the careerist, have an ugly attitude to life.
The former, is concerned only, with securing the highest possible profits, by any means whatever, licit or illicit.
The accumulation of money and wealth, is like a fever, which torments and brutalises the mind and heart.
It extinguishes all noble human sentiment, moreover, it destroys religion.

Careerism, is a similar kind of viciousness.
The careerist is driven by a mad desire to carve out a career for himself at all costs, even, if he has to make use of lies, adulation and bribery, in the pursuit of his ambition.
His ambition, is to win glory and esteem and to hold the highest and most honourable positions, which, naturally, command the best salaries, as well.

The Gospel is severe in it’s warning to these two classes of people.
“What does it profit a man, if he gain the whole world but suffer the loss of his own soul?” (Mt 16:25).
“Seek the kingdom of God and his justice and all these things shall be given you besides” (Mt 6:33, Lk 12:31).”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci