Where Our Owning Habits Become Selfish

Medieval Dominican friar Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274), in his commentary on the Lord’s Prayer, specifically the fourth petition (“give us this day our daily bread”), points out several ways that our owning habits can become selfish and sinful. His discussion helps put things in perspective.

He says that we become selfish and sinful in our owning when we (1) want things beyond our state and condition of life, (2) abuse and defraud others in our acquisition of these goods, (3) are never content with what we have but must have more, (4) consume or spend too much in a day when it could last for many days, and (5) become proud in our possessions and forget that they come from God.