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A theological and pastoral guide to discerning true simplicity in a world that commercializes virtue
Introduction: The Rise of “Less is More”… or Just More of the Same?
We live in an age where storefronts have been replaced by Pinterest boards, and gleaming display windows by sparsely furnished, immaculately lit interiors. The trend of minimalism has come on strong, not only as an aesthetic movement or a model of domestic order but as a kind of “new virtue.” Whoever embraces the essential is, apparently, wiser, more ethical, more morally elevated. But what happens when this “minimalism” becomes a refined — and paradoxical — form of greed?
In this article, we will address this modern phenomenon with depth and critical insight in the light of Catholic tradition, analyzing the virtue of evangelical poverty, the vice of greed, and the spiritual trap hidden in turning simplicity into a symbol of superiority. We will also reflect on how to live today, with Christian authenticity, a true sobriety of life, free from the desire to hoard — whether it be money, objects, or even moral prestige.
1. Greed: An Ancient Evil, a New Mask
What is greed?
Greed, also known as avarice, is one of the seven deadly sins. Saint Thomas Aquinas defines it as “a disordered desire to possess temporal goods” (Summa Theologica, II-II, q. 118). It is a sin not measured so much by how much one has, but by one’s relationship with possessions. A poor person can be greedy if they long for what they do not have, and a rich person can be generous if they share what they have without attachment.
Sacred Scripture is clear:
“For the love of money is the root of all evils” (1 Timothy 6:10).
Greed corrupts the heart, subjugates the will, and turns creation into an idol. But the most subtle aspect of this vice is its ability to disguise itself. Today, its favorite camouflage seems to be elite minimalism.
2. Luxury Minimalism: A New Symbol of Status
From Franciscan poverty to designer white kitchens
Originally, minimalism as a lifestyle presented itself as a reaction to consumerism: living with what is necessary, fleeing accumulation, recovering order and inner peace. In this sense, it shares principles with Christian sobriety. But what in Saint Francis of Assisi was poverty embraced for love of Christ, today risks becoming a showcase for the ego.
We see people investing large sums in “the essential”: a white linen garment with perfect cuts, a Scandinavian designer lamp that “breathes space,” a completely empty kitchen where every object “tells a story.” More is spent to have less. Austerity is projected through highly calculated and costly choices. It is the luxury of appearing simple. It is a form of poverty only the wealthy can afford.
Is this greed?
Yes — if at its core there is an elitist desire for possession. If simplicity is purchased not out of need, but to project virtue. If charity is sacrificed to maintain an aesthetic. If others are judged for not “detaching” from material things without knowing their circumstances. When minimalism becomes a gauge of moral superiority, we are faced with a renewed greed: not for objects, but for spiritual prestige.
3. Theology of Detachment: What Does Tradition Teach Us?
Evangelical poverty: not merely renouncing, but loving more
Christ did not simply “have little”; He chose poverty as a path of redemption. It was not a branding strategy nor a lifestyle aesthetic, but a radical configuration to the Will of the Father.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3).
To be poor in spirit does not mean living without things, but without attachments. The one who has much and is not attached can be more poor in spirit than the one who has nothing but lives in envy. Therefore, evangelical poverty is not decoration — it is a total orientation of the soul.
Desert Fathers and saints: sobriety as freedom
From the Desert Fathers to Saint Teresa of Calcutta, the Catholic tradition has exalted detachment as a path to interior freedom — not to project an image, but to surrender wholly to Love.
Saint John Chrysostom said: “It is not the one who has much who is rich, but the one who needs little.”
And Saint Ignatius of Loyola, in his Spiritual Exercises, taught us to ask for the grace not to desire “health rather than sickness, riches rather than poverty,” but only that which makes us more apt to love and serve God better.
4. How to Discern Between Christian Sobriety and Disguised Greed
A practical spiritual examination
Here are some concrete questions to discern whether our minimalism is evangelical or egocentric:
- Do I spend more time choosing the essential than serving others?
- Does my sobriety lead me to judge those who have more or to help those who have less?
- Am I more focused on what I do not have (by choice) than on what I can give?
- Is my austere lifestyle a sign of humility… or of status?
The key: charity
Saint Paul reminds us: “If I give away all I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3).
The fundamental criterion for every Christian is not how many things they have or lack, but how much charity dwells in their heart.
5. Pastoral Advice for a Truly Detached Life
a) Do not hoard — share
Practice generosity. If you have something useful but do not need it, give it away. If you have resources, use them to help others. Charity is true Christian minimalism.
b) Do not display your austerity
Do not turn your simplicity into a public virtue. “When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face” (Matthew 6:17). Live with inward humility.
c) Examine the heart, not the wardrobe
What defiles is not what enters the body, but what comes out of the heart (cf. Mark 7:15). Do not obsess over externals; examine your deepest motivations.
d) Be grateful for what you have
Greed is born of discontent. Gratitude is its antidote. Each day, give thanks for the essentials: a roof, a piece of bread, a prayer.
Conclusion: The True Treasure
Contemporary culture has turned even virtue into merchandise. But Christians are not called to display anything — they are called to live in truth. The Gospel is not aesthetic minimalism, but radical freedom. It is not about having little, but about loving much.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy […] But store up treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19-20).
The Christian’s treasure is not a tidy house or a flawless moral image, but Christ Himself. Let us live, then, not to showcase our sobriety, but to reflect His Love.
Final Prayer
Lord Jesus, poor out of love, deliver me from all greed disguised as virtue. Teach me to live with simplicity, without judging, without pretending, without desiring what I do not need. Make me generous with what I have, humble with what I lack, and filled with Your charity so that the little that I am may shine with the light of Your Truth. Amen.
