Gambling. It's
become so prevalent in our culture that any negatives associated with
it tend to remain unspoken. We know, however, that something widely
practiced and often legal isn't necessarily moral. Prostitution and
abortion are evidence of that. But even the Catechism has very
little to say about gambling, and if you've ever heard it mentioned
in a homily you're probably in the minority. It's time to broaden
that perspective and look at some of the downsides.
The gambling issue
of concern is not the local church or community raffle characterized
by donated prizes with proceeds going for a known worthwhile project,
but the kind where money changes hands, each side looking to take
more from the other, with few winners and many losers. The Catechism
addresses this briefly in paragraph 2413, indicating that games of
chance or wagers are not contrary to justice unless someone is
deprived of necessities as a result. Hmm. Maybe that particular
someone is the now destitute neighbor whose losses financed other
gambler's winnings, including our own. Consider also that some
gambling venues are accompanied by drug dealing, human trafficking,
and prostitution. Inviting this kind of activity by spending
recreational money on gambling there is not a welcome thought. It
might even be enough to spur some to exercise their good stewardship
and reconsider where they place their bets.
The
casual acceptance of gambling also tends to mask a significant
deception: the inclination to greed,
dictionary defined as a selfish and excessive desire for more of
something (as money) than is needed. Ironic that the object of this
greed is marked "In God We Trust". Forbidden by the tenth
commandment, greed is also known as one of the seven deadly (capital)
sins. Deadly because it can also lead to or support other sinful
actions. Sirach 31:5 warns that "the lover of gold will
not be free from sin; whoever pursues money will be led astray by
it". St. Paul cautions that the love of money is the root of
all evils. And in Luke 12:15, our Savior
directs us to avoid greed in all its forms.
Since everyone must
decide the justification for their own actions regarding gambling, an
examination of conscience on this issue can be beneficial. So can
the Sacrament of Reconciliation for those who, as a result, arrive at
a troubling conclusion.
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