If I were correct about the universal call to simplicity, and that luxury was a vice, you would expect that faithful people the world over would live simply.
But I know many Godly people- generous, kind, humble, prayerful, frequenting the sacraments, chaste, wise... who live in luxury. Now we might chalk that phenomenon up to their ignorance. They’ve never heard that it was wrong, and never really thought about it since, frankly, it’s so self evident.
But then, what about the leaders in the church, lay and clergy alike, who make podcasts and YouTube channels and fly all over the place preaching parish missions- who never mention simplicity, but rather appear to have no qualms about taking expensive vacations? I listen to a number of Catholic and Protestant podcasters, and every time one of them mentions how often they frequent Disneyland, I gather that we must not be on the same page.
But again, they are part of our consumeristic culture, and even they may have embraced a vice unknowingly.
So the real question is, how did the saints live? Even they are not perfect of course, but if living in luxury is the sin against charity that I think it is, I would expect that none of the saints did it. The fact that they are canonized gives their lifestyle a sort of authority as a model.
Indeed, almost all of the saints appear to have lived simply. In scripture we know that Joseph of Arimethea must have been wealthy, both because of the tomb he could afford and because of his apparent influence when he asked for Christ’s body. Can it be assumed that he, like the other disciples , sold what he had and entrusted the money to the apostles to feed widows and orphans?
But what about John Paul II and his private pool, built when his health was fading. He told objecting cardinals “So what? It’s cheaper than another conclave!”
What about St Louis king of France, when France was the richest kingdom in the world? I don’t like everything he did anyway- like burning copies of the Talmud or cutting off the lips of blasphemers. But it is said of him that he fed 100 beggars at his table each day, and he himself ate what they left behind. He founded houses for reformed prostitutes and for blind men. He’s also known for his severe penance- the hair shirt and the scourge. These do not seem consistent with a self indulgent life of luxury.
Elizabeth of Hungary? Lived according to the ideals of Francis of Assisi, gave much of her wealth away with the blessing of her husband, the king, and continued to do so after he died, serving the poor and the sick.
Margaret of Scotland? Served orphans and the poor everyday before she ate, washed the feet of the poor.
Katherine Drexel? Pier Giorgio? Generously gave their wealth to the poor.
Louis and Zelie Martin? Parents of Therese of Lisieux. Louis was a jeweller and watchmaker, and Zelie was a lacemaker. Perhaps more than any of the others, the Martins are models of how married people can live as saints. They did enjoy a degree of wealth- they had a nice home, with a few luxuries. But Zelie was a secular Franciscan, while Louis was a member of the St Vincent de Paul society. Their reputation for love of the poor was so well known that poor people would cone to their home to be fed, bathed, and to receive new clothes and shoes. If the poor did not come, the Martins would seek them out!
In short- the argument that some of the saints lived in luxury is the single strongest argument for why we as Christians can live in luxury and yet remain confident that we are being faithful to Gods plan for our lives. I still maintain though that the consistent message of Church teaching and the scriptures, coupled with the fact that those saints who did enjoy wealth still demonstrated great concern for the poor and made considerable self sacrifice is evidence of what kind of life God is calling us to. We would do well to make them our models.
