Vice And VirtueSample

Today’s vice and virtue are Temperance and Gluttony, two terms that are not often used in our culture. But even if the vocabulary is unfamiliar, the struggle with food is not. From diet fads, to eating disorders, to the Food Network, what we put in our mouth is still very much a focus of our society.

Gluttony is defined as excessive consumption of food, drink, or wealth. In Church history, this was considered a sin not only for the damage it did to an individual’s body, but also for the resources the glutton hoarded away from the truly needy. Temperance, by contrast, is the practice of moderation in normal appetites and passions. It does not mean complete self-denial; instead it advocates a middle path between Gluttony and complete abstinence.

Temperance is most perfectly embodied in a community meal, and meals are a recurring motif in the Bible: 

● The Gospels often show Jesus going to, participating in, or leaving a meal. Some theologians believe that the entire book of Luke is structured around a meal. 

● The cross’s Redemption was initiated when Jesus held the Last Supper. 

● Modern church services have evolved from the early Church’s gatherings which centered on remembering the Last Supper.

● In the final triumph of Christ’s Second Coming, all the Church gathers to celebrate the Wedding Supper of the Lamb.

Obviously, God takes our relationship to food seriously. The table teaches us Temperance is freedom and Gluttony is bondage. 

We are given at least three opportunities per day to wrestle through the continuum of Temperance. How can we bless others with the food we prepare or refrain from? Are we in a season of feasting with community or one of restraint that paves the way for future generosity? Periods of voluntary fasting can help us learn to submit our appetites and wants to Christ. This allows Him to fill us with with the spiritual food of grace, dependence, and humility. 

It’s a cunning trick of Satan to make us think of Gluttony as a minor sin, but the pursuit of Temperance over Gluttony is just as important as renouncing pride or adultery. For Day Six contemplate this quote from Mother Teresa of Calcutta: “Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” As you read through the following passages, consider how you can more fully embrace the virtue of Temperance in your daily life.