Gluttony and Temperance: Ever-Present Vice and Neglected Virtue

Gluttony and temperance are opposites. Gluttony represents overindulgence, and temperance represents an ability to exercise self-control. Yet as simple as these definitions are, both words are a bit exotic and relatively unknown. These underutilized terms call to mind a few images.

For gluttony, one almost certainly pictures a character like Friar Tuck from the Robin Hood saga. The jolly good priest never has a shortage of ale, and his round belly is always ready for a feast. This love of food and drink makes him an obvious symbol of gluttony.

For temperance, we are reminded of movements that sought to ban or limit alcohol. For instance, the American Temperance Society was a major force in the U.S., with tens of thousands of members pledging to abstain from alcohol.

These images are insufficient, however, to help us understand the vice of gluttony and the virtue of temperance. They point us in the right direction but merely scratch the surface. Being a gluttonous person is not about being overweight. And being a temperate person may or may not involve abstinence from alcohol. Because gluttony and temperance are about how we receive the greatest sensual pleasures of this life. Do we receive them with gratitude and in moderation? Do we receive these gifts in order to make life beautiful? Or do we lack self-control and trick ourselves into believing more is better?

Gluttonous people lack the sensibility and wisdom to know when enough is enough. Gluttons lose perspective and are not honest with themselves. Instead of eating so that they might live, gluttons live so that they might eat. Food is but one example. Sports, social media, political fascination, money, travel, sex, fashion, glamour – all can become the unhealthy obsession of a gluttonous person. Consumption becomes the goal rather than a function to be controlled and enjoyed. A gluttonous lifestyle destroys a person’s overall health and beauty.

Temperate people, by contrast, have a deep appreciation for the greatest pleasures of this life. Out of respect for those gifts, they desire to acquire or enjoy no more of them than necessary. Knowing when to stop, temperate people radiate a true beauty that comes from being in control of themselves and respecting the needs of others.

With how much restraint do you enjoy life’s greatest pleasures? Do you live for God while gratefully enjoying life’s pleasures in moderation? Or do life’s pleasures define your existence? How you answer defines whether your life is moving to the tune of virtue or vice.