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Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Gluttony Part 1

(A summary of Adolphe Tanquerey's section on gluttony in his book, The Spiritual Life) 

St. Gregory Said:
Unless we first tame the enemy dwelling within us (gluttony) we have not even stood up to engage in the spiritual combat. 

St. Paul said:
For many walk…that are enemies of the cross of Christ whose end is destruction and whose god is their belly. Philippians 3:18, 19

A simple definition of gluttony is - eating for its own sake

Delight to excess in 4 ways
Eating when there is no need
Seeking delicacies
Gorging oneself with food
Eating with eagerness or greed (like an animal)

Gluttony is malicious because it makes:

The soul a slave to the body
Man like a brute animal
His intellectual life weak
His moral life weak
A path to voluptuous pleasure

Gluttony is grievous when:
A) we can’t fulfill our duties
Injury to health
Cause of useless expenses
Can’t provide for the family
Violate laws of fast and abstinence
B) the cause other grievous faults
Lust of other senses
Intemperance of speech

Gluttony is venial when you:
Overeat but not gravely
Overeating to show a friend you enjoy their food.

It is an obstacle to perfection because it causes:
A spirit of immortification
Weakened will
A development for love for sensual pleasure
A source of being too talkative

Some Remedies to overcome Gluttony
Principle – the pleasure of eating is not an end in itself but a means to an end.

Reason alone tells us that we should only eat what is necessary for the body but Faith tells us – pleasure of eating and drinking must be sanctified by three things:
  1. Purity of intention
  2. Moderation
  3. Mortification

A) Intention
Gratitude - we should give thanks for what we have received
Humility – we don’t deserve it because of our sins
Love – we renew our strength at the service of God and our neighbor's soul.

Whether you eat or drink…do all to the glory of God. – St. Paul

B) Moderation
Acquire strength needed to fulfill our duties in life
Avoid excess that might compromise health
Leave the table with sprightliness and vigor

C) Mortification
Eating something we dislike
Taking no meal without the element of mortification
Forego certain foods we like

NOTE - These are just little notes that I have started carrying with me to help avoid this sin.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thank you! This is very good. A subject not mentioned in the Church these days.

Mar