Sixth Saturday in Lent.
GLUTTONY.
1. Gluttony is the vice of greedy love of eating and drinking beyond measure. If it be a love of eating too much it is greediness; if a love of eating and drinking only choice and palatable things, then it is daintiness. Now God requires us to eat and drink what is necessary for our life and health, and He gives to us a sensation of pleasure in eating and drinking in order to encourage us to eat and drink what is good and healthful.
Gluttony is the opposite vice to the virtue of temperance.
Some people are particular not to drink fermented liquors, but gorge themselves with food. They are quite as guilty of excess in one way as those who drink beyond measure. The gifts of God are bestowed to be used, and used in moderation. To despise and reject any gift of God as in itself bad is to sin against God. So S. Paul speaks of those who forbad meats, and so nowadays some intemperate advocates of temperance forbid all fermented liquors as in themselves bad. Sin does not exist in eating and drinking, but in eating and drinking immoderately.
2. There is sin when (a) one eats and drinks in excess of what nature requires, merely for the sake of the pleasure of eating and drinking.
(b) One eats or drinks with daintiness, picking and choosing, and disparaging food or drink if it be not quite what suits our pampered tastes.
(c) One spends too much time, or thought, or money, over food and drink.