The Virtue of Temperance

Temperance or moderation is a disconcerting virtue. It requires taking a good look at one’s self - & not just one’s food and drink consumption. Original sin means that the different aspects of our personality are thrown into confusion: passions rebel, will disobeys reason, reason is weak & distracted etc. Temperate people put this inner turmoil into proper order, re-establishing proper relations between their faculties.

We are created to enjoy food, drink, sex etc. But often we do not enjoy eating for the good it does us (ie good health), but ignore or scorn health & eat gluttonously. When we consider there are many more - & more serious - forms of over-indulgence than gluttony we can appreciate the dangers of large-scale intemperance for self & others. However, if over-indulgence is a vice, so is complete self-denial, de-sensitisation.


Sex, like everything else God created, is good: it is only ‘bad’ when it is misused. Reason has as much of a role in governing sex as in governing ‘brain-work’. Chastity, an intelligent attitude towards sexuality, is not a kill-joy but frees us from slavery to complete sensuality so we may wisely judge the point & purpose of the body & of love-making. Understood thus, every human being, including married couples, are called to chastity.