The Nature of Temperance

The Nature of Temperance

With this meditation we reflect on the virtue of Temperance. So over the next few days we will look what temperance is, how to avoid sin in general and finally the the seven deadly sins in particular.  

Struggle Against Temptation

To the end our life we will struggle against temptation. As a result of Original Sin, we have a fallen human nature in which our passions, our desires sometimes pull us towards what is bad for us and push us away from what is good for us.

Temperance is the virtue that moderates, harnesses and re-directs our desires – it prevents us from doing the wrong thing even when we have strong feelings for it. In other words, temperance is what keeps us from sinning, even when we want to.

The cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, and fortitude help us do what is good. Temperance prevents us from doing evil.

Temperance preserves

Like all the virtues - Temperance preserves the balance between two extremes:

The first is the vice of intemperance – the lack of self-control. The intemperate person becomes a slave to their passions manifest in pride, envy, sloth, anger, greed, gluttony, lust etc.

As a consequence, the intemperate person is unable to be fulfilled, happy, peaceful and content…Unable to build a life for themselves because they are unable to keep their focus long enough to make progress in a given area because when temptation comes they get distracted and derailed.

Sadly, our culture uses Adderall to maintain focus, Prozac to calm their nerves and pot to enable them to sleep. This is a cocktail from hell. Instead we need temperance. 

With intemperance our disordered desires control us. With temperance we control our desires.

Insensibility

The second extreme is insensibility. This is the unhealthy condition in which a person is not even attracted to and lacks an appreciation for the good things of life.  

A healthy person ought to be attracted to sex, to food, to achievement, to social life, etc… Temperance is only admirable if it’s accompanied by a healthy appreciation for the goods of life. 

Insensibility is a lack of proper love. It is a defect not to be drawn to the good of food, drink, sexuality, achievement, beauty and friendships. We should be drawn to the things that fulfill and perfect our nature.

Temperance resists evil

Temperance is the virtue that resists the temptation to evil and sin

At this point, it may be helpful to sum up the four cardinal virtues using the analogy of learning to drive a car. If you want to learn to drive, the first thing you need to learn is how to steer the car; this corresponds to the virtue of prudence. Next, you’ll have to learn to be aware of surrounding traffic, to be able to relate to other cars on the road; this skill corresponds to the virtue of justice. Thirdly, you’ll have to learn how to use the accelerator, how to depress the pedal with sufficient (but not excessive) force for propelling you to your destination; that’s fortitude. Lastly, you have to learn how do avoid crashes and mechanical failures; this ability corresponds to the virtue of temperance.

Obviously nobody buys a car to “avoid crashes” – you buy a car to help you get places. So too, the main purpose of life isn’t just avoiding sin, but rather attaining perfect happiness. Nonetheless, if the car crashes or breaks down, it’s not going to get you very far, and if we don’t avoid sin, we’re not going to become very happy. So even though temperance shouldn’t be confused with the Christian’s ultimate goal, it’s still an essential prerequisite for happiness.

Do the greatest good

The goal is not to avoid sin but do the greatest good and then delight in that good.

A virtuous person is not someone who doesn’t cuss or get drunk or lie or steal. A corpse doesn’t do those things either. Virtue is to do what we should, not simply avoiding what we should not. Virtue is to live with the greatest freedom, fullness and excellence. A Virtuous person is quick to take initiative and responsibility, they are generous and forgiving, they persevere in suffering joyfully, they accomplish great things for the love of God and the good of others. Virtuous people do great stuff – they don’t just avoid sin.