Temperance

Hello there! This is my first post of many. (How exciting!) I'd like to begin by saying that I am no sagacious philosopher; I lack the infinite wisdom of my grandparents and the experience of all my elders. However, I am striving to become my best self through virtue, although God knows that's a challenge. Formalities aside, the word of the day is temperance.


Especially in this Lenten season, God challenges us to look beyond our material desires and cleanse ourselves from within. Buddha explained that our suffering takes root in desire; therefore, by eliminating our desire, we push past suffering and accept the boundless comfort of God. Often times this desire takes the form of greed and gluttony, the opposing vices of temperance. Although we generally associate temperance with food and alcohol, I think this virtue encompasses all material goods and joys. Temperance moderates our earthly joys and helps us to focus on the joy we accept from our God. I don't mean to say that we should never enjoy a cheeseburger again or buy a new printer, but we should occasionally limit ourselves as both a sacrifice to God and an opportunity to refocus on our goal, heaven. Temperance serves as a positive way to step back from the constant pull to indulge in earthly pleasures and redirect our focus towards the Lord. 

Ways to practice temperance this week:
- Eat a lighter lunch than you normally do. 
- Instead of listening to music in the car, pray a couple of decades of the rosary.
- Abstain from your weekly TV show or weekend Netflix time. 
- Instead of reading your book, read the Bible for a night.  (Matthew 5-7 is always a good read!)
- Save the money for your daily Diet Coke for the collection bin at mass next Sunday. 

Prayers up and anchors down, 
Katie :)

For more on that comment on Buddha: 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/beliefs/fournobletruths_1.shtml