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Illustration: This is a representation of temperance (painted wood sculpture, dated 1683,
which covers the shrine of the baptismal church Breton Commana in France).
Temperance’s foot tips over a jug of wine, and presents a pitcher of water
Pope Francis Catechesis. Vices and virtues. 15. Temperance
St. Peter’s Square – Wednesday, 17 April 2024
Catechesis. Vices and virtues. 15. Temperance
Scripture Reading
Sirach 5:2 Do not follow your inclination and strength walking according to the desires of your heart
Sirach 6:4 An evil soul will destroy him who has it and make him the laughing stock of his enemies
Sirach 14:4 Do not deprive yourself of a happy day. Let not your share of desired good pass by you.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today I’m going to talk about the fourth and final cardinal virtue: temperance.
With the other three, this virtue has a long history, which does not belong to Christians.
For the Greeks, the practice of the virtues had happiness as its goal.
The philosopher Aristotle wrote his most important treatise on ethics, and addressed it to his son Nicomachus, to instruct him in the art of living.
Why do we all seek happiness and yet so few achieve it? This is the question.
To answer it, Aristotle turns to the subject of the virtues, among which enkráteia, that is, temperance, occupies a prominent place.
The Greek word literally means “power over oneself.” Temperance is a power over oneself.
This virtue is therefore the ability to control oneself.
It is the art of not being overwhelmed by rebellious passions, of bringing order in what Manzoni calls the “confousion of the human heart”.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that “temperance is the moral virtue which moderates the attraction of pleasures and makes possible a balanced use of created goods.”
“It ensures the dominion of the will over the instincts and keeps desires within the bounds of honesty.
The temperate person directs his sensitive appetites to the good, preserves a healthy discretion, and does not follow his instinct and strength by indulging the desires of his heart” (n. 1809).
Temperance is therefore, as the Italian word says, is the virtue of right measure.
In every situation, he behaves wisely, because people who always act out of impetse or exuberance are ultimately untrustworthy. People without temperance are always untrustworthy.
In a world where so many people pride themselves on saying what they think, the temperate person prefers to think what he says.
Do you understand the difference? Don’t say what you think, so…
No, I think about what I have to say.
He does not make empty promises but makes commitments to the extent that he can fulfill them.
Even in pleasures, the temperate person acts with prudence.
The free run of the instincts and the total license granted to pleasures end up backfiring on us and plunges us into a state of boredom.
How many people who wanted to try everything greedily found that they lost the taste for everything! So it is better to look for the right size: for example, to appreciate a good wine, for example, it is better to savor it in small sips than to swallow it all at once.. We all know this.
The temperate person knows how to weigh and measure his words well.
He think about what he says. He does not allow a moment of anger to ruin relationships and friendships that is difficult to rebuild.
Especially in family life, where inhibitions are lowered, we all run the risk of not keeping tensions, irritations and anger in check.
There is a time to speak and a time to be silent, but both require the right measure.
And this applies to many things, such as being with others and being alone.
If the temperate person knows how to control his temper, this does not mean that we will always see him with a peaceful and smiling face.
In fact, sometimes it is necessary to be indignant, but always in the right way.
These are the words: the right measure, the right manner.
A word of reproach is sometimes healthier than a sour, rancorous silence.
The temperate person knows that nothing is more unpleasant than to correct another, but he also knows that it is necessary: otherwise he would give himself free rein to evil.
In some cases, the temperate person manages to hold the extremes together:
he affirms absolute principles, he asserts non-negotiable values,
but he also know how to understand and empathise with people. Show empathy.
The gift of temperance is therefore a balance, a quality as precious as it is rare.
Indeed, everything in our world tempts us to excess..
On the other hand, temperance goes well with evangelical attitudes such as modesty, discretion, concealment, meekness.
The temperate person appreciates the esteem of others, but does not make it the sole criterion of every action and every word.
He is sensitive, he can cry and he is not ashamed of it, but he does not feel sorry for himself.
Defeated, he gets up again.
Victorious, he is able to return to the hidden life of always.
He doesn’t seek applause, but he knows that he needs others.
Brothers and sisters, it is not true that temperance makes us gray and joyless.
On the contrary, it makes us better able to enjoy the goods of life: the sharing of the table, the tenderness of certain friendships, the trust in wise men, the wonder at the beauty of creation.
Happiness with moderation is the joy that blossoms in the heart of those who recognise and appreciate what is most important in life..
Let us pray to the Lord that he may give us this gift: the gift of maturity, of age maturity, of affective maturity, of social maturity. The gift of temperance.
