A Lenten Series on the Seven Deadly Sins - Part 4: Gluttony and Lust

03-15-2026Weekly ReflectionJen Arnold, M.A.

We have reached the fourth Sunday of Lent! On this journey through Lent, we have been working on the radical conversion of our heart, or metanoia, by examining the role vice plays in our lives and creating battle plans using practical advice from the book The Seven Deadly Sins: A Thomistic Guide to Vanquishing Vice and Sin by Kevin Vost, Psy.D. We have already covered sloth, envy, avarice, and vainglory. Now we’ll look at the next two vices in the list provided by St. Thomas Aquinas: gluttony and lust.

Let’s begin with what gluttony is not. Gluttony isn’t necessarily related to size or body type.  There are too many factors involved to reduce something like size or body type to sin or sinful behavior. Gluttony as a sin or vice is an inordinate, unreasonable, desire for food and drink. So, while this sin may be reflected in the size and shape of the body, that is only one indicator and depends on each individual to honestly judge themselves. Other indications that one may be suffering from gluttony include eating quickly, eating too many snacks between meals, or thinking about food too much. It is also gluttonous to be too particular about food or how it is prepared, and being ungrateful for simple foods. Drinking too much alcohol can lead to drunkenness, which can then lead to a whole host of other sins. Gluttony ultimately damages the body, the temple of the Holy Spirit, and exhibits a lack of self-control and self-sacrifice.

The sacrament that best helps us fight against gluttony is the Eucharist because it has a fast built into it. The Church requires us to fast at least one hour before receiving the Eucharist as an act of penance and mortification to prepare us bodily and spiritually to receive the Lord. Prior to 1964, the required fast began at midnight the night before one would be attending Mass. If you are able, consider adhering to this former discipline. Use this Eucharistic fast to turn your attention away from earthly food and drink and increase your hunger and thirst for Christ.

Since the sins of gluttony manifest in the body rather than the mind, it is relatively simple to eliminate or limit near occasions of sin — not easy, but simple. You can remove certain foods and drinks from your home and other environments. You can choose not to visit certain locations that tempt you or turn down invitations that do not benefit your war on sin. You can create meal plans and stick to them. You can also replace problematic food and drinks with healthier options.

Prayer and fasting have always gone hand in hand, so when you fast, make sure to add an intention. Make your fasting spiritually meaningful so your hunger is not in vain. If you do not already pray before every meal, begin doing so to train your mind to always be aware that all food is a gift from God. While many people pray before meals, far fewer pray after meals. A traditional Catholic prayer after meals is “We give thee thanks for all thy benefits, O Almighty God, who livest and reignest world without end. Amen. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.” By praying this prayer after meals, you again remember that your food is a gift from God, and you turn your thoughts from yourself to the suffering souls in purgatory.

The virtue opposed to gluttony is temperance. Temperance is all about finding the perfect middle ground and avoiding excess and deficiency, both in how we eat and drink and how we think about food and drink. Recall from week one that St. Thomas thought of vice as a habit that leads to sin, and that sin is worse than vice because you can choose not to act on the habit. Conversely, he thought of virtue as a habit that leads to good acts. Therefore, when you suffer from gluttony, by choosing to eat and drink temperately, over time, the habit of temperance can replace the habit of gluttony. This involves an act of the will in cooperation with God’s grace.

God created man as body and soul, matter and spirit. The two need to be equally tended and cared for at a minimum, and optimally, the balance ought to be shifted toward the soul because it is eternal. Being aware of our eternal soul and the spiritual battle in which we participate helps keep us free from gluttony.

Food and drink were very much a part of Jesus’ life. He turned water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana; he dined with tax collectors and prostitutes, and he multiplied loaves and fishes. For Jesus, food was something for bodily nourishment, enjoyment, and fellowship. However, Jesus also fasted to prepare for spiritual battle. From Jesus, we learn the proper use of food along with recognizing when and how to abstain.

Lust is next on our list of vices. This is the inordinate desire for pleasures of the flesh, primarily sexual in nature. The deadliest sins from the vice of lust are things like pornography, acts of sexual self-gratification, fornication, and adultery. The deadliest consequence of these sins has been abortion.  Even those who have not engaged in pornography or abortion may still experience a desensitization to sexuality because of our highly sexualized culture. It may be reflected in the shows and movies we watch, the music we listen to, and the products we buy.

There are several sacraments that assist in the battle against lust. First and foremost, there is no way to defeat lust by your own power. It requires God’s grace, which begins in the confessional with the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Do not be embarrassed or afraid of shocking the priest. He has heard it before. Baptism reminds us that we are members of the body of Christ and temples of the Holy Spirit. What we do to others’ bodies and our own bodies with regard to lust defiles the entire body. Confirmation gives us the gifts we need to fight well in the spiritual battle against lust. Holy Matrimony gives married couples the grace necessary to love one another with a self-giving love, and Holy Orders gives priests the grace necessary to live a celibate life in both body and mind.

With regard to the vice of lust leading to sin, as I said before, there is no way to overcome it on your own. You need God’s help. In the first place, avoid situations and places that will tempt you. However, the demons will still attempt to stir up feelings of lust in you in any number of ways — through your senses, imagination, memories, etc. Your immediate response to those first stirrings is crucial. If possible, immediately remove yourself from the situation or whatever is causing the lust, but in any and every situation, turn to God immediately.

When we suffer from lust, we must remember that God never allows us to suffer from any temptation that we cannot overcome with his help. In other words, the adage, “God doesn’t give you more than you can handle,” is true. Pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” These words are in the prayer Jesus himself taught us to pray — the Our Father. God will answer, but you also have to be willing to do your part and walk away from the temptation. Additionally, there is another resource in the battle against lust: the most chaste Blessed Virgin Mary. Ask for her help and pick up the rosary as an effective weapon in your battle.

The virtues opposed to lust are temperance and chastity. One of the best ways to practice these virtues is through “custody of the eyes,” – a well-known and ancient weapon in the battle against lust. Any time you see something that stirs up lust, look away immediately. Secondly, St. Thomas advised, “the most effective remedy against intemperance is not to dwell on the consideration of singulars” (ST, II-II, Q. 142, art. 3.). What this means is, focus on the universal rather than the singular. For example, if a man is tempted by a woman, rather than focus on that one particular woman, he ought to think about “woman” in general and her identity as someone’s daughter, sister, wife, or mother.

The highest of universals is God, and God is love, not lust. When we focus on God, we experience his love for us, and his love will purify our hearts. “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God” (Matt 5:8). We must strive to elevate ourselves above the baseness of lust so that we can experience the higher pleasure of God’s love in its purest form.

Jesus had compassion for those who struggled with lust. He dined with prostitutes and forgave the adulteress. However, the message that accompanied his compassion was “go, and sin no more.” Jesus certainly has compassion for those who suffer from lust and will accompany them on their journey to root it out, but their resolve, and your resolve, to sin no more must be firm.

This week, consider how the vices of gluttony and lust possibly play a role in your life and consider ways in which you can implement a battle plan to combat them.

Keys to Combating the Seven Deadly Sins

• Examination of conscience
• Embracing the sacraments
• Watching the steps of our movements toward sin
• Practicing prayer
• Cultivating virtue
• Immersion in the world of the spirit
• Imitation of Christ