What is spiritual gluttony?

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I have heard of spiritual gluttony a few times, but it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me and I am not sure I even know exactly what it is…
Could someone explain this as I know it to be some sort of sinful thing?
Thanks…🙂
 
I spoke with my confessor about this some time ago.

I was sharing with him how sometimes I really get into a spiritual book I’m reading, or I’m in the middle of prayer when I get interrupted by my family. Sometimes I even choose to continue with my book or whatever instead of dropping my own selfish desires for learning or spending time with Our Lord in order to listen to a question of my child or a problem my spouse is dealing with.

He said that’s spiritual gluttony. While the intent is sometimes good, we also must be willing to sacrifice our own desires for the good of others.

I know saints who have expressed this, especially during Eucharistic adoration, that they would love to spend all day with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, but they also had duties and responsbilities.

Hope that helps.
 
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Didi:
I spoke with my confessor about this some time ago.

I was sharing with him how sometimes I really get into a spiritual book I’m reading, or I’m in the middle of prayer when I get interrupted by my family. Sometimes I even choose to continue with my book or whatever instead of dropping my own selfish desires for learning or spending time with Our Lord in order to listen to a question of my child or a problem my spouse is dealing with.

He said that’s spiritual gluttony. While the intent is sometimes good, we also must be willing to sacrifice our own desires for the good of others.

I know saints who have expressed this, especially during Eucharistic adoration, that they would love to spend all day with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, but they also had duties and responsbilities.

Hope that helps.
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Thanks for sharing that Didi - it confirms that I’m in the midst of Spiritual Gluttony as we speak. I’ve been undergoing the most significant conversion of my life and I’m consummed by it to the point that my house is in shambles, as is my car, and my entire family is wondering what is the matter with me. I was starting to sense that it was some kind of discipline problem and wasn’t sure if it was a form of spiritual gluttony.

Can you tell me if they consider this a grave sin? Or can it lead to grave sin?
 
I think spiritual gluttony could also be always wanting to ‘feel’ something when you pray, or as St. Teresa put to be always looking for “consolations in prayer”.
 
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Ter:
I think spiritual gluttony could also be always wanting to ‘feel’ something when you pray, or as St. Teresa put to be always looking for “consolations in prayer”.
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This is true - it is the pursuit of the sweetness for the sake of sweetness, rather than to praise the Lord and sit with him, with or without the sweetness.

The link I provided above shows several forms of it, but I wasn’t sure if what I was going through was it.
 
Fr. Trujillio (sp?) on EWTN’s Web of Faith gave the example of a woman who tried to catch several daily Masses each day. I think it had something to do about going overboard in your faith when your vocation in life does not require it.

Debbie
 
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Debbie:
Fr. Trujillio (sp?) on EWTN’s Web of Faith gave the example of a woman who tried to catch several daily Masses each day. I think it had something to do about going overboard in your faith when your vocation in life does not require it.

Debbie
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Yes, they give examples of this in that link I provided above too. People who want to receive Holy Communion many times. Some spiritual directors or confessors may even ask a person to refrain from communion except for on Sundays, for example, to see if they will obey. Sometimes the desire for the spiritual thing is so strong they will not obey the confessor or spiritual director (never a good thing when it does not conflict with church teaching).

Deep spirituality requires obedience and it also requires a good confessor and/or spiritual director that is well ahead of the game, especially when it comes to one navigating the waters of contemplative prayer. Obedience is crucial because the Holy Spirit often talks through these people. It’s much like when St. Faustina was told by Jesus to always obey her superiors even over Him and then he tested her. She obeyed the superior.

Obedience out of knowledge is good, but obedience out of trust in the Holy Spirit is so much more near and dear to the Lord. It can get one out of the jam of spiritual gluttony.

I myself suspected I’ve been engaged in it because it can be subtle and hard to spot. As you will see in that link, spiritual gluttony has many faces. My plan has been to get with my confessor, one who is well versed in St. John of the Cross, and tell him what I’ve been up to so his trained and experienced eyes can tell me if it is spiritual gluttony. I do as he tells me to get it under control if that is the case, but I just haven’t been sure.

This is one reason why I want my confessor to know me and I plan on sticking with just one priest. He’ll spot things that I can’t possibly know if I just level with him.
 
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Lux_et_veritas:
Yes, they give examples of this in that link I provided above too. People who want to receive Holy Communion many times. Some spiritual directors or confessors may even ask a person to refrain from communion except for on Sundays, for example, to see if they will obey. Sometimes the desire for the spiritual thing is so strong they will not obey the confessor or spiritual director (never a good thing when it does not conflict with church teaching).

Deep spirituality requires obedience and it also requires a good confessor and/or spiritual director that is well ahead of the game, especially when it comes to one navigating the waters of contemplative prayer. Obedience is crucial because the Holy Spirit often talks through these people. It’s much like when St. Faustina was told by Jesus to always obey her superiors even over Him and then he tested her. She obeyed the superior.

Obedience out of knowledge is good, but obedience out of trust in the Holy Spirit is so much more near and dear to the Lord. It can get one out of the jam of spiritual gluttony.

I myself suspected I’ve been engaged in it because it can be subtle and hard to spot. As you will see in that link, spiritual gluttony has many faces. My plan has been to get with my confessor, one who is well versed in St. John of the Cross, and tell him what I’ve been up to so his trained and experienced eyes can tell me if it is spiritual gluttony. I do as he tells me to get it under control if that is the case, but I just haven’t been sure.

This is one reason why I want my confessor to know me and I plan on sticking with just one priest. He’ll spot things that I can’t possibly know if I just level with him.
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Lux,

Thanks for the link! It was VERY helpful! I enjoyed this post of yours also. You mentioned St. Faustina and what Jesus said about obendience. Another quote from her Diary came to mind when I was reading the link you posted:

Satan can not bow to obedience.

That really struck me when I first read it, and then after reading your link- it hit twice as hard.

Also, there is a picture of a sculpture that my aunt has and it depicts Jesus standing in the middle of two evils: the first- what we typically think of as the devil (hatred, evil…) and Jesus is standing on him. The second evil is one that is extra shiny and almost ‘holier than thou’ looking. Jesus has a firm grip on this one as well. A caption at the back of the picture says that Jesus is controling the two evils: Satan and Lucifer ( which means light bearer)- which is the holier than thou attitude. Again, I was reminded of it when I read that link.

Thank you!

Jade.
 
:tiphat: I only found it because I suspected I was getting myself into trouble again. I no sooner found it and someone else was looking for an answer to it.

:banghead:
 
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Jade:
Lux,

Thanks for the link! It was VERY helpful! I enjoyed this post of yours also. You mentioned St. Faustina and what Jesus said about obendience. Another quote from her Diary came to mind when I was reading the link you posted:

Satan can not bow to obedience.

That really struck me when I first read it, and then after reading your link- it hit twice as hard.

Also, there is a picture of a sculpture that my aunt has and it depicts Jesus standing in the middle of two evils: the first- what we typically think of as the devil (hatred, evil…) and Jesus is standing on him. The second evil is one that is extra shiny and almost ‘holier than thou’ looking. Jesus has a firm grip on this one as well. A caption at the back of the picture says that Jesus is controling the two evils: Satan and Lucifer ( which means light bearer)- which is the holier than thou attitude. Again, I was reminded of it when I read that link.

Thank you!

Jade.
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Now that sculpture is one I would LOVE to have. I know two of the LUCIFER “holier than thou” types. The ones that cannot even hear a minor swear word, and who was scandalized when I told her I had almost fallen into temptation and sin with a woman, but nothing ever happened. She said: “you out of all people, how?? With all the religion you have and University studies in THEOLOGY.”??
 
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misericordie:
Now that sculpture is one I would LOVE to have. I know two of the LUCIFER “holier than thou” types. The ones that cannot even hear a minor swear word, and who was scandalized when I told her I had almost fallen into temptation and sin with a woman, but nothing ever happened. She said: “you out of all people, how?? With all the religion you have and University studies in THEOLOGY.”??
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misericordie,

I found it!!

It’s not the most pretty looking sculpture I’ve seen, and it’s hard in this picture to see Lucifer and Satan, but it’s the best version I could find. Hope this helps!

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
 
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Jade:
misericordie,

I found it!!

It’s not the most pretty looking sculpture I’ve seen, and it’s hard in this picture to see Lucifer and Satan, but it’s the best version I could find. Hope this helps!

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
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Thanks.
 
I don’t really get it… how can you get addicted to holy communion?
(I only have holy communion once or twice a year… :whistle: )

What is it your gluttening on exactly?

Evanescence
 
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Evanescence:
I don’t really get it… how can you get addicted to holy communion?
(I only have holy communion once or twice a year… :whistle: )

What is it your gluttening on exactly?

Evanescence
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To recieve Communion daily and especially Sundays is recomended by the Doctors of the Church and many saints. I sincerely believe that John of the Cross is also misemterpreted: read also his contemporary: and she is one great doctor of the Church as well. I love her book: “Interior Castle.”
 
What is holy communion ment to do to each individual? why is it so important?

Evanescence
 
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