When does gluttony become a mortal sin?

  • Thread starter Thread starter misstherese
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

misstherese

Guest
After getting past a certain sin in my life, a new one I hadn’t noticed before always springs up. This would be gluttony.

When does gluttony become a mortal sin? Do unhealthy vs healthy foods have affect on if it is venial or mortal? For instance, I like chocolate milk. It’s not the healthiest and doesn’t really nourish me very well. Does that make it sinful to drink it? What about desserts or soda? I know the saints haven’t had to deal with this aspect as much because they did not live in an age where some food can basically be as nutritious as cardboard.

So when does gluttony become a mortal sin?
 
Relax. You may have more to worry about with scrupulosity than with gluttony!
 
misstherese said:
So when does gluttony become a mortal sin?
Click to expand...
First, you should be asking yourself whether you are giving in to a “disordered” desire. I don’t think every sort of desire for chocolate milk can be considered “disordered.”

Nonetheless, if you discern that the desire is indeed disordered, then it is a sin. You should avoid all sin, not just mortal ones.

Mortal sins are those of grave matter, done with full knowledge that the sin is grave, and done with full consent of the will. If you lack grave matter, full knowledge or full consent, it is not a mortal sin.

Do you think a desire for glass of chocolate milk is grave matter? If so, why?

If you are uncertain, then follow St. Thomas’s Aquinas’ advice, “in doubtful matters one should always choose the safer course.” In other words, try fasting from the thing you desire. If you can do so with little difficulty, then the desire was probably not disordered.
 
Last edited:
Thank you for your reply, yes I would say its disordered because often I get an itch for sugaree drinks at times that I know I don’t need it…I guess it’s time to cut em’ all out and offer it up.
 
Do you think it is disordered to want wine at a wedding simply because it is desired, but not needed? Water would have sufficed, right? If so, did the participants at the wedding at Cana indulge in a disordered desire for the wine miraculously provided by Jesus Christ?
 
Last edited:
No of course not, but they had wine only on special occasions right?
 
I thought they drank wine all the time. Water wasn’t always clean and safe. I thought they would however dilute the wine. But my understanding was that historically people drank a lot more alcohol just for thirst.
 
Actually I think I’ve heard that before. Interesting. I know they did it in Ancient Greek times and in the 17th century they would drink beer because the water was unclean.

I suppose the virtue of prudence to know when one is too attached to a certain food would be helpful in this situation. To be on the safe side, I think I will cut out sugaree drinks and see if I was too attached after all.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top