
Pope Francis delivered his weekly Wednesday audience on January 10, 2024, focusing on the vice of gluttony. He began by referencing Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding at Cana, where he showed his sympathy towards human joys by providing a large quantity of good wine. Throughout his ministry, Jesus was often seen at the table, which caused scandal because he ate with sinners and demonstrated his readiness for communion and closeness with everyone.
Pope Francis highlighted Jesus’ attitude towards Jewish precepts, showing his full submission to the Law but also his sympathy towards his disciples. Jesus justified his disciples when they plucked grain out of hunger and affirmed a new principle that the wedding guests cannot fast when the bridegroom is with them. Jesus wants us to be joyful in his company but also participate in his sufferings, which are the sufferings of the small and the poor.
The Pope emphasized the importance of our relationship with food, stating that it reveals our inner selves, habits, and psychological attitudes. Jesus eliminated the distinction between pure and impure foods, emphasizing that what makes something good or bad is not the food itself but our relationship with it. A disordered relationship with food can lead to eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, and obesity. Pope Francis noted that these illnesses are often linked to sufferings of the psyche and soul, highlighting the connection between psychological imbalance and the way food is consumed.
The vice of gluttony, known as “gastrimargia” or “folly of the belly,” is a dangerous vice that latches onto our vital need for eating. From a social perspective, gluttony is seen as the most dangerous vice that is harming the planet. The voracity with which we have been exploiting the planet’s resources for centuries is compromising the future of all. Pope Francis warned against turning into predators and emphasized the importance of being “Eucharistic” men and women who give thanks and use the land discreetly.
In conclusion, Pope Francis urged everyone to be aware of the dangers of gluttony and asked the Lord to help us on the path to sobriety so that the various forms of gluttony do not take over our lives.America Magazine