In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

     It's unfortunate, that the last of the Seven Heavenly Virtues, the virtue that we're dealing with tonight, on Maundy Thursday, carries with it other baggage. It's unfortunate because when we say "temperance", right away, images are conjured up in our mind's eye, of prohibition, and alcohol, and rum-runners, and the Women's Christian Temperance Union marching down city streets in their long, lace, bustled dresses, with placards that say, "John Barleycorn Must Die!" Of course, with our history in America of struggle with alcohol abuse and alcoholism, it's only natural that "temperance" has come to relate to alcohol, and that's what first comes to mind when one even speaks the word: "temperance". And that's unfortunate, because temperance, as a virtue, means so much more. It's unfortunate, because before we can begin to talk about temperance, as a heavenly virtue, we've got to get out of our minds, the WCTU, and the prohibition years, and the urge to say, "maybe I'd better have a drink, before tackling "temperance". But what we're not talking about here, is that very narrow understanding of temperance, as that movement in America which fought against alcohol and alcohol abuse. What we're not talking about here, is temperance as "tee-totaling", or abstinence from strong drink. What we are talking about, is temperance, as a God given virtue-temperance as one of the four cardinal virtues, that strengthens the soul and tempers the body and helps us to grow into the Christ-like life! That's what we're talking about when we talk about "temperance" as a heavenly virtue. But what, then, is "temperance", as a virtue, and what in the world could it have to do with Maundy Thursday, and our Lord's Last Supper, and His impending Passion and Death?

     Well, first things first, let's get at what temperance is. According to Christian teaching, temperance is the righteous practice of governing one's natural appetite for pleasures of the senses, in accordance with the norm prescribed by reason. In other words, temperance is self-control, discipline, self-restraint. And it is self-control, discipline and self-restraint in all areas of life, not just in terms of food or strong drink-just as the opposing deadly sin, gluttony, is not just about gorging yourself when eating or drinking, but it's about overdoing anything that is harmful, or self-destructive, or self-gratifying. Which includes, but is not limited to, food, drink, drugs, sex, work, leisure, sleep, and yes, maybe even religion! Each of these can be used, to excess, in such a way that our lives get out of balance, our relationships suffer, and we are out of control. Temperance, then, is the spiritual practice of keeping our lives in control, keeping our baser desires and inclinations in check, disciplining ourselves, so that we are not caught up in doing only what we want, when we want-but are so balanced in life, that we have time, and energy for what matters in life-God, and God's will for us. That's the problem with being "intemperate"-in fact, that's the sin in intemperance-that we get so consumed by our own desires and passions, that we become the focus of our lives; we become the centers of our universe-so that God, and others, are crowded out, as we gorge ourselves on that which pleases us. Which, on the one hand, is simply narcissism, "excessive self-love, excessive self-interest, in which the self is the sole object of our pleasure". On the other hand, this is why the second step in every Twelve Step program to overcome addiction and substance abuse is to recognize that there is a power higher than yourself, and that this power can restore you to sanity and balance in life. To be "tempered" in life, is to have balance and sanity restored, and this happens through God's power and influence in your life, which brings us to the place where He, not we, are in control, and our goal in life is not to love and serve ourselves, but to love and serve God, and others. Which, you see, brings us to what this all has to do with Maundy Thursday, and the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord.

     Because, while we have a hard time with temperance, and may struggle with temperance all our lives, Jesus is the perfect example of temperance-as his entire life, but especially his Passion and Death, His sacrifice on the cross for us and for our salvation, is the epitome of-self-control, self-restraint, and discipline. Jesus' entire life, but especially his suffering and death, meant denial of self, denial of his own life and self-interest, to the point of complete and utter sacrifice-for the sake of others. This is not narcissism, or self-indulgence-it is total temperance-total discipline-to have His life in such balance and control, that He gave Himself to the Will of the Father, for the sake of the world. And while Jesus' temperance is a model and an example for us to follow, above all else, tonight, we see in Him, what it means to love. We see in Him, tonight, not an illustration that we can look to as we seek to perfect or save ourselves-we see the depth of love that can be expressed, when one tempers one's self-interest, with interest for God and others. Which is why Jesus gives, at the Last Supper, the New Commandment: "love one another as I have loved you." The old commandment was, "love your neighbor as yourself". But Jesus' commandment is greater than that, and different, as he commands us to love one another, not just as we love ourselves, but as He loves us, and gave Himself up for us-as the Passover Sacrifice, pouring out His blood, offering us His flesh, as the Sacrament of our Atonement. And that love, he exemplified, as he knelt before His disciples, and washed their dirty, smelly, misshapen feet. A narcissist would never do such a thing. One who is caught up in self-love and self-interest and self-gratification, wouldn't be caught dead doing such a thing. Only one who has so disciplined himself, and so controlled his pride and love of self, only one such as this, could kneel at the feet of his followers, and become himself, the servant. Which is why Jesus was able to accomplish our salvation-because it was not about Him, it was about the Father, and the Father's will, and the Father's love for His creation-it was about God becoming human, to save us from ourselves! That's why Jesus became flesh, and why He humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because it wasn't about Him-it was about the Father, and us. And so, Jesus, the Son of God, became Son of man. Jesus the Messiah, became Jesus the Lamb of God, whose body was broken and blood was poured out. Jesus Christ, the King-became Jesus Christ, the crucified. And it was through his being willing to be Jesus Christ the crucified, the corpse, that Jesus then became, Jesus, the resurrected. While we don't want to rob Maundy Thursday and Good Friday of their meaning and their power, we have to proclaim, even tonight, that it was through Jesus' temperance; through Jesus' self-denial, and self-control and self-discipline, that Jesus gained the victory over sin, death and the devil, to win for us, redemption, and reconciliation, and resurrection. And we have to proclaim that it is through His resurrection, that we receive new life, now-and new power, now, to be able, ourselves, not to save ourselves, but to give ourselves-selflessly, and sacrificially, to others. So that in the power of the resurrection, we might indeed, be able to love God, and others, not as we love ourselves, but as we are loved, by God, in Jesus Christ our Savior.

     Tonight, as we see Jesus, tempering himself, as he washes feet, as he yields to his betrayer, as is arrested, tried, tortured and tomorrow, crucified-let us receive from Him, great power and strength and courage, and great freedom, to love God and our neighbor-as we have been loved.

     In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.