Raising the question of drinking

If you are looking for a way to kill the mood at a Catholic young adult party, just raise the question, “Is it a mortal sin to get drunk?”

Whenever the topic is raised, I see flaring tempers, incredulous faces and hear every excuse in the book. It appears to be a relatively common trend for Catholic young adults to spend their weekends downing a few too many, only to be back in the pew on Sunday morning (or evening) to fulfill their Sunday obligation, as if nothing had happened the night before.

But is overindulging in alcohol really an innocent activity? Is it okay to have an indifferent attitude toward too much drinking?

Maybe the place to start isn’t with the argument of whether or not it’s a mortal sin to get drunk, but instead with whether or not we are truly living up to our greatness.

Church teaching has consistently taught that we are made in God’s image and likeness in our capacity for intellect and will. If these two capacities are gifts from God that allow us to reflect Him, then are we accepting the gift with gratitude when we choose to take a hiatus from them?

I’ve heard countless arguments – that one is not truly losing reason unless they “black out,” that it’s okay as long as they are with “trusted” people, that the intention is not to lose reason. But don’t the excuses and the justifications point to something deep inside that doesn’t feel comfortable with the “getting drunk is no big deal” attitude?

For what insecurities, unhappiness or fears is getting drunk attempting to provide a mask? It seems to me that if we are truly placing ourselves in the presence of God, trusting Him to provide for us exactly what we need in every moment, then we won’t be seeking ways to live an alternative existence for a few hours, or to forget our troubles, or to be more comfortable with “who we are.”

So, perhaps that’s it – downing a few too many isn’t only a sin of gluttony, but a sin against trust. It’s bringing us back to the garden once again, where the paradigm of all sin, the Original Sin, consisted in a lack of trust and an attempt to manage one’s own plan of happiness.

It’s effectively what we’re doing when we reach for one-drink-too-many – we are taking the fruit from Eden once again. We are standing along with Eve, made in God’s image and likeness, and yet effectively telling our Creator that we’d rather take care of ourselves.

Imagine – “Yes, God, I’m more able to be myself if I take that extra drink. All of my friends are doing it too, and they are good Catholics. We aren’t hurting anyone or driving anywhere. And what’s wrong with a little fun?”

And there is our Creator and Redeemer, who made each and every one of us as unique and unrepeatable persons, chosen by eternal Love. He stands watching, knowing that another drink is not going to satisfy us, or bring us true joy, or allow us to be who we truly are. He offers us everything, and yet we try to walk away with so little.

God has given us the ability to exercise our self-control, along with the choice of whether or not to use it. Even if getting drunk is done with no clear-cut reason or premeditated purpose, it’s an opportunity to exercise the gift of self-control when we limit drinks. And the more we are exercising our self-control, the more we will be able to use the virtue in the future. It’s a training in virtue, and we have the opportunity in so many day-to-day experiences, yet how often do we decline the workout?

Of course for a moral authority on the topic, we can also turn to St. Thomas Aquinas, who wrote that drunkenness is not only a sin, but is a mortal sin (Summa Theologica II-II, Q. 150, a. 1-2). But I think the real question is, if God gives us everything we need in every moment, why would we want to get drunk?

Some may read this and wonder what crowds I spend my time with, though I assure you I have heard conversations and questions on the topic from people across the country, and in settings as mundane as coffee shops and classrooms. There will also be those who will attempt to ignore the thought that the dignity with which we were created could impact the morality of our decisions regarding overindulgence in alcohol.

Yet, the invitation still stands – God is calling you to something more. Will you respond to His gift and His love with trust, sacrifice and a desire to see that what He offers is infinitely better than a drink too many?