Is Drinking a Sin for Catholics?
Published Sept 12, 2021
People drink for various reasons. Some drink to escape their situation, while others drink to celebrate. But for Catholics, drinking alcohol may also have moral and religious implications. With all the church’s doctrine about vices and such, it’s but natural to wonder: is drinking a sin?
From a moral perspective, alcohol is often treated with polarity. Some people think that it’s a necessary evil and that celebrations aren’t complete without alcohol. While others see drinking as a reprehensible activity that can corrupt the soul.
So is it a sin to drink alcohol?
Drinking, in itself, is not necessarily a sin. If you will remember, Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine (John 2:1-11). He not only approved of drinking wine but he, himself, drank wine on several occasions. If this is the case, then it’s safe to say that alcohol is not inherently immoral.
In fact, we even have a sacramental wine or altar wine that’s specifically intended for Eucharistic celebrations. And many Christian celebrations often involve drinking wine and merrymaking.
The problem, however, comes when one abuses alcohol.
When you’re drunk, you won’t have full control of your faculties. Your decision-making and critical thinking abilities are significantly impaired. This leads you to do things that you won’t otherwise do when you’re sober such as brawling and excessive cursing. In extreme cases, it can even lead to sexual harassment and murder.
So you see, drinking alcohol is not a mortal sin. But abusing alcoholic beverages can lead one to sin.
What Does The Bible Say About Drinking Alcohol?
There are lots of bible verses about drinking and drunkenness. But all these points to the same thing: drinking is not sinful as long it’s in moderation.
For instance, take this verse from the Old Testament:
He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate—bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts.” – Psalm 104:14-15
It specifically says that wine is a gift from God that makes our human hearts happy. Just like oil and bread, it comes from the fruits that grow on the same ground that provides us with food.
In the New Testament, Jesus not only turned water into wine. He also drunk and was even accused by the Pharisees as a drunkard:
“The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’” – Luke 7:34
Obviously, the Son of Man isn’t a drunkard. But drinking was such a part of people’s everyday life back then. Instead of condemning them, Jesus understood, which earned Him the ire of the self-righteous Pharisees.
This just enforces that church teaching that consuming alcohol is perfectly fine.
But if you abuse it, you are no better than the people who waste their life on worldly pleasures. And this, according to St. Peter, isn’t the true mark of a Christian:
“For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry.” 1 Peter 4:3
Remember that being a Christian and a Catholic means following in Christ’s footsteps. That includes sharing in His sufferings. If we indulge in these worldly pleasures, we won’t be able to share in his suffering. Nor will we be deserving to inherit God’s kingdom.
How Can We Avoid Abusing Alcohol?
Alcohol is a funny guy. It’s become a societal norm to celebrate things over food and drinks. But the line separating celebration and intoxication is often blurred. And many of us drink without knowing our limits.
But according to a Catholic Cathechism:
The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine.
St. Thomas defines temperance as the ”disposition of the mind which binds the passions”. In layman’s terms, it means voluntary self-restraint.
It may sound simple but practicing temperance requires a will of steel. You must have a strong resolve and an equally strong sense of self-discipline.
To sum it up, God created wine and drinking for our enjoyment. He gave them to us as a gift that gladdens human hearts. Alcohol is bad when abused. But when taken in moderation, it can lead to a great time and awesome memories with friends.
I hope this post gave you some comfort if you are planning to have a drink sometime soon. Cheers!
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About The Author
Judy Ponio is a professional writer for the Lay Cistercians blog and a devoted Catholic. She works hard to ensure her work uses accurate facts by cross checking reputable sources.
