The Seven Deadly Sins: A Visitor’s Guide

With The Seven Deadly Sins: A Visitor’s Guide, author Lawrence Cunningham has prepared a resource that, I kid you not, is a gem.

Are you a catechist? You’ll love it.

Are you a parent? You’ll need it.

Are you a struggling sinner? You’ll see an approach to sin that may well give you hope.

Not that you didn’t have hope before, mind you. Not that you weren’t already well-prepared as a parent. Not that you didn’t have resources out the wazoo for teaching and preparing.

Cunningham is entertaining and conversational in his approach to the seven deadly sins. He makes the history lesson behind them a story that’s compelling and intriguing.

The sins themselves fit under an umbrella, and the way he coordinated them all into that umbrella was…well, it probably wasn’t brilliant. Because the umbrella is this: all sin is about SELF. ME.

I remember, waaaaay back in RCIA, when Father Pat defined sin as stepping away from God. It seemed almost too easy a definition.

And yet, it rings true to me now, years later. Maybe I’m more mature, more learned, more worn down by daily life with little people.

Cunningham’s book is small–less than 120 pages–and if you’re not careful, you could whip through it and just smile and enjoy yourself.

But don’t be fooled. Something will sink in. And you’ll be changed and better for it.

Highly recommended.