By virtue of our fallen nature, everyone has an addictive personality to some degree.

Four of the seven deadly sins are like quicksand, in the sense that if you fall into them you can sink quickly – from a bad choice, to habit, to obsession, to addiction.

These are greed, anger, gluttony and lust. They particularly incite the passions in a way that leads to ignoring reason. Three kinds of rationalization often follow: 1) mentally divorcing pleasure from purpose, making pleasure itself the end or purpose; 2) convincing yourself what you’re doing isn’t so bad, compared to what others do; 3) convincing yourself the circumstances in which you find yourself are reason enough to indulge.

All three are self-deception that seek solace from guilt, which is the natural reaction to sin.

When you’re in quicksand, the only way out is a helping hand from above. When mired in sin, that ‘hand’ necessarily is God. He awaits you in the sacrament of Confession. Don’t let another deadly sin, pride, remain an obstacle to experiencing freedom and peace.