Book Review: Pocket Guide for Overcoming the Seven Deadly Sins
Understanding the Cycle of Sin and Repentance
We all have had the experience of struggling with the same sins over and over again. We fall, repent, go to confession, pick ourselves back up, go awhile, and seem to make some progress—and then, BOOM! We fall into the same sin again, and the process repeats.
But have you ever wondered why you fall into your particular sins? Sin does not come out of a vacuum, after all. We sin for very specific reasons. Our habitual sins are often grounded in deeper vices we’ve allowed to fester in our hearts. For example, if you find yourself prone to gossip, this could be due to the sin of sloth. You aren’t doing enough in your life to keep you occupied, so you stir up drama by gossiping about others to generate excitement. If you occupied your time with more constructive pursuits, you would feel more fulfilled and less needy of attending to the affairs of others.
Fr. Josh Johnson’s Pocket Guide
This is precisely the type of analysis provided in Fr. Josh Johnson’s Pocket Guide for Overcoming the Seven Deadly Sins (Ascension Press, 2025). Fr. Johnson’s booklet is geared towards helping the layman overcome habitual sin by identifying the root causes of those sins. In the introduction to the Pocket Guide, Fr. Johnson explains that every sin is ultimately attributable to seven “root” vices known to tradition as the Seven Deadly Sins. These are also known as the Seven Capital Sins. This comes from the Latin caput, meaning “head,” because these sins are the head or chief vices that account for all other sins.
The Pocket Guide painstakingly guides the reader through each of the Seven Deadly Sins. Fr. Johnson takes a Lectio Divina approach to countering the deadly sins. Lectio Divina is a popular method of prayerfully meditating on the Scriptures for spiritual benefit. Fr. Johnson’s method involves meditating on specific Bible verses as antidotes to corresponding sins. For example, as a counter to the sin of greed, the reader meditates on Acts 20:35, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
A 49-Day Journey of Spiritual Reflection
Each deadly sin receives seven days’ worth of meditations. Therefore, going through the book cover to cover would take 49 days, a solid time of spiritual reflection. Each day follows a pattern structured around what Fr. Johnson calls the “Three Rs”: Resolve, Renounce, Remember. We begin by reading the recommended Scripture passage and resolving to put its message into practice. Then, we renounce the lies that keep us bound to these sins. For example, the lie that tells us that we will never be able to overcome our accustomed failings. Finally, we are encouraged to remember God’s love with a small reflection that assists us in seeing ourselves as God sees us. There are also invocations to various saints whose life stories exemplify victory over given sins.
With seven days devoted to each deadly sin, the Pocket Guide provides ample content for meditation and personal growth. I took it to my Adoration and found it an excellent companion for Holy Hours. It’s also a very handsome little book, bound in purple leather and suitable for Lent with a silver ribbon. The text’s introspective emphasis helped me understand why I am prone to certain failings. Plus, the lectio divina method is a wholesome and time-tested remedy.
I definitely recommend getting a copy of Fr. Josh Johnson’s Pocket Guide to Overcoming the Seven Deadly Sins if you want to make substantial progress in your spiritual life this Lent. To go deeper, see Fr. Josh’s daily Lenten video reflections at Ascension Press: Set Free.
If you’d like to continue the discussion and share your thoughts on read-aloud time, I invite you to join me and other parents at our Homeschool Connections Community or our Facebook group.
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