Category Archives: Grace

Xtreme Makeover Season is on

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Tomorrow begins Lent, a 40 day period of personal interior conversion and renewal. It is also a time to examine our relationships with other people and perhaps repair them. As Christians we are a community, members of the Body of Christ. If our relations with other people are in a shambles, then our attempts at interior conversion and growth in personal holiness will fall short. Remember the words of Jesus in the prayer that He taught us: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

I admittedly write that with some fear and trepidation as there are relationships in my life that are in need or repair, if not outright resurrection from the dead. I leave them up to God’s will, for Him to provide the opportunity and courage to actually do anything, as I am unwilling to tread those paths.

Anyway, Lent is here, and I am posting links to two previous blogposts from earlier years, right here,
and here. Read them as an introduction and background.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Touch only the tassel on his cloak

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The Gospel Reading from today’s Mass has a special message of Jesus’ healing nature:

Mark 6:53-56: “After making the crossing to the other side of the sea, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up there. As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him. They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed.”

(Via USCCB.)

It seems to me that the people were hungry for healing, that their lives were broken and wounded as a result of their afflictions and they sought Jesus no matter what.

As alcoholics and addicts, no matter how long we have been clean and sober, we still desperately need the healing touch of Jesus.

Seek Him out, and beg to “touch only the tassel on his cloak,” in that your journey of recovery be kept straight and strong.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Making room in the Inn

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Advent, a time of waiting for the coming of Christ the Lord. How well do we receive Him into our lives? Is He welcome in all areas of it or do we compartmentalize (pigeon-hole) Him in convenient places?

There are many distractions, and we do not make sufficient room for Him in the inn that is our lives. He is pushed outdoors.

Some of these distractions are addictive. These addictions fill the “hole in the soul” that should be filled by Jesus and the Sacraments. Grace alone should suffice but we improperly seek it. We are misdirected in our gropings in the dark for Truth and Life. We don’t find them in the right places. We stray from the path marked out for us.

Jesus is ever-present in the Blessed Sacrament and ever-waiting for us to come to Him. We prepare our way to Him through prayer, meditation and examining our consciences. We offer up a contrite heart as a sacrifice to Him, so that we will be pleasing in His sight.

And then Jesus, upon being asked, enters our lives and fills our very being with the stuff we seek: healing, direction, life. Things we sought elsewhere and failed miserably because we were deceived.

Christmas is coming, with Jesus in the Manger. Are we prepared to welcome and receive Him?

(Blogger’s Note: This post is a part of the 2010 Catholic New Media Advent Calendar on Catholic Roundup For those new to Sober Catholic my usual source for inspiration is either the Sunday and Daily Mass Readings, or some commentary on the liturgical season. I then try to make it applicable to those recovering from alcoholism and other addictions. But, if you are in a conversion or a development of the interior life mindset, (or just love the Sacrament of Confession), you might find my ramblings useful. 🙂

My other blog, with it’s own post for the Calendar, is: The Four Last Things a blog on Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell. Its first post explains it: The Four Last Things.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

This is the King

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Today is the Solemnity of Christ the King, in which we acknowledge Jesus as our King, the centerpiece of Creation and of our lives. The following excerpt from the Gospel for the Mass for today announces His Kingship over the Jews, albeit in perhaps a mocking way:

Luke 23:38: “Above him there was an inscription that read, ‘This is the King of the Jews.'”

(Via USCCB.)

Is Jesus your King? Is He your “Higher Power” inasmuch as He is your Divine Physician and the Healer of all that afflicts you? Or have you held on to whatever false or temporary “Higher Power” under the guise of “Well, it got me sober?” Whatever methods you used that helped you achieve sobriety, are they enduring? Only Jesus is “the Way, the Truth and the Life,” and only in Him will we find true and lasting peace and healing.

Do you truly follow Him and obey Him, along with the teachings of His Church? Only in His Church will you find the healing power of His grace through the sacraments of Holy Communion and Confession. Grace is available to all who seek it, but as members of His Church we have the special avenues of His grace, directly flowing to us through Her sacraments.

Advent is one week away, it is the season in which we prepare for the coming of the Lord, our King. Although it is in memory of His first arrival, it calls to mind the fact of His future coming, as well as our need to welcome Him into our lives.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

PAINT THE RIGHT PORTRAIT OF YOUR LIFE

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Spirit Daily once again has an excellent article of particular relevance to Sober Catholic readers. In the article: PAINT THE RIGHT PORTRAIT OF YOUR LIFE we are exhorted to pay attention to cleaning up and developing our interior life. Get rid of all the useless garbage inside ourselves and we will make progress towards becoming our true self (the person we really will be in Heaven) by finding our mission here in this life.

This is basically the goals of recovery movements: clean up our act, discard our character defects, not just the external but the internal, “recover” who and what we were probably meant to be.

Read the more in depth article at Spirit Daily
.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Nothing will be impossible for you with great faith

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The Gospel Reading from the Mass for Saturday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time has an excellent teaching from Jesus on the power of Faith to heal:

Matthew 17:14-20: “A man came up to Jesus, knelt down before him, and said,
‘Lord, have pity on my son, who is a lunatic and suffers severely;
often he falls into fire, and often into water.
I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.’
Jesus said in reply,
‘O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you?
How long will I endure you? 
Bring the boy here to me.’
Jesus rebuked him and the demon came out of him,
and from that hour the boy was cured.
Then the disciples approached Jesus in private and said,
‘Why could we not drive it out?’
He said to them, ‘Because of your little faith.
Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you will say to this mountain,
‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.
Nothing will be impossible for you.’”

Via USCCB.)

As alcoholics and addicts there are competing sources for our attention, all telling us that this works or that works, that a 12 Step program is all you need, or religion and 12 Steps… you get the idea.

Jesus is the Divine Physician. He came to us to heal us of our afflictions and to redeem us from our sins. Mere human methods can help us, at least from the outset and perhaps occasionally afterwards in certain situations. But only Jesus, through the Sacraments He established in His Church, can give us the lasting healing from that which plagues us.

Twelve Step programs speak of “HOW”, which means “Honesty, Open-mindedness, and Willingness” as the key to a successful recovery. Honesty with yourself and others, an openness to working the program fully, and a willingness to do whatever it takes by the program’s offerings. A similar thing is a part of accepting Jesus and His Church as your healer.

The “HOW” can be the Humility needed to submit to God’s will in all areas of your life so He can lead you to the healing you crave; the Openness to God’s graces flowing forth from the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Confession; and the Willingness to live according to the Gospels.

With faith believe in the healing power of Jesus and the Sacraments and be humble, open and willing to accept it. Miracles happen.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

St. Dymphna, the Church and Mental Illness

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I chanced upon an interesting article on St. Dympha, traditionally the patron saint of the mentally ill: St. Dymphna: Out of the Shadows of Mental Illness

(Via Patheos.)

There are several parts to the article. The beginning details a man’s history with mental illness, his treatments and how he ultimately discovered the strength of the Catholic Church in helping to deal with it.

One quote: “In time, he found a way to manage his illness. He started a family and returned to the faith he had abandoned, finding new peace and unexpected strength in the Church… ‘Prayer, faith, the Church, the Eucharist: all those things kind of gave me a floor that I could stand on.'”

As a part of his reliance on the Church to help him with his illness, he discovered St. Dymphna. The rest of the article is an overview of St. Dymphna’s life and legends, followed with a testimony of his growing prayer life and developing faith.

St. Dymphna had been critical in his spiritual development. I highly recommend this piece.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Your light must shine before others

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Jesus reminds us in today’s Daily Mass Gospel reading that our religious faith is not to be kept to ourselves:

Matthew 5:13-16: “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.’”

(Via USCCB.)

You have Faith, obtained by the free gift of God’s grace. As much as the world, for all of its lip service to tolerance and diversity, tells you that religion is a private affair not to be shared lest you offend, Jesus exhorts His followers to be a beacon to the world.

Jesus also tells us to act. Faith alone does not save, others must also see “your good deeds”. From this, God is glorified. He is seen as the source of your goodness.

Those of us who are sober, clean and chaste, also must tell others of God’s role in their recovery. Credit is given where it is deserved. Humility demands that.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

All things work for good for those who love God

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A nice Facebook friend pointed out this passage from Sacred Scripture a few weeks ago when I was stressing out over Ning’s decision to phase out free social networks :

Romans 8:28: “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

(Via USCCB.)

If we work for God, and not ourselves, if the good things we do are for the glory of God and aid in building up His Kingdom on Earth, then they will succeed. Their success might be in a form or result other than what we would have scripted, but success in some manner is inevitable.

Patience, persistence and Faith are key. Grace is needed, too.

I was listening last night to Fr. Benedict Groeschel en route home from work on WLOF: the Station of the Cross and he was talking about grace, that freely given, unmerited supernatural gift from God which enables us to accomplish God’s will. Without it, we can do nothing.

John 15:5: “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.”

Psalm 127:1: “Unless the LORD build the house, they labor in vain who build.”

We can ask for it. It is freely given to us, but we can still ask for the graces needed to “get us going” and do what we are called to do. Grace may be the thing we need to defeat obstacles in our path, whether self-inflicted character defects that prevent us from being productive, to those obstacles inflicted upon us by others.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Our Lady of Lourdes Novena for Alcoholics: Day 9

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The intention of this novena was to focus attention on the healing aspects of Catholicism through a devotion to Mary, the Mother of God. Mary as Our Lady of Lourdes was chosen as she is an obvious recourse for Catholic addicts and alcoholics. She is our primary intercessor with the Trinity, and like any good Mom wants her children to do well.

But there is ongoing healing available within the Catholic Faith. Through the sacraments we have certain access to God’s graces. In the sacrament of Confession (also known as Penance or Reconciliation) our sins are forgiven and we grow in holiness if we have a “firm purpose of amendment.” In the Eucharist (Holy Communion) we receive Jesus. The Divine Healer Himself enters into us. How intimate is that? (And Protestants and Evangelicals claim that the Catholic Church doesn’t encourage a personal relationship with Jesus!)

Pray this novena at any time of the year, it doesn’t have to be in February. But also know that healing is there, all the time (if you are patient and humble and understand that things happen in His time and in accord with His will.)

Pray:

Oh ever Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, Health of the Sick, Refuge of Sinners, Comfortess of the Afflicted, you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings. Look upon me with mercy. When you appeared in the grotto of Lourdes, you made it a privileged sanctuary where you dispense your favors, and where many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal. I come, therefore, with unbounded confidence to implore your maternal intercession. My loving Mother, obtain my request. I will try to imitate your virtues so that I may one day share your company and bless you in eternity. Amen

From: Prayers – Catholic Online: “Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes”

NOTE: a repost from last year

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)