Category Archives: Sin

A heart contrite and humbled

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The response for the Psalm (Psalm 51:9) for today’s Mass is: “a contrite, humbled heart, O God, you will not scorn.”

As this is Lent, chances are that if you are taking it seriously as a means of spiritual progression in the rejecting of sin and self-will, as well as in the casting off of character defects, then you might be taking advantage of the Sacrament of Confession more so than during the rest of the year.

The Responsorial Psalm today is from Psalm 51. It is an excellent Psalm to pray and meditate upon before going to Confession. I have written a series of meditations before on it, found here: Psalm 51.

Pray for the humility to be truly contrite, and make a good Confession.

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!!)

Temptation and the Cross

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Often it has been suggested that we “offer it up” and unite our sufferings to that of Christ.

You know those temptations that you get? The ones about drinking or drugging again, or viewing online porn, or engaging in some impure act? The urge in general to do something sinful?

Those are Crosses. The feelings associated with them, such as enduring the urges and maintaining resistance to them, are painful. That is the weight of the Cross. As Christians we are called to “take up the Cross” if we are to be His disciples. Don’t succumb to relieve the weight. The Crosses are the badges that signify you are a disciple of Christ.

Bear the Cross, you aren’t alone in your suffering. Offer it up. Pray to Jesus for strength, ask Him to take the pain you are going through in resisting the temptation and enduring it and apply it as a intercessory prayer for your salvation or for others’.

Offer it up for all those who are still suffering from alcoholism, for those caught in sexual sin. For anyone in pain.

I think I’ve blogged about this relatively recently, but I felt the need to cover it again.

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!!)

A Walk With the Novena of Mary Undoer of Knots, Day 9

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Today is Day 9 and thus the final one in our Novena of Mary Undoer of Knots. We ask Mary’s intercession for “this knot in my life…You know very well the suffering it has caused me…”

So, what knot is it? Is it the same one you may have prayed about daily, or one of the more knotty ones from a particular day? (A rhetorical question, don’t post the knot in the comments!)

Ponder, meditate and offer up this knot for Mary to undo. Offer up all the pain, trauma and suffering it has brought into your life. Let Mary’s maternal love work its healing into you…

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!!)

A Walk With the Novena of Mary Undoer of Knots, Day 7

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On Day 7 in our daily walk with The Novena of Mary Undoer of Knots, we request Mary’s intercession to “free us from the snares of Evil….”

Evil exists in the World today. Although that might seem to some to be the understatement of all time, it is a reality denied by many. Just see the reaction when “Evil” is attributed to any horror or tragedy that occurs in the world.

What are the “snares of Evil?” All the temptations of the “World, the Flesh and the Devil.” The attractions, morals, philosophies of the “World” that take us away fro God and our love for Him; the sinful pleasures of inappropriate sexuality; and Satan, the Adversary itself.

Mary can guard us. Under the mantle of her Motherly protection, she can lead the way to Jesus and peace.

There is additional help:

Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel:

St. Michael the Archangel,

defend us in battle.

Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,

and do thou,

O Prince of the heavenly hosts,

by the power of God,

thrust into hell Satan,

and all the evil spirits,

who prowl about the world

seeking the ruin of souls. Amen..

via EWTN Novena Page.

More on him: St. Michael the Archangel.

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!!)

A Walk with the Novena of Mary Undoer of Knots, Day 5

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Today is Day 5 in our daily walk with The Novena of Mary Undoer of Knots and we cover “the bitterness, anger and hatred which this knot has caused me…”

This is very close to our third day’s intentions in which we asked Mary’s intercession to help us with “resentment,” the really dangerous character defect that we alcoholics nurture very well. But, while that intercession involved things of a general nature, this one seems to be directed at a single situation, and one that is deeper and more soul-eating. An event that resulted in bitterness, anger and hatred.

These three emotions are tools that Satan can exploit to drive you away from Jesus. They are extremely negative and can easily burn away charity in the soul and darken life. Probably every reader as well as myself has hated or been hated, and we can all attest to its debilitating nature. One chief consequence of bitterness, anger and hatred is how easily it can harm our relationship with God, who is Love, Mercy and Forgiveness.

Ask Mary’s maternal help in undoing this knot. It is deadly. Deadly to your soul and thus deadly to your salvation. Whatever it is, it isn’t worth damnation.

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!!)

A Walk with the Novena of Mary Undoer of Knots, Day 4

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Today we cover “this knot which robs the peace of my heart, paralyzes my soul and keeps me from going to my Lord and serving Him with my life…” as we move into Day 4 of our walk through The Novena of Mary Undoer of Knots.

Guilt over some grave matter that you did? Other sins of commission? How about sins of omission (Things that you’re supposed to do, but haven’t)? Unfinished business? Something is nagging at your conscience and not letting you rest. It is serious to the point of preventing your relationship with the Lord from achieving it fulfillment. We are all supposed to go to our Lord and serve Him.

Matthew 6:33 “Therefore, seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things shall be added to you as well”.

via Matthew – Catholic Public Domain Version of the Sacred Bible.

Like I mentioned in Day 1, a “deep examination of conscience, that “fearless and searching moral inventory” spoken of in Fourth Step of the 12 Steps Movements, is called for to get at a root cause” of what might be paralyzing your spiritual progression.

Since the Church teaches that we go to Jesus through Mary, the Blessed Virgin would be a wonderful aide in helping you take care of this matter.  Dwell on this intention for today; meditate on what the “knot” is so that when you pray the Rosary for this day’s Novena, you can ask with particular need Mary’s intercession for you.

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!!)

A Walk with the Novena of Mary Undoer of Knots, Day 2

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Today we cover “sins of egoism, pride, rancor and … lack of generosity and humility…” in our daily walk with The Novena of Mary Undoer of Knots.

These sins blind you. The more of your “self” that you are bound up in, the less you are open to God’s graces, the less you see Jesus in other people. You adopt a “me versus them” attitude, with the “me” feeling inherently superior.

And leave it to an alcoholic to feel superior to others, even with all the serious character defects these sins reveal.

Work on becoming smaller. To quote St. John the Baptist:

John 3:30 He must increase, while I must decrease.

via John – Catholic Public Domain Version of the Sacred Bible.

Becoming “smaller” is also the “Little Way” of St.Therese of Lisieux, who taught that one should do everything with love, even the smallest, most insignificant task. Nothing is too small for God if done with Love.

So perhaps do “little things” as if they were the most important things in the world at the moment.

They just might be, to someone.

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!!)

A Walk with the Novena of Mary Undoer of Knots, Day 1

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Last week I introduced you all to The Novena of Mary Undoer of Knots. (Well, some of you, a few have known of it 😉 )

I said this Novena just once, at the end of this past December (I did not post daily prayers). The “knots” I won’t bother bringing up, but as I said the prayers each day I noticed that the Novena might be best said for offering up different “knots” for each day.

To that end I am going to start the Novena over, each day specifically offering up “knots” that are seemingly special to that day’s prayers.

Today, Day 1: “this knot….and all the negative consequences that it provokes in my life…”

What specific “knot” in your life is the catalyst for all sorts of negative consequences? A deep examination of conscience, that “fearless and searching moral inventory” spoken of in Fourth Step of the 12 Steps Movements, is called for to get at a root cause of a number of negative incidents in life.

Take a look around your life. What seems to be the negative consequences that abound in it? Can you trace them back to a source (or sources)? Many sins are symptoms of deeper sins.

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 SOULS DAY

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Today the Church celebrates the Commemoration of All of the Faithful Departed, also known as: ALL SOULS DAY.

While not necessarily on the list of things that most people keep in the forefront of their minds, death and the afterlife should be for us sober (or sobering up) alcoholics. For that very reason I started Sober Catholic’s sister blog, The Four Last Things.

For we who were on the pathway to an early death have been given a reprieve, having avoided it by no longer drinking. We can now take a look at it in a different light. We can nurture the hopeful expectation that when we finally die, we can be united with God and reunited with our loved ones who have gone on before us.

Today is their day; all those who have died and are amongst the blessed in Heaven, as well as those who died in a state of some sin. These souls cannot enter Heaven yet and so must undergo purification. Another reminder that “not drinking” is not enough; we must continually develop our spirituality and virtue by amending our lives and avoiding sin.

The Four Last Things has numerous blogposts as well as links in the sidebar where you can learn more about the Catholic (and Biblical) teachings on Purgatory.

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!!)

Taking up the Cross

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Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus said to his disciples: “If anyone is willing to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

(Via Catholic Public Domain Version of the Sacred Bible.)

As alcoholics and addicts we often carry the burdens of temptations. Many people do, we are not unique in that regard. However if we succumb to them, it can be dangerous. Even if it is a serious temptation like impurity and we aren’t sex or porn addicts, it may open the door to further destructive behavior given the potentially addictive nature of our thinking.

It is painful to carry the burden of temptations. We want to surrender to them “just a little,” to ease the burden. But we cannot as we know the effects. Given that we are active in our recovery, we are probably far more sensitive to inappropriate behavior and thinking than most people. Any fall can be an excuse for self-loathing.

It is fine if we constantly “pick ourselves up” after a fall into whatever sin is tempting us. This is what the saints did.

But I think that if we view the continual troubles and trials as a cross that we must bear, we can show Jesus, “See, Lord? I am your servant and follower. I bear the Cross of this temptation and I will not drop it.”

Equate that trial or temptation with the Cross. It is a tangible feeling to connect to Jesus, something that you can think about whenever you hear someone talk about “hang it on the Cross,” or “unite your sufferings to Jesus.”

It may make it more bearable.

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!!)