A few weeks ago, my wife and I were talking about the messiness of my relationship with my mom, and a video I had recently watched online popped into my head. The video began with sentimental background music and captions explaining the circumstances of a family: the...
Rule 1 of St. Ignatius’ “rules of discernment” stands alone in many ways, describing the experience of one who is moving in the wrong direction, away from God, and towards vice and sin. In a modern sense, this first rule also describes those of us who are diving into...
In his book Change or Die, Alan Deutschman details the three phases required to undergo lasting change in our lives: relate, repeat, and reframe. This is also what we do to find healing and freedom in recovery. We relate to others by joining a recovery community that...
One of the practices that I like to do when I pray is to repeat the words slowly so I can contemplate each one. As I pray for my children to have a gentle mother, I have been drawn to the phrase “full of grace” in the Hail Mary. To be full of grace means there is no...
We are fallen but redeemed by Jesus. He wants to claim what’s His: our souls. However, the spiritual war between Christ and the devil for our souls never stops raging in this life. Therefore, similar to physical warfare, we must arm ourselves with weapons to defeat...
If you are anything like me, I always start off Lent with a plan for prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. In Catholic circles, it becomes almost a required part of the small talk we make. “So, what are you doing for Lent?” It seems to demand an answer that demonstrates...
We may be tempted to stray off the path of recovery and wander into the swirling chaos and confusion of this world. Fear and uncertainty of the future can quickly and without warning pull us into a trap where we allow old thoughts and behaviors to enter. Our reliance...
Step 11 states, “Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for the knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.” (Alcoholics Anonymous). What immediately strikes me about the...
Lent is a good time to discuss a neglected weapon in our spiritual arsenal: fasting. I want to explain how fasting as a spiritual discipline helps us manage our passions and direct our wills, making it a valuable practice for maintaining recovery and growing in...
As time passes, our recovery brings with it new growth and awareness of God and ourselves. By living a life of honesty, openness, and willingness, God fills our hearts, minds, and spirits with new knowledge and wisdom, or “God thoughts.” For me, these thoughts have...