We in Catholic in Recovery are undeniably blessed to have at our fingertips so many avenues and ways to seek God and live according to His perfect will. Our gratitude and blessings of recovery are worth repeating as our hearts and minds have been brought into harmony with God.
Every day we have the opportunity to shine the light of Christ on those who are lost in the darkness, victims of sin. If we are open to the gift and miracles that Christ has to offer we become His instruments and beacons of hope who then help guide others into the light of His divine presence.
Back when we were in active addiction we are the definition of insanity as we repeat the same things over and over again expecting different results. We tell those whom we love: I promise I’m not going to drink or use today. And then a few short hours later we are doing those very things, lost to oblivion!
Living in constant turmoil with ourselves and the world around us became strangely comfortable. Because that’s all we ever knew. Deep down we desired a new way and our great escape finally came when all the scorecards read zero. We stood at the turning point: we must surrender or lose everything. We must give ourselves over to God’s will.
With the help of those in recovery and the Twelve Steps, we learned to abandon our old way of thinking and reacting by learning to live life on life’s terms. It required heart-wrenching self-honesty, open-mindedness, and a willingness to give our will and life over to the care of God. In a sense, we learned to pray as St. Ignatius did:
“I beg God our Lord to give (me) all His bountiful grace, ever to know His most holy will and perfectly to fulfill it.”
“Thy will be done,” became our lifeline. And we slowly began building our new life on the guiding principles found in our Catholic faith, the sacraments, and the fellowship of Catholic in Recovery.
As we each journey toward a deeper understanding of and relationship with God there will continue to be triumphs and victories as well as trials and tribulations. There is value in each one as God desires so much more for us than we could ever desire for ourselves. He brings us to His truth and this truth brings us into absolute freedom.
Through it all, we hold onto the undeniable presence and power of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who each desire a chamber of our hearts where together they can lead us to a richer and more fulfilling life: a life rooted in selflessness, humility, and virtue. These very things are more than a way of life, they are a life worth living.
My personal relationship with God is at the forefront of my sobriety as I seek Him through many channels. Some of these channels include deep prayer and meditation, adoring Him in the Blessed Sacrament, receiving the Holy Eucharist, and reciting the Holy Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
The most special and endearing channel of grace for me is my walk with His mother Mary. I dedicate and consecrate my life to her each day. She is the mediatrix of all graces that come from her son. What a tremendous gift we have been given when Jesus, on the cross, gave us His mother, telling his disciple, “Behold your mother” (John 19:27). God desires that we also behold our mother with prayer and, by doing so, come to know God’s gracious will for our lives.
What is Jesus’s will for you today? What are some ways you have fallen more in love with Jesus and His mother who will your perfect happiness?
Kathleen Ann, by God’s grace, has been clean and sober since June 1, 2006. She is an active member of AA, CIR, and works part-time as the Project Rachel Coordinator in the Life office at the Diocese of Rockford, where she helps gently and confidentially guide those wounded by abortion to hope and healing in Christ Jesus. On most days you can find her at daily Mass, the gym, or caring for the needs of her family, young and old alike.