I chose Saint Augustine as my confirmation saint because his story offers hope of sainthood to wild men like me and because of his motto: Caritas, Veritas, Unitas (Charity, Truth, Unity). He understood these must work in harmony to build God’s kingdom. Love without truth leads to pathological empathy. Unity without love and truth fosters mob mentality. Truth without love and unity breeds tyranny, as seen in the Pharisees.
I would like to explore the importance of Truth. Materialism has run its course. Decades of removing the divine from public discourse have fragmented our culture. Depression among young people is rising. We Christians shouldn’t be surprised when God and His truth have been neglected. We need a story that points to the truth of our identity and a pattern to live it out. Scripture provides both. The Old Testament reveals who God is, where we come from, and our identity as God’s children—a unifying story. The New Testament offers Jesus as the model of holiness and the pattern for us to follow to live out that identity.
Over 20 years, I’ve worked with alcoholics, drug addicts, sex addicts, and abuse victims—many who don’t believe in God or are angry with Him. However, I’ve seen dramatic changes, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, in these individuals when they begin adopting a life centered on truth (even when they don’t always believe in that truth themselves). Just as we can anticipate chemical reactions by understanding molecular properties, there seems to be an underlying theorem for spiritual realities as well. In other words, when we do (or don’t do) certain things for the sake of our spiritual lives, there are certain results that tend to occur. And we can more or less expect these results.
In the case of alcoholics and others suffering from addictions, compulsions, and unhealthy attachments, we rely on the spiritual pattern of the Twelve Steps. When we do what the Steps outline we do we can expect certain results. The Steps involve surrender, self-analysis, repairing harms, and ongoing reflection and service. This aligns with Christian principles. Yet, I’ve seen non-Christians follow these Steps and reap certain fruits in their lives as well. It’s as if the mustard-seed of their faith to at least trust in the Steps can move mountains. I’ve seen marriages heal, hopeless addicts become counselors, and blackout drunks become faithful ministers. Properly ordering our lives—keeping the covenant of God’s truth and doing what He commands us to do—yields benefits. And failing to do so doesn’t.
Here is another example from my own life. As a convert to Catholicism, I struggled with the idea of Mary’s intercession and Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist. I didn’t know how to believe what I didn’t understand, but I committed to daily prayer, reading Scripture, and trusting that my efforts would lead to truth. Over time, my understanding of Mary and Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist deepened. I can’t fully explain it, but practices like praying the Rosary and attending Eucharistic adoration changed my soul. Again, by doing certain things—working the Twelve Steps, reading Scripture, praying daily, etc.—we see predictable outcomes of growing closer to God in love and trust.
It’s important to remember all this because if certain behaviors yield positive spiritual outcomes, we should do them, regardless of our feelings. Trust the process. It’s also important because we can share this insight with others. Instead of telling others what to believe, we can point to real examples of how doing certain things leads to certain benefits. There is a type of spiritual science at play—correct spiritual actions lead to spiritual benefits.
I don’t fully understand how it all works, but we don’t need to. I’m reminded of Jesus’ call for us to be like children: “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4). Children don’t know how the world works. They simply approach it with awe, unburdened by cynicism. We, too, can approach God’s spiritual truths in a similar way. We might not fully understand why the Twelve Steps and sacraments are beneficial, but if we do them with humility, we will come to see their fruit in our lives and be led to the ultimate source of Truth.
Zac M. has been sober since February 20, 2005. He sponsors men struggling with addictions to alcohol, pornography, and drugs, and has given talks on men’s retreats and to youth groups about addiction. He currently lives in the diocese of Pensacola- Tallahassee, where he works as a field agent with the Knights of Columbus.