WWJD

There’s a fad, mostly over, I think, concerning how a Christian should behave in a particular situation. “WWJD,” as in “What Would Jesus Do?” The implication is that He would be “nice.” There’s a joke going around the Internet which suggests that whenever asked, “WWJD?,” you should state something like: “An acceptable response might be …

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Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings

Do you trust others? Rely on people? We all do, to a certain extent. But not everyone is completely trustworthy. We alcoholics know this too well, in part because we were oftentimes the one least trusted. Nevertheless, God revealed to the prophet Jeremiah in the First Reading from today’s Mass for THursday of the Second …

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Forgive us our trespasses

Have people wronged you? Have you wronged others? Of course, you cannot go through life without experiencing either event. As much as we are loath to admit it, we have screwed over quite a lot of people over the decades of our lives. We can ask forgiveness. If it is not possible to seek forgiveness …

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Those who are healthy do not need a physician

Today’s Lenten post is an excerpt from the Gospel for today’s Mass for the Saturday after Ash Wednesday. Luke 5: 31-32 “And responding, Jesus said to them: “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who have maladies. I have not come to call the just, but sinners to repentance.” …

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Death! Where is your sting?

NOTE: this post is a version slightly edited from The Four Last Things. “O death! You separate those who are joined to each other in marriage. You harshly and cruelly divide those whom friendship unites. But your power is broken. Your heinous yoke has been destroyed by the One who sternly threatened you when Hosea …

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Obsessing! And for what?

All that worrying… A few days ago on one of the online recovery sites I’m a member of, I posted a reply to someone who bashed belief in a Higher Power. He was all about multiple paths to sobriety, which is fine. I agree with that. If you’re into a non-spiritual, non-religious method, great, as …

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Gratitude: Wanting what you have

In the rooms of AA, I’ve learned that gratitude means “wanting what you have.” At first I had thought this was silly and trite. Of course, I “want what I have!” But upon further thinking it became obvious the trite phrase has a deeper meaning. In our alcoholism, one drink was never enough. The idea …

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The “Page 552 Prayer to End Resentments”

On Page 552 of the “Big Book” of Alcoholics Anonymous (their basic text), there is a very helpful suggestion on how to rid yourself of resentments towards a person. You pray for them every day for two weeks. According to the writer of that Big Book chapter, they had held a deep resentment towards someone. …

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Walk in the dark valley

The Responsorial Psalm for Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent is: Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side. via USCCB. We have all been there, this stroll through the dark valley, when all is dark and we feel that there is no hope. …

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Love Your Enemies

In the Gospel Reading for Saturday of the First Week of Lent (I had meant to post this yesterday, but was having connectivity issues with the blog) (Matthew 5:43-48), Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, …

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