How often must I forgive?

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The Gospel reading for Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent is a familiar one from Matthew 18:21-35. I’ll wait a few minutes while you go to the link below… 👇

Courtesy: USCCB

…. and read it. OR, grab your Catholic Bible and flip to the passage (Matthew 18:21-35).

🕰️🕰️🕰️🕰️🕰️🕰️

OK. You know the story: Simon Peter asks Jesus how often people should be forgiven. Peter thinks only a few times, and Jesus surprises him by essentially says “As long as or as often as they need forgiving.”

Easier said than done. Someone really ticks you off and they do this repeatedly and it’s easy to see your Well of Forgiveness run dry.

But Jesus has a different perspective. As God, He’s seen for several thosand years how often in the Old Testament times the Hebrew tribes had abandoned the Lord and turn to pagan idolatry. This is, to main, the main moral lesson of the Old Testament: the repeated infidelity of the Hebrews. They mirror our own. You may think it odd for them to have betrayed the Lord so often, given He dwelt in their midsts (Ark of the Covenant and the testimony handed down through the generations on how He lead them out of Egypt.) But you’re forgetting all the times He has come through for you in your own life; and yet you (and ME) have turned aside from following His will for us.

So, how often would YOU like to be forgiven for your infidelity? For your sins? Recall the next to last petition in the Lord’s Prayer (that pesky reminder for Him to forgive us our trespesses , AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US. See?  It’s conditional. We’re not going to receive forgiveness as long as we refuse to forgive others.

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!!)

Book recommendation: City of God by St. Augustine

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There won’t be a typical daily Lenten post interpreting a passage from the Daily Mass Readings or Liturgy of the Hours due to health issues. I spent a large part of the day doing a clearing out/rearranging of junk in a garage and for tht I am physically tired (which impacts brain activity.) On top of that, I got stung by some kind of nasty bug. I didn’t see it as it was black against an old black TV in a darkened part of the garage. Finger swelled up quite nicely and after taking an antihistamine, slept for a bunch of hours. Sting appears to be non-poisonous as I’m still alive.

So instead, here’s book recommendation. I urge you to purchase for your  personal edification and spiritual growth the classic work by St. Augustine (Pope Leo XIV’s fave saint!) ‘The City of God.” It is well worth the money (I think I paid $14 on Amazon for the Penguin Classics edition, which is an affordable Catholic-friendly translation.)

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From The City of God article on Wikipedia (bold face is my emphasis):

On the City of God Against the Pagans (Latin: De civitate Dei contra paganos), often called The City of God, is a book of Christian philosophy written in Latin by Augustine of Hippo in the early 5th century AD. Augustine wrote the book to refute allegations that Christianity initiated the decline of Rome and is considered one of his seminal works, standing alongside the Confessions, the Enchiridion, On Christian Doctrine, and On the Trinity. As a work of one of the most influential Church Fathers, The City of God is a cornerstone of Western thought, expounding on many questions of theology, such as the suffering of the righteous, the existence of evil, the conflict between free will and divine omniscience, and the doctrine of original sin.

You can see from the parts I emboldened that it is a good book to read during Lent. Actually, it is a good book to read at any time of the year. It answers the basic questions that always come up in debates on Reddit when atheists, theophobes and other such types try to ask “Gotcha!” questions. (Yeah, some people think they’re the first ones to come up with an objection to something in the 2,000 years of Christianity.) 

It was written in the early 5th Century after Rome had gotten sacked by pagan invaders. It is odd reading something that refers to the Roman Empire in a contemporary sense (like, it’s still in existence. So, if you’re one of those who think about the Roman Empire every day, get it! It’ll be trippy.  Personally, I think about the Holy Roman Empire every day. ) 

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!!)

St. Joseph Novena Reminder

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The Feast of St. Joseph of the Holy Family is March 19th. The novena begins on the 10th (or 11th, if you prefer it to end on the feast day.) 

Here are two novenas you can pick from if you do not have one already:

EWTN’s Novena to St. Joseph 

The St. Joseph Novena from Pray More Novenas

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!!)

Grumbling for water

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For the Third Sunday of Lent, there’s this excerpt from the First Reading from today’s Mass (Exodus 17:3):

In those days, in their thirst for water,
the people grumbled against Moses,
saying, “Why did you ever make us leave Egypt?
Was it just to have us die here of thirst
with our children and our livestock?”

Courtesy of USCCB

When I read that, it immediately struck me as a bunch of people on the verge of relapsing. Well, they were, in a way: they longed for the food security of Egypt, completely disregarding the slavery they experienced there. Dosn’t this sound like a relapse episode? You have been free of the practice of your addiction for some time now; enjoying to varying degress of success your new life. But something bad has happened. Your first major setback and now your new coping skills are lacking and you long for the false security and refuge of your formwr way of life. 

This invariably leads to the Gospel reading of John 4:5-42; also known as the “Woman at the Well” story. I will not show the entire reading here, since you should have gone to Mass, or you can just grab your Catholic Bible and read it at your convenience. But you probably know the story about how Jesus converts the sinful woman he found at the well of Jacob, as well as the village, by promising the “Living Water” of His Gospel and His future Church and Her sacraments.

There it is, right in front of you: two choices. If you are in danger of relapsing or you think you might be at risk in the future, the choices are stark. The “Dying Water” of your addiction versus the “Living Water” of the Gospel and the Church’s sacramental life. Lent is a time for reconnecting what you’ve either lost or become inattentive to. This is the theme of many Lenten social media posts and podcasts. Lent puts you back on the track of getting closer to Jesus. You can’t get closer than getting Him in the sacraments. The Eucharist is literally His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity; Confession is literally coinfessing yur sins to Jesus (through a priest, but Jesus forgives your through that priest.)

Spend time in Church this Lent. Go the Mass on Sundays (it’s an obligation on the pain of mortal sin unless you have an unavoidable obstacle such as health, weather, or transportation issues) and even weekdays if possible. Go to Confession more often than you do outside of Lent. Read a good spiritual book.

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!!)

Where your heart is, there is your treasure also

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Today I bring you two excerpts from the Second Reading of Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours for the Saturday of the Second Week of Lent, They were taken from “the treatise on Flight from the World “ by Saint Ambrose, bishop.

Where a man’s heart is, there is his treasure also. God is not accustomed to refusing a good gift to those who ask for one. Since he is good, and especially to those who are faithful to him, let us hold fast to him with all our soul, our heart, our strength, and so enjoy his light and see his glory and possess the grace of supernatural joy. Let us reach out with our hearts to possess that good, let us exist in it and live in it, let us hold fast to it, that good which is beyond all we can know or see and is marked by perpetual peace and tranquillity, a peace which is beyond all we can know or understand.

…

Let us take refuge from this world. You can do this in spirit, even if you are kept here in the body. You can at the same time be here and present to the Lord. Your soul must hold fast to him, you must follow after him in your thoughts, you must tread his ways by faith, not in outward show. You must take refuge in him. He is your refuge and your strength.

Courtesy: Divine Office.org

Where is your treasure? Is it still found in the false escape of alcohol or drugs? Or something else, such as an inordinate interest in a pop culture fandom? How about pornography? Your treasure should be found only in God and in all of His promises which He does fulfill for those who hope and trust in Him. 

Prayerfull read, and reread, the excerpt from the Office of Readings. You can also go to the link in the courtesy attribution and read the entire paassage. It’s a guide to succesful addiction recovery. 

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!!)

Declare your sins to one another

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The Reading from the Evening Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours for Friday in the 2nd week of Lent is:

Declare your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may find healing. The fervent petition of a holy man is powerful indeed. My brothers, the case may arise among you of someone straying from the truth, and of another bringing him back. Remember this: the person who brings a sinner back from his way will save his soul from death and cancel a multitude of sins. (James 5:16, 19-20)

Courtesy: DivineOffice.org

Lent is upon us! Many parishes have Lenten penance services scheduled so that people have easy access to a priest to confess the sins they’ve been shedding all season. Usually there’s an abundance of priests from all over. Perfect time to confess to a priest who doesn’t know you all of those embarassing peccadilloes you’re ashamed to confess to your regular confessor. PRO TIP: your regular confessor “has heard it all before” and likely isn’t surprised by anything; so, if you missed the penace service or if there isn’t one, apart from travelling to a different parish, just suck it up and go to Confession this weekend at your parish! Try to go more than you normally do outside of Lent. Pope St. John Paul II suggested long ago that Catholics who wish to progress spiritually should go to Confession at least once a month. 

Another thing you can do: start a Catholic spirituality blog, podcast or YouTube Channel. Talk about hown the Catholic faith and her sacraments, the Mass, prayers and devotions can assist anyone in growing closer to God. You can even clear the way for your eventual death and enter Heaven. “Remember this: the person who brings a sinner back from his way will save his soul from death and cancel a multitude of sins.” Just make sure you know what you’re talking about and it’s Catholic teachings you’re promoting, not your own masquerading as Catholic. There’s too much masquerading going around.

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!!)

Resist the devil and he will take flight

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The Reading from the Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours for the Thursday of the Second Week of Lent is from James 4:7-8, 10.

Submit to God; resist the devil and he will take flight. Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you backsliders. Be humbled in the sight of the Lord and he will raise you on high.

Courtesy: Divine Office.org

Abuse of the drink is a tool of the Devil to pry you away from God. The hole in your soul, which everyone has, is supposed to be filled by God. Everyone pursues God, even atheists. However, the pursuit is often misdirected and the person fills that hole in the soul with anything but God. Porn, prostitutes, greed, power, you name it. And then there’s addiction. 

Turn to God and resist the call of the drink or drug. Satan will take flight and leave 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!!)

In God alone is my soul at rest

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The excerpt from the Evening Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours for the Wednesday of the  Second week of Lent comes from Psalm 62:1-2.

In God alone is my soul at rest;
my help comes from him.
He alone is my rock, my stronghold,
my fortress: I stand firm.

Courtesy: DivineOffice.org

The world is currently ablaze in war; Russia’s Fascist aggression against Ukraine is now over 4 years old and virtually every country in the Middle East is involved to one degree or another in the joint US/Israeli military action against Iran. Things could get nuclear. Political discord is increasing exponentially in the United States. The US and global economy is being victimzed by idiotic political decisions.. 

There are plenty of reasons to return to drinking and drugging; it could make “things go away” temporarily or at least make them seem manageable.

The first two verses from Psalm 62 which form the first psalm reading from tonight’s Evening Prayer is a worthwhile passaage to meditate on and perhaps even memorize for when you have the urge to drink or drug again when things get tough. They’re going to get tougher. Only God can be the fortress within which you can take refuge in. For 2,000 years Catholics going throught wars, plagues, oppression and poverty have known this and have sought refuge in the Faith. Faith helps you rise above the temporary things that disturb us. Countries come and go, wars are always fought and won or lost, leaders become full of their own ego and narcissism and bring socieities down. The Catholic Church and her adherents remain.

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!!)

Return to me with your whole heart

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The reading from the Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours for Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent is from Joel 2:12-13.

Return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;
Rend your hearts, not your garments,
and return to the Lord, your God.
For gracious and merciful is he,
slow to anger, rich in kindness,
and relenting in punishment.

This is not just the essence of Lent, but the meaning of addiction recovery itself as we proceed down the path towards freedom. 

 

Return to me with your whole heart: replace the hole in your soul that was previously occupied by your addiction with God.

With fasting, and weeping, and mourning: Shed the desirw for alcoho or drugs, repent and have remorse for your sins.

Rend your hearts, not your garments: Practice deep, interior conversion rather than outward signs of ‘spritual progress.’

And return to the Lord, your God: pretty much what it says. Come home to the Father like the Prodigal Son did.

For gracious and merciful is he: God loves a repentant soul and He will shower you with the graces you need to tay on the path, and if you are truly repentant and confess your sins, you will be forgiven.

Slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment: as I said earlier in Gracious and merciful is he, 

He is gracious, merciful, slow to anger (likely due to He knows we are weak and frail,) rich in kindness and will relent in His punishments. All we need to do is truly come to terms with our sins, see them in light of the eternity that awaits us, and cast off the behavior that separates us from Him. And when we do that, He will open His arms wide to embrace us.

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!!)

Do not conform yourselves to this age

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This excerpt from the Evening Prayer for the Monday of the Second Week of Lent is from Romans 12:2.

Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may judge what is God’s will, what is good, pleasing and perfect.

Courtesy: DivineOffice.org

This was the very first Scripture verse I even memorized because I found in it the central theme of addiction recovery by the graces of the Catholic Church. 

“Do not conforme yourselves to this age:” We are Catholic. We reject the false morality of the secular world which would have us murder unborn babies; treat with grave inhumanity undocumented immigrants fleeing poverty, violence and corruption; accept sexual deviancy as normal; and acept the general dehumanization of everyone through economic exploitation.

“But be transformed by the renewal of your mind:” Through prayer and the reading od Sacred Scripture and good spiritual reading, we can help our mind become renewed in Jesus.

“So that you may judge what is God’s will, what is good, pleasing and perfect:” And once that renewal has begun, we are better able to see God’s will in our lives and in the society around us.

I have written about this passage numerous times before:

Be Transformed by the Renewal of Your Mind

Transformed

Renewing Your Mind

What is Good and Pleasing and Perfect

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!!)