One of my least favorite 12 Step meeting topics is “gratitude”. Not that I am ungrateful for anything in sobriety, for I have plenty to be grateful for. My main issue whenever this topic is brought up is that quite often the attendees just launch into a list of the things they are grateful for. …
A realization came to me at work some time ago (I think last summer, 2008). It was a bad day at work, and I was wondering about why we have to endure certain things. I know I’ve written a great number of times about the need to accept suffering as evidence of our willingness to …
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Perseverance will see you through. Too many people give up and cave in to despair or pressure and never see it through their pain and suffering. Problems never seem to be solvable while you’re going through them, but when they’re done you’re stronger as a result. There are wishes during the experiences for the gentle …
As I had mentioned in a previous post about This too shall pass , I had gone through some trials at work for much of last summer (2008). It had gotten somewhat better when I realized that others were basically treated as I am, I perhaps worse as I was new and had struggled a …
We all go through trials. Suffering is a natural part of life. Every one of us endures this or that situation that seems to be neverending. And most times it seems that our suffering is worse that anyone else’s. Even news reports of natural disasters fail to change our perspective. Despite our experience in the …
The 8th Step of St. Benedict’s Ladder of Humility is that a monk does only what is endorsed by the common rule of the monastery and the example set by the superiors. You join a group, whether it’s a job or a church softball team, no matter, you just joined some existing organization with legitimate …
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Today we pray Day 6 of our Novena to Matt Talbot for Alcoholics. Like yesterday we begin with: PRAYER FOR THE ADDICTED God of mercy, we bless You in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who ministered to all who come to Him. Give Your strength to N., Your servant, bound by the chains …
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Today we pray the fourth day of our Novena to Matt Talbot for Alcoholics. Like yesterday we begin with: PRAYER FOR THE ADDICTED God of mercy, we bless You in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who ministered to all who come to Him. Give Your strength to N., Your servant, bound by the …
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From the Gospel according to Luke, from today’s Mass (Friday after Epiphany) Luke 5:12-16; Now there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where he was; and when he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Jesus stretched out …
From the Gospel reading for today’s Mass: Matthew 7:21,24-27; Jesus said to his disciples:“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’will enter the Kingdom of heaven,but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man …