One thing has repeatedly disturbed me in the over 10 years of sobriety that I have. That thing is the phrase “Recovering Catholic.” I encountered that phrase quite a lot yesterday and today when I revisited an online recovery community called In The Rooms. I joined a few years ago, never did much with it, …
Freedom, the lack of it, the excess of it, or the abuse of it, is an undercurrent of the culture wars of today. Everyone wants it, everyone pretty much gets resentful when someone else uses it, and what it means for one person doesn’t necessarily hold for another. Nevertheless, what is freedom to the Christian? …
Today’s meditation in “Walk in Dry Places” by Hazelden mentions the diminishing returns of having “just one more drink.” As if having “one more” could bring the comfort and solace that is missing, it merely hastens our descent into deeper addiction. It is a false promise, an illusory note that we can be satisfied by …
…years of sobriety for me. So far, so good as I trudge my road. Seen better times, been through worse. All in all, stuff is OK. God, grant me the Serenity, to Accept the things I can, Courage to change the things I can’t, and the Wisdom to know the difference. Are you a creative …
There was a commercial that ran on American TV a decade ago. I do not remember for what product. Anyway, it featured Phil Jackson, the Head Coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, as a cab driver. Some high-powered looking lawyer/executive couple (man and woman) had simultaneously climbed into the back seat of his cab and …
A rare "gratitude" post. In the United States today we are celebrating our Independence from Great Britain. They fought long and hard to rid themselves the "People" (British troops and tax collectors), "Places" (far off island governing this Continent), and "Things" (unjust taxation, lack of political representation) that were wrong our their’ lives. And so …
Earlier this month I wrote: Just enough. This is a sequel. The reason I am writing this sequel is that I need to expound somewhat on the “suffering” aspect of that post. Although you might think that there would be increased confidence in relying on Divine Providence, there is a lag time between when the …
I have always like the phrase in AA’s “Big Book”, (a/k/a Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th edition, New York: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 2001) that refers to “The Road of Happy Destiny.” It is found in a line in page 164. It reads: Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. Admit your faults to Him …
Prayers to begin novena with each day: Come Holy Spirit and fill the hearts of the faithful, and kindle in them the fire of divine love. V. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created. R. And You shall renew the face of the earth. Let us pray: O God, who have instructed the …
Continue reading ‘Novena to St. Therese, the “Little Flower”: Day Three’ »
One of the coping mechanisms that we alcoholics quite often use when dealing with the past is living with “no regrets” about it. Page 83 of AA’s “Big Book” has as one of the “Twelve Promises”: “We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.” We do not let the …