New wineskins

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An excerpt from today’s Gospel of Luke is a parable I like, as it symbolizes our changes in a way almost designed to catch an alcoholic’s attention:

Luke 5:36-39;
And he also told them a parable. “No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one. Otherwise, he will tear the new and the piece from it will not match the old cloak.
Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined.
Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins.
(And) no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.'”

The parallels are clear as relevant to the focus of this blog : the old cloak and old wineskins are our old selves in our practicing alcoholic lives. The new patch and new wine is our new way of living, through our Catholic Faith and spirituality along with whatever recovery program we work.

The new cloak and new wineskin are our new selves, having received the new patch and new wine in our recovery and conversion/reversion to the Church.

The new message will not fit in with the old self. The new self must change to accommodate the new message. You have to be humble, get ourself out of the way, and become teachable. You’re not going to learn anything by clinging to old ways with their old failures.

I’ve written about this before , although the earlier post used the Gospel according to Mark. Check that out, too.

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!!)

Not destined for wrath

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Since this passage from the First Reading from today’s Mass refers to being sober and drunk, I could hardly pass it up:

1 Thessalonians 5:6-11

Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober.
Those who sleep go to sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night.
But since we are of the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet that is hope for salvation.
For God did not destine us for wrath, but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with him.
Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do.

This is what we are to do. We are sober Catholics, we used to get drunk, but do so no longer (or at least plan to). Just like what you hear in AA meetings about what we were like, what happened and what we are like now. We have returned or are returning to Jesus and His Church. Our Faith is our armor and guide, it defends us and directs our actions. It is our sure guide to salvation, the only guaranteed path to Heaven, written by God Himself.

We are not destined for an eternity of pain and suffering, although that can be chosen by those who reject God. Nor are we supposed to live a wasted life, enslaved to alcohol and drugs. We are destined for better things, ultimately, to live together with Jesus and the saints in Heaven.

And we encourage each other. That’s sort of what I had in mind with the Twitter thing I joined yesterday. Still not sure of it’s usefulness, but time will tell. Perhaps Sober Catholic readers who want to “encourage one another and build one another up” can start something in a chat room, if that’s better. Less restrictions that the 140 character limit of Twitter, but maybe Twitter can supplement a chat room.

Any, at least meditate on the Scripture passage, allow it to build yourself up.

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!!)

Twitter

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As an experiment, mainly as I have no idea how useful it is, I signed up for Twitter. Twitter is a “nanoblogging” tool, become recently popular.

Each post, or “tweet”, is a maximum of 140 characters, and is used to inform people of what you’re doing at any given time. Tweets can be written from your computer or mobile phone. As I am not terribly interesting, beyond a recently brewing romance (she’s the interesting one) my tweets may be good for an insomnia cure.

You can find out about it at: Twitter

Groups of tweeters (or whatever users are called) can follow each other around, as “friends” or some such thing. I suppose it’s like an IM buddy list.

Perhaps that can be the use for this Twitter thing. Sober Catholic readers can sign up, and we can keep track of each other, offer mutual support and such.

Anyway, you can read my tweets in the sidebar under “Twitter Updates”. I may lower its location in the sidebar as it may be too prominent right now, but like I said, it’s an experiment.

My Twitter ID is “Paulcoholic”, like the blogger ID. Wow.

NOTE: The Twitter thing is being discontinued, read the second comment in the combox. (Sept. 15, 2007)

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!!)

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Awaking from sleep

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This was a reading in the Liturgy of the Hours from a few days ago:

Romans 13:11-14;

…it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; the night is advanced, the day is at hand.
Let us then throw off the works of darkness (and) put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and licentiousness, not in rivalry and jealousy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

People in recovery can see in this Scripture passage their own awakening in sobriety. When we stop drinking and enter the sober life, we “awaken from sleep”, inasmuch as while we were drinking we were asleep to real living, caught in the nightmare of our own making. Having made the first forays into sobriety, we realized that life is worth living and starting to work out our salvation. Much time was lost, but regardless of how much time is left, our new day is dawning.

We cast aside our old, alcoholic and addictive ways, and don a new set of clothing, our new selves wrought by our program of recovery and also our Catholic Faith. We learn a new way of living, a new way of reacting to things, and proper conduct amongst other people. We now know (or are learning to) how to relate to others.

“…Not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and licentiousness…”. I am using words from the passage directly now instead of in a rough paraphrase. One thing I’ve noticed amongst some (not a lot) in early recovery is a fast and loose regard for morals and the dignity of others. Halfway houses where people in early recovery live with other genders (a violation of Catholic teaching about living with the opposite sex outside of marriage), and Internet use by said residents visiting public libraries where their online activity is on lewd dating and soft-porn sites. This is why I put the “For those addicted to porn” links in the sidebar. As we begin to value our own new lives, we should also learn to value and appreciate other people as dignified children of God, and not as sexual objects, stripped not just of their clothing, but also of their value as unique human beings, with intellect and immortal souls.

The selfishness (“rivalry and jealousy”) we exhibited in our alcoholic state is past. Entering into our new sober living, we decide to make the best of our past. Instead of moaning about it, we seek to help others and with God’s assistance, establish mutual support. Either formally or informally we seek to help others regardless of who they are. We were wounded. We are still wounded. We heal our wounds in the healing of others.

We are drawn to Jesus Christ, and to His Church. We seek to become like Him, as Christians are obligated to do. We “make no provisions for the desires of the flesh”, meaning that as Christ, the Son of God died in His body, we as Christians, die to our flesh, we follow the spirit of Truth and not the morals and ways of the world. Truth liberates, the world enslaves and denigrates.

How awake are 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!!)

A Good Focus

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A friend sent me this scripture quote in an email:

Romans 12:12;

Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer.

A simple notion, but an example of a person who is focused in the right direction.

We are Christian, hope is the predominant theme of our existence. The hope of eternal salvation and union with God and reunion with our loved ones.

We endure affliction, we do not shun it or seek to escape it. And, as sober alcoholics, we understand the folly of artificial palliatives like alcohol. It doesn’t work t o ease the pain. At first yes, but after abuse, no.

We persevere in prayer. Prayer is the uplifting of our heart and mind and soul to God. It is our way of communicating with our creator. We offer up our joys and sufferings in prayer. We turn to prayer instead of alcohol.

Rejoice, endure and persevere.

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!!)

Division

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You are embarking upon a new way of life. You are sober and have left the bars or solitary drinking behind you, and are also living (or learning to live) a Catholic life.

Some people aren’t going to like that.

A lot of people have this New Age-ish 1960’s or 1970’s touchy-feely view of Jesus as just this swell long-haired freaky hippie dude who just wants people to get along and be nice.

Not quite.

From the Gospel of the Mass on the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C):

Luke 12:49-53

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!
There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,
and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division.
From now on a household of five will be divided,
three against two and two against three;
a father will be divided against his son
and a son against his father,
a mother against her daughter
and a daughter against her mother,
a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

Like I said, not quite the peace-and-love flower handing out “Can’t we all just get along”, acoustic guitar strumming, (OK, Paulcoholic, we get the idea.) guy of pop culture derivation.

Jesus was a radical who knew that commitment to His teachings and living them out would be a sacrifice. Not everyone would go along with your conversion or reversion to the Catholic Christian life. Any convert or revert will attest to the fact that acceptance of Catholic Christian living will be met with less-than-enthusiastic embracing by other members of their family, friends and acquaintances.

Some people will reject you for your new way of life. As is heard quite often in the meeting rooms of 12-Step groups, sometimes people may need to be left behind if they are a hindrance or obstacle to your survival.

Even if they accept your sobriety, they may draw the line at your Catholicism. So you may feel compelled to quit you new-found Catholic Faith and instead pick a less radical way. Just keep to 12-Step meetings or a less demanding Christian denomination.

OK, fine, do that. But the risk to your soul is not worth the gamble of picking the easier, softer way of 12-Step meetings or a different denomination. Only the Catholic Church contains the fullness of the Gospel and Apostolic teachings from Sacred Scripture. Pick pretty much any post in the “Church” label in the sidebar and there will be something written about that.

Do not expect the easy path. It will be difficult and you will lose people. But consider the probability that the people who oppose your new way of living are looking out for their own self-interest. They may resent your change simply because it reminds them they may have to, as well. Or you commitment to a radical new way of living is incomprehensible to them.

Be that as it may, pray for them, and if needed, let them go.

For an explanation as to why you’re reading this on a post date of “Thursday” instead of the expected “Sunday”, read this post .

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!!)

That you may not grow weary and lose heart.

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You’re struggling with your alcoholism or addiction. You think there’s no point in going on, of even trying. Take heart with this:

From the Second Reading of the Mass from the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C):

Hebrews 12:1-4

Brothers and sisters:
Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us
and persevere in running the race that lies before us
while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus,
the leader and perfecter of faith.
For the sake of the joy that lay before him
he endured the cross, despising its shame,
and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.
Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners,
in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart.
In your struggle against sin
you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.

As I’ve written before, you’re not alone in your struggle. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, gain strength and perseverance from the suffering that He endured. Offer your suffering up to God, in imitation of the Son of God’s crucifixion and death for our sake.

People may reject you for your intention to become sober and or clean. They may oppose your efforts to survive. They may despise your struggle to live the Catholic Faith to keep sober and clean.

He suffered on the Cross to the extent that He did so you can draw upon that strength in your own trials.

Do not weary and tire. Do not lose heart. In your struggle to survive in a sober and clean life you are cooperating in building up the kingdom of God, that is working to transform the world from its destructive ways and towards a culture of life.

Choose to live. You are not alone in the struggle.

For an explanation as to why you’re reading this on a post date of “Thursday” instead of the expected “Sunday”, read this post .

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!!)

Pit of Destruction

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You are an alcoholic or addict an all seems lost and hopeless. You are at the “jumping off place”, that place where you feel that if you continue to drink you will die, but if you don’t drink, you may wish to die.

Call upon the Lord and He will hear your prayer.

From the Responsorial Psalm from the Mass on the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, (Year C):

Psalm 40:2-4

I waited, waited for the LORD; who bent down and heard my cry,
Drew me out of the pit of destruction, out of the mud of the swamp, Set my feet upon rock, steadied my steps,
And put a new song in my mouth, a hymn to our God. Many shall look on in awe and they shall trust in the LORD.

God will hear your cry, as plaintive and as weak as it may feel to you. The depth of your pain and anguish is a loud scream reaching out to Heaven. God and all of Heaven hear it. In my opinion, every alcoholic and addict who has died and been saved hears it.

Being drawn out from the pit of destruction, whether you put yourself there or got there by however addicts and alcoholics get that way, won’t be easy. But ask, and God will assist. “Seek first the Kingdom of God” instead of the easy pleasures of the world, and you will be drawn from the pit. Your feet will be (eventually) steady and you will love God with a new gratitude. A new song (or perhaps a new way of life?) will be sung by you and you will learn to trust in God. You will listen to Him, instead of the world you tried to hide from in your addiction.

For an explanation as to why you’re reading this on a post date of “Thursday” instead of the expected “Sunday”, read this post .

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!!)

Ought to be put to death

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We who are sincere Catholic Christians may expect to have the occasional lousy day for living out our Faith and speaking Truth to people. Consider the prophet Jeremiah’s situation:

From the First Reading from the Mass on the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Jeremiah 38:4;

In those days, the princes said to the king:
“Jeremiah ought to be put to death;
he is demoralizing the soldiers who are left in this city,
and all the people, by speaking such things to them;
he is not interested in the welfare of our people,
but in their ruin.”

All he was doing was living out the vocation placed before him by God, that is to prophesy (relate God’s will and message of admonishment; to speak on behalf of God). Granted, not an easy task, one reason why virtually every Old Testament Jewish prophet ran the other way when God called upon them.

Jeremiah was telling the people of their impending doom for having turned away from the worship of the one true God. They didn’t want to hear it. The people’s reaction is much the same as any person trapped in addiction who still thinks that drinking or drugging is the best way to solve their troubles. They may not want to put you to death but their attitude may be just as hostile. (Indifference to your concerns may appear to be just as cold as a a wish for death.)

The interesting thing that in both cases’, the Israelites and an untreated addict, the death sentence is on them, and not the messenger. Jeremiah survived. The Israelites were conquered. You will survive intervening for an alcoholic or addict friend, even if the intervention failed. Both the Israelites and the addict preferred their own gods.

Be a good Jeremiah to those in your life. Watch the video linked in the “Music Video” section in the sidebar for inspiration. If there’s a Jeremiah in your life telling you things that you don’t want to hear, consider listening. Chances are that if your drinking and drugging is serious enough, you’ve got a legion of Jeremiahs telling you things you don’t want to hear.

Get a clue.

For an explanation as to why you’re reading this on a post date of “Thursday” instead of the expected “Sunday”, read this post .

Edited by Paulcoholic at 9:45 PM, same day. (“Trapped in addiction” was “trapped in recovery”. Whoops.

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!!)

Admin notes

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I am going on a short trip for a few days and won’t be around to blog, although the list of “to-do” posts is growing. On Thursday I’ll post some meditations on today’s Mass Readings, (20th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C. All four readings! Couldn’t write about those today as I had to go to Mass, then my volunteer job. Then run around getting ready for my trip.)

I think I will also get around to writing this next weekend something I mentioned way back in my intro post on how all Twelve Steps are a part of the Sacrament of Confession, if the Sacrament is used in the manner that the Church intends for it to be used. Most people think Confession is Step 5. Others say it isn’t Step 5 at all. Both sides of the argument are wrong. Confession incorporates all 12.

See you later.

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!!)

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