Lenten Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows: Day 7

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Day 7 (Tuesday)

Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross

He is dead. He, through whom all things were created; the King of Heaven and Earth, is now dead. His body hangs lifeless upon the gibbet He was crucified on to atone for the sin of Adam and Eve and all those who inherited their legacy.

His friends raise up a ladder up to reach Him and remove the nails which have pierced His hands and feet. They gently bring Him down and lay Him in the arms of His Sorrowful Mother. She gently holds Him, weeping over the brutality visited upon His body: the wounds, gashes, blood, and sweat still present. Pietà - Hallwylska museet - 107520.
Mary was also sorrowful unto death. Sorrowful for our sins which did this to her Son. She grieved a deeper grief than anyone before or since has felt. In her sinless nature, preserved from committing the least fault because God redeemed her at her conception, and preserved her from sin so she could be the tabernacle of the Lord, she felt the pain of our sins ever more profoundly (given that she never felt the pain of anything she, herself, had done.) The pain she felt all her life, the seven swords of sorrow that pierced her heart, was all due to other’s rejection of Jesus. Think about this as you continue your life’s journey. Especially during this Lenten season as we use this period to remove our character defects and grow closer to the Lord: Mary is there to help you. She points the way to Jesus and she will help you remove from your actions the things that cause Him offense. For it is not just jesus that is sorrowful for your sins, but Momma Mary, too. 

Let me mingle tears with thee,
Mourning Him who mourn’d for me,
All the days that I may live:
By the Cross with thee to stay;
There with thee to weep and pray;
Is all I ask of thee to give.
(Stabat Mater)

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!!)

Hide not your face from me in the day of my distress

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The excerpt from the Responsorial Psalm for the Mass of Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent is from Psalm 102:2-3.

O LORD, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.

Hide not your face from me in the day of my distress.

Incline your ear to me; in the day when I call, answer me speedily.

COURTESY:  USCCB

This is similar to the lesson for Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me. The day of your distress could have been any day during your active addiction; or it could have been your last, that day when you finally cried out to the Lord for help. It may not have been a literal prayer to God, but just a scream from the depths of your soul. Nevertheless, he did not hide His face from you but answered you. And now you are clean and sober (or soon to be.) Keep on the path, pray every day so that he hears your daily cries for help, or words of gratitide and praise. God is your partner in this and He leads you along the Way.

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!!)

Lenten Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows: Day 6

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Day 6 (Monday)

The Piercing of the Side of Christ

Typically, the Sixth Sorrow in the devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows is “Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross,” but seven mysteries leave two open ones for a nine day novena. So, Jesus being removed from the Cross and placed into the arms of His Mother is tomorrow’s post.

What happened when St. Longinus threw the spear that pierced the side of Jesus? Blood and water flowed out. Blood, symbolizing the Eucharist, and Water, symbolizing Baptism. This has been the Church’s understanding since the beginning, and this has especially been emphasized in the Divine Mercy image.

Kazimirowski Eugeniusz, Divine Mercy, 1934.

Attribution: By Eugeniusz Kazimirowski – cisza2.krakow.dominikanie.pl, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9049047

Blood and Water, the Eucharist and Baptism, are the life of souls. Without Baptism, we are not members of the Mystical Body of Christ and will never be admitted into the Beatific Vision after our death. The Eucharist is Bread for the Journey, the waybread that strengthens us as we Trudge our Road of Happy Destiny.

What must have gone through Mary’s heart and soul as she witnessed this additional indignity committed against her Son? Seeing Him lifeless upon the gibbet of the Cross, bearing the wounds of the scourging and the Cross itself; and now this! His Sacred Heart was opened unto us when He perished on the Cross, and the Sacraments were empowered by His Death and the piercing of His side. And with all this:, now her Sorrowful Heart and His Sacred Heart are united in pain and suffering. Her Sorrowful Heart is united with the Heart that beats with a pure, absolute love for Humanity. What a wonderful component to add to our Sacred Heart devotion: Mary’s sorrow added to our reparative work for our’s and other’s sins.

Now ponder the next verse in the Stabat Mater:

Holy Mother! pierce me through;
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified:
Let me share with thee His pain,
Who for all my sins was slain,
Who for me in torments died.

(Stabat Mater)

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!!)

From hidden faults acquit me

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The excerpt from the Daytime Prayer for the Liturgy of the Hours for Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent comes from Psalm 19:13.

But who can detect all his errors? From hidden faults acquit me.

Courtesy: Divine Office.org

This passage gives me comfort for when I go to Confession. I typically say at the end of the recitation of my sins and their number: “…for these and all my sins, I am truly sorry.” To me, this includes any that I have forgotten. I am tempted to say the Psalm passage during my next Confession. 

We all sin, and despite our best efforts during our examination of conscience to recall all of our transgressions, we may miss a few. But we should avoid becoming scruplulous. If we honestly missed a few due to faulty memory and have not deliberately withheld any, we can just honestly say during Confession something like the above; either “…for these and all my sins, I am truly sorry;” or “But who can detect all his/her errors? From hidden faults acquit me.”

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!!)

Lenten Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows: Day 5

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Day 5 (Sunday – Passion Sunday**)

The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus

The Crucifixion of the old self was wrought through pain and suffering; you tried to cling to the old crutches of alcohol or drugs to get you through life’s difficulties, but you know they are to be spurned. The new methodsare  of facing life directly instead of running away, taking personal responsibility instead of avoiding it, relying on God instead of your own mighty self-will; these are hard and the learning curve seems endless. But, the old self has died and a new one will soon be arising. 

What have you done with your new life? How does it compare to the old?

Cristo crucificado.jpg.

**According to the pre-1970 Roman Calendar. Otherwise, it is the Fifth Sunday of Lent.

O thou Mother! fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above,
Make my heart with thine accord:
Make me feel as thou hast felt;
Make my soul to glow and meltWith the love of Christ my Lord.

(Stabat Mater)

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!!)

I will open your graves

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The excerpt from the First Reading for the Fifth Sunday of Lent is taken from Ezekiel 37:12  (I bet you thought I was gonna do the Gospel ‘cos it was on the rising of Lazarus. Gotcha!)

Thus says the Lord GOD: 
O my people, I will open your graves 
and have you rise from them, 
and bring you back to the land of Israel.

Courtesy: USCCB

“Graves” is a synonym for “being dead in your addction.” Your true self was dead; the person you were supposed to be was dead. God, however, by whatever means He used to bring you back from the dead and into your new life of sobriety, opened that grave and bid you to rise up from out of it. And furthermore, if you are a sober Catholic who returned to the Church/or converted because of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit within you was to seek out the Church, then you have been brought back to the ‘land of Israel,’ that is, the Mystical Body of Christ as the new Israel (the old one having rejected Christ as the Messiah.)

Now that you are dwelling in the Land of Israel, that is, the Catholic Church, make use of milk and honey of the sacraments: especially the Eucharist and Confession. And bring others to that Land.

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!!)

Lenten Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows Day 4

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Day 4 (Saturday)

Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother

The sorrow of a mother upon seeing her son treated the way Jesus was; from His arrest and conviction, during which He had to endure unspeakable humiliations including torture… His Mother Mary witnessed it all. Now she sees Him carrying His cross on the way to His execution for crimes he was innocent of, all to redeem us from our sins.

Perhaps your own mother witnessed your own descent into abuse of alcohol or drugs; little could she do to stop it, or perhaps she did try hard, but you rejected the help, preferring the god of your choice. While Jesus did not deserve what happened to Him, you did, as it was your choice to pick up the drink or the drug, little realizing what genetic or environmental combinations “made you different” so that it ended up destroying you (or very close to.)

Mom was there. Not your Earthly mother, but your Heavenly one. Our Lady looks after her children whether or not they are paying her any heed. Maybe when you were a little child you were taught to say the Hail Mary three times before bedtime for protection from mortal sin. Momma Mary remembered. Perhaps you were taught the rosary and you prayed it for a while until other things took you away. Momma Mary remembered. Finally, one day, when you were at your bottom, you “met your own afflicted mother,” and Momma Mary pointed to Jesus. Somehow you knew, you cried out the Jesus and He answered. 

Watch for Mary pointing you to someone. Listen for Jesus calling you to help another. 

OU SSHO 16-001.

Bruis’d, derided, curs’d, defil’d,
She beheld her tender Child
All with bloody scourges rent;
For the sins of his own nation,
Saw Him hang in desolation,
Till His Spirit forth He sent.
(Stabat Mater)

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!!)

My God, in you I take refuge

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The excerpt from the Responsorial Psalm for the Mass from Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent is taken from Psalm 7:2-3;

O LORD, my God, in you I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers and rescue me,
Lest I become like the lion’s prey,
to be torn to pieces, with no one to rescue me.

Courtesy:  USCCB

This is a cry of one pursued by their demons, fears, and anxieties. Perhaps people, too, but I’m takng the metaphor angle. This is a cry that acknowledges that God is the only safe harbor you can have. Only in Him, through partaking of the sacramental life of the Church, through prayer, through Eucharistic Adoration where you are with Jesus face-to-face; only by deepening your relationship with Him could you feel that God is truly your refuge.

Seek Him out, wherever you can. At home you can read your Catholic Bible, or the Catechism, or other spiritiual readings. “Ou There” you can find Him in the Blessed Sacrament. Find Him. He wants you to chase Him.

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!!)

Lenten Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows: Day 3

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Day 3 (Friday)

The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple

We all know the story: Joseph and Mary make an annual pilgimage to Jerusalem and of course, bring along Jesus. Upon the return, they discover after a day or so that Jesus wasn’t with them; assuming He is with family and friends elsewhere in the caravan, they go looking. They do not find Him. In great haste they return to Jerusalem searching for Him, eventually finding Jesus speaking with the doctors of the Law in the Temple. He is nonchalant about the whole thing, apparently oblivious to their concern. (Kids…) 

The theme to ponder on are the emotions of Joseph and Mary when they discovered He was missing. What all manner of thoughts ran through their minds in the three days they took to return and conduct a search? The utter horror of thinking of what might have happened to their son…. yes, they are aware that He is the Messiah, but still, they are quite like us that despite “knowing” that God has assured us in the past and brought us through a crisis, at the moment when the crisis is happenning, we’re not thinking about that. Joseph and Mary are quite human in their response to Jesus’ absence.

How have you lost Jesus? Did you, at some point in your life, reject Him and all organized religion? That was deliberate choice that you can reverse on your own time. You still lost Him and wandred about looking for a substitute to Him. Perhaps you fell into your addiction. What about those times when you greviously sinned and despaired? Didn’t He seem far away, and that your sin was too great for Him to forgive? Or, that you were too ashamed to confess it? Or, you never really gave Him up, but because of your addiction, lost Him through inattention. The hole in your soul where He used to be became filled with liquour or drugs.

Perhaps you lost Jesus after the death of someone close to you. The utter devastation of the loss was so great that you felt God had left or abandoned you; or, thet He took that loved one away from you to leave you in grief and despair. 

Meditate on all the times that you lost Jesus, either deliberately or through the consequences of other choices. 

Is there one who would not weep,

Whelm’d in miseries so deep,

Christ’s dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain

From partaking in her pain,

In that Mother’s pain untold?

(Stabat Mater)

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!!)

Many are the troubles of the just

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This excerpt from the Responsorial Psalm for the Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent is from Psalm 34:19-20;

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
Many are the troubles of the just man,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him.

Courtesy:  USCCB

Alcohol and addiction have broken you down; you are at your bottom: that place where you know that if you continue to drink it will kill you, but you know that if you stop drinking, the difficulty in coping without your crutch may only make you wish for death.

In looking at those options, you decide to choose the latter as that has some hope in it; hope for some kind of life.

At this time in your life, you were crushed in spirit; despairing of ever having a life that is respectable in some way. Perhaps not the one you dreamed of growing up, but a life that you’re not embarrassed about. 

Crushed in spirit, He reached down to you and saved your from the path you were on. You started a new life, perhaps with the aid of a recovery program, perhaps through a devotion to Matt Talbot or “just” using the Church and Her sacraments. Has life been all hummngbirds and marigolds? No, for many are the troubles of the just person, but out of them all the LORD delivers them. Just like He delivered you from the clutches of your addiction, He will deliver you from your troubles. Have faith (and patience) and make use of redemptive suffering: offer up your troubles and the pain they are causing you to the Lord for the redemption of not just yoiurself, but of others, too. 

00000 TSCWBookCover.jpg.

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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!!)