For those of us in recovery, we too are wounded. For those like myself who are adult children from a dysfunctional home, we may have been abused or abandoned as children. We may have felt alone, like sheep without a shepherd because our caretakers were too wounded to give us what we needed to grow into emotionally healthy adults. Our past might be a very sad story. But it’s not without hope because the story doesn’t end with our wounds. We have the Good Shepherd who desires to heal all of His sheep! That’s the gift of our faith and the sacraments. Jesus promises us He will always be with us. As we put our trust in Him and rely on the sacraments as our anchors, our wounds begin to heal.
Jesus has also given us another way to heal—the way of recovery. In adult child recovery, we pay particular attention to how the wounds of our past impact us in the present. We do this not to blame or shame our parents or caregivers but to understand ourselves better. And as we understand ourselves better, we begin to heal. The past becomes a teacher for understanding and helps us become unstuck from the unhealthy or childish behaviors that still plague us in the present. This road to healing is difficult but not impossible. It is one that all of us in recovery can follow to find deeper healing. The good news is that no matter how difficult our journey of recovery becomes, we have each other, the sacraments, and the Good Sheperd to help us through it.
Reflection Questions
- What wounds from your past tend to keep you stuck in your recovery?
- Take some time to journal about your past and invite Jesus into those places in your heart that still need to be healed. What might the Lord be revealing about those wounds and how He wants to heal them?
Daily Mass Readings
First Reading: Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Gospel: Matthew 9:35–10:1, 5A, 6-8
Reflection by Chloe D.