Our preparation includes making room for Him to be our guide and protector. When we were consumed and enslaved by the pursuit of substances and behaviors, there was no room for anything else. As Jesus paves a new way of life for us, we are asked to cooperate by participating in meetings, reading scripture and recovery literature, connecting with fellows in recovery, committing to daily prayer, and surrendering to God’s will.

Admitting powerlessness over our addictions, compulsions, and unhealthy attachments moves us toward recognizing our need for a savior. Our lives had become unmanageable and we needed a new set of directions to walk the pathway of recovery. We get honest with ourselves, others, and God. With humble anticipation, we come to believe that God can restore us (both as individuals and as a collective people) to communion with Him.

The second and third Sundays of Advent feature John the Baptist as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. John preaches the theme of metanoia, which is the changing of one’s attitude or a shift in the way someone sees the world. In recovery, we refer to this as a spiritual awakening.

We hear of the first Christians coming to believe in the good news of Jesus and making a decision to turn their will and lives over to His care in the Gospel According to Mark this Sunday:

John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming
a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
People of the whole Judean countryside
and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem
were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River
as they acknowledged their sins.

As we prepare the way one day at a time, it is important to recognize how transformation happens in God’s kingdom. We are not our own savior. Rather, God’s grace allows change to happen. John the Baptist concludes by proclaiming this truth:

“One mightier than I is coming after me.
I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.
I have baptized you with water;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Reflection Questions

• How have you seen God straighten the path, fill in valleys, and lower mountains as you walk the journey of recovery? How are you cooperating?
• How are themes of hope, peace, joy, and love being revealed in your life?
• What kind of spiritual awakening or metanoia have you experienced in recovery?

Sunday Mass Readings

First Reading: Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 85:9-10-11-12, 13-14
Second Reading: 2 Peter 3:8-14
Gospel: Mark 1:1-8

Printable General Recovery Meeting Reflection
Printable Family & Friends Recovery Meeting Reflection
Printable Lust Recovery Meeting Reflection

Download virtual meeting reflections: General Recovery, Family & Friends Recovery, Lust Addiction Recovery