As I contemplate today’s Gospel reading, I imagine Joseph quite likely struggled with the apparent betrayal of his beloved Mary. I assume in his emotional pain he prayed to God with humility for the grace to accept it, and to trust that God could draw good from it. As we know,  God clearly responded, sending Joseph an angel instructing him to take Mary as his wife to fulfill God’s will. It’s an incredible example of how God will enter each of our lives to use us for His purposes when we’re willing to surrender to His will, even and especially when we don’t quite understand it.

Our success in recovery necessitates having this type of trust in God. When we humbly submit to God with trust and obedience, as Joseph did, we begin to increase our “consciousness of the presence of God” (Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous). We come to embrace a mindset of progress and not perfection, working out our recovery one day at a time. And we do so concretely by working the Steps, participating in the sacraments of the Catholic Church, and praying regularly to the Lord. When we do these things, we can expect an angel of the Lord to enter our lives, bringing us the gifts of the Holy Spirit and filling our souls with hope, peace, joy, and love.

Reflection Questions

• Can you relate to the difficulty of surrendering to God with humility? What causes you to still struggle to do this at times?
• What have you learned from surrendering to God in recovery? How have you experienced God “sending you an angel” carrying the fruits of the Holy Spirit?

Daily Mass Readings

First Reading: Jeremiah 23:5-8
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19
Gospel: Matthew 1:18-25

Reflection by Kevin K.