This service imperative runs parallel with the message offered by Jesus in this Sunday’s Gospel reading. Since January, most of our Gospel readings have been taken from the Gospel of Luke, which focuses on the desperate and poor. In this case, we witness the faith of a man being executed with Jesus.
Like the tax collector praying in the Temple a few weeks ago, this criminal utters a short but profoundly honest prayer: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” When we launch into the work of recovery, we start to see what Jesus can do as He takes leadership of our lives. Oftentimes, it begins with a humble cry to our Lord in prayer.
We can learn much from the exchange between Jesus and two criminals as they are being put to death (Luke 23:39-43):
Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
“Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us.”
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
“Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
but this man has done nothing criminal.”
Then he said,
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
He replied to him,
“Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me in Paradise.”
As attendants of Christ, we are not tasked with fighting or battling. Rather, He is the one who has shed blood for all and invites us to declare the good news to others. As Catholics in recovery, this is not only a part of our Christian calling but also essential to our freedom, abstinence, and sobriety.
Perhaps you are in a position where you feel you are most in need, your personal rock bottom. Embrace the hand that reaches out to you and accept your identity as a beloved son or daughter of God, with whom He is well pleased. A new life awaits you—one that you may not be able to envision today.
It is a gift to be in recovery, as few lifestyles offer such genuine opportunities to live under the reign of our Lord. Let us conclude with a prayer of service and thanksgiving from The Twelve Steps and the Sacraments:
“Lord, thank you for never giving up on your pursuit of me. Every step of my recovery journey has been paved by you, and you have crafted me beautifully. Please allow me to see the world through your lenses so that I may be of maximum service to you and to those around me. May I do for others what your love has done for me. In all things, give me a heart that seeks the weary, the lonely, and the hopeless so that, one day, we may all be united in your heavenly kingdom. Amen.”
Reflection Questions
- How have you responded to the service imperative at the heart of 12-step recovery?
- Do you have any commitments at a weekly meeting or elsewhere in the recovery community?
- How do you make yourself available to those who seek your help, hope, and experience? Are you willing to be vulnerable with them and humbly share the way God has reformed your life?
Sunday Mass Readings
First Reading: 2 Samuel 5:1-3
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5
Second Reading: Colossians 1:12-20
Gospel: Luke 23:35-43
Download printable meeting reflections:
General Recovery | Recuperación General
Family & Friends Recovery | Recuperación para Familiares
Lust Addiction Recovery | Recuperación de Adicción Sexual
ACDH Recovery | Recuperación HAHD
Download virtual meeting reflections:
General Recovery | Recuperación General
Family & Friends Recovery | Recuperación para Familiares
Lust Addiction Recovery | Recuperación de Adicción Sexual
ACDH Recovery | Recuperación HAHD