Friday, February 20th

Many of us had likely been baptized in our Catholic faith—thereby becoming God’s children—before descending into the morass of our addiction, compulsion, or unhealthy attachment. We may have even been practicing our faith by all outward appearances. But once our addictive behaviors took control of our lives, we suffered great financial, emotional, personal, or spiritual hardship. Similar to the Israelites, our disregard for His teachings resulted in great lamentation.

Upon entering the rooms of recovery, we began working the Twelve Steps with a sponsor and experiencing those early days of freedom. However, we soon realize there is damage to repair as a consequence of our behaviors. As the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous states, “We feel a man is unthinking when he says that sobriety is enough. He is like the farmer who came up out of his cyclone cellar to find his home ruined. To his wife, he remarked, ‘Don’t see anything the matter here. Ain’t it grand the wind stopped blowin?’” While the destructive “winds” of active addiction may have stopped blowing, the ruins of our lives still needed attention.

Whether it’s the alcoholic who “puts a plug in the jug” or another addict who stops participating in their drug or behavior of choice, we are not immediately freed from the consequences of our behaviors. We will need to make amends to people we have hurt emotionally, financially, or physically. Perhaps we will need to confront and resolve certain legal matters we have been evading. God will rescue us from our destructive ways if we cry out to Him, but He will still require that we cooperate with His grace on rebuilding our lives. In fact, this “rebuilding” simply becomes part of our own sanctification that makes up the rest of our lives here on earth.

Reflection Questions

• What collateral damage resulted from your addictive behaviors? Is there still damage that needs to be addressed and made right?
• Do you still owe amends to certain people or organizations? If so, how are you leaning on the wise counsel of a sponsor to help you move forward in that process?

Daily Mass Readings

First Reading: Lamentations 2:2, 10-14, 18-19
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 74:1b-2, 3-5, 6-7, 20-21
Gospel: Matthew 8:5-17

Reflection by Kevin S.

(376-444) — Saint Cyril was an Egyptian monk and the Bishop of Alexandria. He wrote extensively in opposition to the heresy of Nestorius, a man who claimed that Mary was only the “Mother of Christ” and not the “Mother of God” since there were two separate personalities in Jesus. This was formally condemned at the Council of Ephesus. Cyril’s writings, along with a holy life, earned him the titles of Doctor of the Church and Father of the Church.

The term “Theotokos” (God-bearer) wasn’t invented at the Council of Ephesus. It had been in use for a long time, it was only explained more clearly and definitively there. 12-step recovery is a very human process of dependence on God and self-knowledge. It’s not novel and almost seems too simple. But we need the clarifications. And a program to put them into action.

“Indeed the mystery of Christ runs the risk of being disbelieved precisely because it is so incredibly wonderful” (Saint Cyril of Alexandria).