We may not have responded as eloquently as Saint Paul. We may have stammered or not have made our intentions clear. Yet, like Saint Paul, we eventually owned up to our actions and the Holy Spirit guided us toward expressing honesty. Although, before we began our recovery this wasn’t always the case. Saint Paul stood up for Christ, and in the past, we may have stood up to defend our own negative actions or to justify the reasons for our addictions, compulsions, and addictive behavior. It’s tough to own up to our own actions sometimes, especially when these aren’t ones we’re necessarily proud of. However, as we learn in recovery, we need to take responsibility for them. Once we do this we can start our healing process.

The good news, as we see in today’s Gospel reading, is that no matter how bad our actions are, Jesus loves us and wants us to be with Him always!

“Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world also does not know you, but I know you, and they know that you sent me” (John 17:24-25).

Jesus has taken us as His own and He wants us to be with Him. This is the goal of our Catholic faith—to have an intimate relationship with our God. Today, as He does every day, Jesus expresses God’s desire for this relationship with us. What will be our response to this request?

Reflection Questions

• When have you spoken up about your actions as a result of your addiction or unhealthy attachment? What happened when you took responsibility for them and what fruit came of it?
• When have you felt Jesus’ love and desire to be with you during your struggles with addictions, compulsions, or unhealthy attachments?

Daily Mass Readings

First Reading: Acts 22:30; 23:6-11
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11
Gospel: John 17:20-26

Reflection by Jeff R.