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.