Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Saint Paul begins this Sunday’s second reading by stressing the importance of this radical reorientation: “If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1). He then offers a formula for right living and directly speaks to the values of recovery (Colossians 3:5, 9-10):

Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly:
immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire,
and the greed that is idolatry.
Stop lying to one another,
since you have taken off the old self with its practices
and have put on the new self,
which is being renewed, for knowledge,
in the image of its creator.

It is helpful to consider what Saint Paul refers to as the greed that is idolatry. Here, Paul shares that our self-centered attitudes and behaviors are barriers to renewed life. Idolatry, meaning the worship of idols or things not of God, is something that we come to know very well in active addiction. Our lives were once ordered around substances and compulsive behaviors, while everything else seemed insignificant.

Even after we have found freedom from our drug of choice, we must remain committed to seeking what is above. Otherwise, per the wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas, we are likely to replace addictive behaviors and attitudes with an attachment to power, pleasure, honor, or wealth. Our readings this Sunday speak to the fleeting nature of anything not of God, yet we can spend a lifetime expecting fulfillment from these idols.

A less familiar, yet equally important phrase spoken in recovery groups is “don’t leave after the miracle happens.” The real gift of recovery is the freedom that comes with ordering our lives around God. We may experience secondary benefits, such as career opportunities, reliable friendships, the ability to maintain a romantic relationship, or the return of our health, to name a few. However, the real treasure is found in the immaterial.

The life-or-death nature of recovery can fade and, in time, so will the freedom we have come to know if we do not stay faithful to the spiritual practices that helped us find freedom. Our new self can leave idolatry behind with the humble recognition that it is God who provides our daily bread. Everything else is vanity.

 

Reflection Questions

  • How have your values and priorities shifted since beginning recovery?
  • What idols have been set aside in an effort to order your life around God?
  • In addition to freedom from addictions, compulsion, and unhealthy attachments, what secondary benefits have you experienced in recovery?

 

Sunday Mass Readings

First Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17
Second Reading: Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11
Gospel: Luke 12:13-21

 

Download printable meeting reflections:
General Recovery  |  Español
Family & Friends Recovery  |  Español
Lust Addiction Recovery  |  Español

Downlad virtual meeting reflections:
General Recovery  |  Español
Family & Friends Recovery  |  Español
Lust Addiction Recovery  |  Español