In each instance, rejection, illness, a chronic condition, or literal death brought Jesus to encounter individual souls amid daily life. Many times in my ongoing healing and recovery journey, I am reminded that it takes numerous occasions of the type mentioned above to encounter Jesus face-to-face. It matters little whether these are bottoms of my own making or events allowed by God’s permissive will. Through divine mercy and grace, a life that I could only see as permanently broken by addictions, compulsions, and unhealthy attachments of all sorts is now a mosaic of grace that God is bringing to completion.

We must have a genuine encounter with Jesus in our own lives to integrate the intellectual aspects of the Faith with our lived experiences. Otherwise, we can develop distorted beliefs about who God is and who we are in relation to Him, especially when we become trapped in a specific event or series of events that we believe defines our identity as opposed to allowing Jesus to show us who we are in Him. Sacramental life, fellowship in the rooms of CIR, and 12-step recovery help us see ourselves as we truly are: beloved children of Almighty God—a God who wants us to know, love, and serve Him in this life and be happy forever with Him in the next.

Reflection Questions

• How have you been “stuck in the story” of past mistakes or events that have defined your identity? Are you open to the possibility of Jesus meeting you in those places?
• What does it mean to see yourself as a cherished son or daughter of God, especially during your journey of healing from addictions, compulsions, and unhealthy attachments?

Daily Mass Readings

First Reading: Hebrews 2:5-12
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 8:2ab and 5, 6-7, 8-9
Gospel: Mark 1:21-28

Reflection by Talitha R.