We cannot hide from God nor should we try. This is the greatest delusion of all and it is always the work of the Devil who ceaselessly seeks to lure us into this vicious trap. The story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden speaks to this ancient and Original Sin. We are made for God and nothing will satisfy us but Him alone. We are made to be in relationship with Him, to be in communion with Him, to worship Him as the Lord of our life!

When I met people in recovery, especially fellow Catholics who lived and knew what I was going through, they were consistently “exhorting and encouraging [me] and insisting that [I] walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls [me] into his Kingdom and glory” (1 Thessalonians 2:12). They taught me this is possible if I renounce self in humility and obedience. They mentored me in the Twelve Steps, and they showed me how to integrate recovery with my Catholic faith into a holistic path of conversion firmly planted on Jesus and the sacraments. Most importantly, they revealed to me that God has always searched me and known me, and rather than be afraid of this truth, I learned to embrace His loving gaze in all my weakness and powerlessness. I learned to place my trust in His mercy and accept in my heart what He promised:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:3, 8).

Reflection Questions

• Consider how you were like a “whitewashed tomb” coming into recovery. How did you discover you were “full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth?”
• Today’s response in the Responsorial Psalm is “You have searched me and you know me, Lord.” Reflect upon what this truth means for you. Does accepting this truth provoke anxiety and fear or trust and hope?

Daily Mass Readings

First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 139:7-8, 9-10, 11-12ab
Gospel: Matthew 23:27-32

Reflection by Pete S.