[1]For over seventy-five years, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has successfully helped people beat the additions of alcoholism. Most of us have heard of the twelve-step program to recovery, which has been adapted to may other addictions, and many of us may even know the first step--admitting we have a problem.
When a person is addicted they are physically and mentally dependent on a particular substance, or enthusiastically devoted to a particular thing or activity, and are unable to stop taking or participating in it without incurring adverse effects. When most people hear the word addiction, they think of dependence on a substance, such as drugs or alcohol. But drugs, alcohol, and other commonly abused substances aren't the only things we abuse or think we're addicted to. In fact, just substitute the word "behavior" for "substance," and you open up the definition of addiction to all kinds of dependencies, some of which may surprise you. While experts don't agree on whether they're all true addictions, here are some habits people get hooked on: gambling, sex, internet, shopping, video games, plastic surgery (yes plastic surgery), eating, and risky behavior. Let's not forget our trust smartphones. Being so connected has not only produced adverse effects on the user but also for others around them (i.e. walking while texting, distracted driving). The local report talked about the negative effects of the addiction of social media sites on the development of our children, especially those 14 years and younger.
"You wanna know the whole secret to AA?" Jon, a recovering alcoholic, asked me. "You wanna know who actually gets sober and who doesn't?" Few if any of the alcoholics enrolled in AA will find sobriety until they complete Step Twelve. Even if they make it through all the other eleven steps, those who do not complete Step Twelve are very likely to drink again. It's those who complete Step Twelve who overcome the addiction. Step Twelve is the commitment to help another alcoholic beat the disease. Step Twelve is all about service.[2] And it is service, done in the spirit of love, that is the day to breading our addictions, whatever they may be.
Jesus is in the Father, the disciples are in him, and he is in them. Sounds like a puzzle. We put it together by keeping his commandments. To keep is to act. We often say, "Actions speak louder than words." When we live the commandments, our actions make this known.[3]
When Jesus says, we must keep his commandments, he’s not just telling us to observe a bunch of rules and regulations. You can’t reduce the Christian life, or any true religion, to a list of do’s and don’ts. The Pharisees tried that, and it didn’t work. They ended up with a rigid, stifling religion. But there is a place for rules: The Ten Commandments are a good start. They tell us to worship God, to respect parents, to respect life, to be sexually responsible, and to be truthful and honest. Sometimes these commandments are hard to obey; they occasionally call for courage, unselfishness, and sacrifice. These are the tests of real love.[4]
Jesus doesn’t leave us orphans trying to figure it out all by ourselves. We were baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The gift of the Spirit was, or will be, deepened within us in confirmation. How do people know that the Spirit is within us? We manifest the gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. When our actions make clear the Spirit of God guides us, people see we remain in Jesus Christ and he remains in us.
St. Francis de Sales taught that human beings love by doing good. The wisdom, counsel, understanding, and knowledge of the Holy Spirit give us courage to do good and live Jesus’ command to love.
Does this guarantee that we will always do the right thing and live up to the law of love? Of course not. Life will always have its share of obscurity and uncertainty. God only asks that we do our best, that we not try to go it alone. We belong to a church that is the Body of Christ, whose vital principle is the Holy Spirit. Its leaders teach in the name of Christ and help us to discern the truth. They are human and fallible just as we are, so they and we must be attentive to the Spirit. We’re all in this together, as we try to know Christ’s commandment, to keep them, to make the commitment to help each other, especially those most in need, and thus prove our love for him.
Withdraw into your heart this week. Turn to our Advocate, the Holy Spirit. Reflect on the gifts of the Spirit and ask for the courage to act on them. Then love as Jesus loved. How did Jesus love? He completed Step Twelve, when he offered himself, in his passion, death and resurrection, for our salvation. Every time we participate in this Eucharistic Feast, we are reminded how he committed himself to completing Step Twelve. His actions spoke louder than any words in human history. Our actions do speak louder than words. When our actions are united with Jesus’ love for all creation, we show the world that he remains in us and we remain in him. Are you ready to commit to complete Step Twelve?
[1] New American Bible, Saint
Joseph Edition © 1986. Scriptures: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17, 1 Peter
3:15-18, John 14:15-21.
[2] Leaders Eat Last. Simon Sinek © 2014 by SinekPartners LLC. Penguin Group (USA) LLC, New York, NY.
[3] Living the WORD, Year of Matthew,
by Laurie Brink, O.P. and Paul Colloton, O.S.F.S. © 2016 World Library
Publications, Franklin Park, IL
[4] Sundays with Jesus,
Reflections for the Year of Matthew. by James DiGiacomo, SJ © 2007 Paulist
Press, Mahwah, NJ
