November 27, 2024 • 21 mins
Prepare your heart and mind for Christ's return with this spiritually enriching episode of the Catholic Sobriety Podcast. Join me as I share my personal reflections and briefly explore scripture from Mark, Corinthians, Peter, and Luke to uncover the importance of staying spiritually vigilant amidst life's chaos.
I offer diverse interpretations and practical insights to help you keep Christ at the center of your life, especially during the busy Advent season.
Reflect on the gospel reading that warns against indulgence and anxiety, including the role alcohol can play in clouding your spiritual focus.
Discover actionable planning methods to clear the clutter, calm the chaos, and make space for Christ—not only during the holidays but as a lasting commitment.
Tune in for inspiration and share this episode with someone who could use a spiritual boost. Together, let’s keep our lives Christ-centered and prepare joyfully for His return!
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Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Catholic Sobriety Podcast, the
go-to resource for women seekingto have a deeper understanding
of the role alcohol plays intheir lives, women who are
looking to drink less or not atall for any reason.
I am your host, christi Walker.
I'm a wife, mom and ajoy-filled Catholic, and I am
(00:22):
the Catholic Sobriety Coach, andI am so glad you're here.
Okay, I want to ask yousomething Are you ready for
Christ's return, like if you sawHim descending from the sky on
a cloud with power and glory?
(00:42):
Would you be ready?
Would you be ready to standbefore him and say Lord, I am so
glad to see you.
I have been preparing for thismoment.
Well, I can honestly say that,while I would be so happy to see
Jesus come and set things right, I actually have a lot of work
(01:07):
to do still on myself, because Iam known, just like St Peter,
to take my eyes off him andfocus on the things of this
world, the things that arefleeting and that cause me to
lose my peace.
And, instead of staying thecourse, keeping my eyes fixed on
Jesus and reaching my hand outto him and allowing him to guide
(01:30):
me in the darkness, sometimes Ijust fall into that water of
chaos.
Yet here's the thing Time andtime again in sacred scripture,
you will notice that we arebeing warned to stay alert, to
be watchful and be ready,because our king is coming, the
(01:52):
lover of our soul is coming, theone who gave everything so that
we could have the grace ofspending eternity with him.
Are we willing to do the same?
Are we willing to giveeverything for him?
It's so hard, right?
Well, in this episode, I'mgoing to reveal two simple
(02:13):
things that you can do and thatI am also committing to do, that
will help incorporate Christmore fully into our lives, so
that we can have less fear, lessanxiety and instead have more
peace and more joy.
So, if that sounds good to you,keep listening.
(02:37):
Now.
As I mentioned earlier,throughout scripture we read
about staying alert and beingready.
Mark 13, 33 through 37 tells usto be on guard and stay alert,
because we don't know when theappointed coming of Christ will
be.
Only the Father knows that.
None of us, not even the Son.
(02:59):
And then 1 Corinthians, 16,verses 13 and 14, says that we
must be watchful and alert andto stand firm in our faith, to
be courageous, to be strong.
1 Peter, 5, verses 8 through 9warns us to be alert or watch,
(03:20):
because our enemy, the devil,roams around like a lion looking
to devour us, which is why weneed to stand firm in faith and
stay close to Christ, ourRedeemer, our King, our
Protector.
Now, I know that all soundswell and good and you're
(03:41):
probably wondering how the heckcan I do that?
Now, maybe you know all thatand it sounds great, but I'm
sure you're wondering how theheck you can do that with all
the crazy things going on in theworld and maybe even within
your own community and family.
Well, I am happy to say thatthis week's gospel tells us how
(04:05):
to do just that.
As I'm recording this, we arelooking forward to the beginning
of advent and, as one of thedeacons at my parish pointed out
, as odd as it may seem for thisto be the first reading to kick
off advent, we can see how thechurch, in her infinite wisdom,
(04:27):
would have chosen this reading.
It comes from the Gospel ofLuke, chapter 21, verses 25
through 28 and 34 through 36.
I'm going to be reading fromthe USCCB website and I will
also provide a link in my shownotes.
This week's gospel reading saysJesus said to his disciples.
(04:50):
There will be signs in the sun,the moon and the stars, and on
earth, nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of
the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright inanticipation of what is coming
(05:12):
upon the world, for the powersof the heavens will be shaken
and then they will see the Sonof man coming in a cloud with
power and great glory.
But when these signs begin tohappen, stand, erect, raise your
heads because your redemptionis at hand.
(05:34):
Beware that your hearts do notbecome drowsy from carousing and
drunkenness and the anxietiesof daily life.
And that day catch you bysurprise, like a trap, for that
day will assault everyone wholives on the face of the earth.
(05:54):
Be vigilant at all times andpray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations thatare imminent and stand firm
before the Son of man.
Now, almost every Monday evening, my husband and I, and
(06:15):
sometimes our sons, go to whatis called Adore and More at our
parish.
We pray as a group and then twopeople read the gospel reading
for the coming Sunday, and thenwe discuss the readings and what
came up for everyone.
This event is always led by oneof our deacons, and after we
have discussed the readings.
(06:36):
We spend about a half an houradoring the Lord in the Blessed
Sacrament.
My husband and I have come toreally love these times and we
learn so much and it adds somuch to our experience on Sunday
because we see the gospel froma lot of different angles.
(06:57):
So, as you might imagine, thefirst thing that stood out to me
was the warning about not beingalert due to partying,
drunkenness and the anxieties ofdaily life.
And I'm like heck, yeah, goJesus.
Tell them how alcohol and othercomforts can keep us lukewarm
(07:17):
and far from you or leave usnumbed out so that we are not
aware of the approaching enemywho is at the ready to devour
our souls.
Tell them, tell them howalcohol darkens our will and our
intellect and it leaves usvulnerable and unprepared for
your glorious return and itkeeps us stuck and anxious, with
(07:38):
our eyes on the world and noton you, who has overcome the
world.
But then I started listening tothe other people who were
chiming in and I noticed thatthey had a very different take.
These people, who I admire somuch for their faith and their
(07:58):
devoutness and their love of theLord, were saying things like
reading this scripture soundsscary, and I mean I guess I have
to agree with that, because ittalks about people dying of
fright and all thesetribulations that we will see
and actually are seeing andexperiencing right now, and it
(08:23):
doesn't sound pleasant at all.
And when it talks about howthat day will assault, assault
everyone who lives on the faceof the earth, well, just hearing
that word assault can bringanxiety.
And then of course, there isJesus's warning that if we are
(08:44):
not alert on that day it willcatch us by surprise like a trap
.
In my Revised Standard VersionBible it used the word snare.
So I get it.
But as people talked about theirfears and their suffering, the
spirit was moving in me and Ididn't feel any of that.
(09:09):
I just didn't.
And you know, maybe it's theold cheerleader in me or the
coach energy bubbling up.
But as I saw these words of ourLord, I saw them as a grace.
He's telling us exactly what weneed to do to get ready and I
(09:29):
just couldn't hold my tongue.
I had to speak out.
I told the group that I couldcompletely understand the fear,
but I see Jesus in this momentLike I just had this vision of
Jesus, as like an old footballcoach talking to his team and,
like a gravelly voice, pumpingup his team so that they will be
(09:52):
ready for what is to come.
And he's not saying look at allthese things that are going to
happen, good luck with that, no,no, he is saying that this
stuff will come to pass and youwill be tempted to be scared.
You will be tempted to drownyour worries in alcohol or other
(10:12):
comforts or tune out withemotional eating, binging
Netflix or doom scrolling.
But don't do that.
It is a trap meant to ensnareyou and to leave you weak and
fearful.
Here's the thing you have thespirit within you.
(10:35):
Up straight, stand up tall.
Do not numb yourselves anddarken your will and your
intellect.
Do not focus your gaze on thetribulations.
Instead, keep your head up.
Can you imagine yourself doingthat right now?
Just for a moment, think aboutall the anxieties, fear and
(11:00):
chaos that are plaguing youright now and then imagine
yourself just standing up andseeing Jesus before you.
My older boys, my twins theywrestle, not each other.
They wrestle for school.
I mean, sometimes they have towrestle each other, but they are
wrestlers, and one of the dadswho knows a lot more about the
(11:24):
sport of wrestling than I do isalways cheering the boys on and
encouraging them, and he saysthis phrase over and over and it
sticks with me.
I think about it often, but hesays this phrase over and over.
He yells it at the top of hislungs so that they can hear him
(11:48):
Among the other yelling.
There's literal chaos going on.
There are multiple matchesgoing on, there are coaches
yelling, parents yelling,teammates yelling.
It is just like the loudest,most chaotic and a little bit
smelly place to be.
But somehow these boys hear himand when they do, it just is
(12:16):
like remarkable to see theirtransformation.
He says head up, stand up.
He just repeats it over andover Head up, stand up, head up,
stand up.
I have seen this so many times.
My boys or one of theirteammates just crumpled under
(12:38):
the weight of their opponentwith their face buried into the
mat and then they hear the voice, a familiar voice, of one of
their best friend's dads yellinghead up, stand up.
And it is remarkable.
All of a sudden they gain thiscourage, they regain their
(13:02):
strength and whether they end upwinning the match or not, it
doesn't really matter, becausemore often than not they somehow
get their head up.
They do stand up anddisentangle themselves from
their opponent, and before longthey are looking him square in
the eye.
So, too, we must hear thesewords from our Lord in this
(13:27):
reading Head up, stand up, standerect, with your head up.
That is what Jesus is saying.
Where your head goes, your bodywill follow.
Now here's one more veryimportant thing that I want you
to know.
Just as my boys' coaches givethem the tools they need to be
(13:49):
successful and help them trainand condition and offer them
encouragement and instruction,our Lord does this for us.
So I don't want you sittingthere thinking, christi, I am
not equipped, I can't do this.
I don't have the strengthBecause you are.
(14:11):
The Spirit of the Lord residesin you.
By virtue of your baptism, youwere given the seven gifts of
the Holy Spirit to strengthenyou, to fortify you, to help you
see things not from a worldlyperspective, but an eternal one.
The Holy Spirit is your guide,your confident, your coach, the
(14:38):
one who is nudging you andencouraging you.
And if you can just tune outthe noise and the chaos, the
Holy Spirit does not speak onhis own behalf.
He speaks on behalf of our Lordwith the prompting head up,
(15:01):
stand up.
You were made for this.
Now, I promised way back in thebeginning that I would share two
simple things that you could doto incorporate Christ more
fully into your life, so thatyou will have more peace, less
fear and anxiety, oh, and morejoy.
What I didn't tell you is thatit will also help cultivate
(15:23):
virtue, which will work to rootout the vice that you're
struggling with.
Cultivating virtue will replacethat weed of vice with a
fruit-bearing tree.
Now I have to say that I didn'tcome up with these ideas.
Actually, they were recommendedto me by my spiritual director,
(15:46):
and I will be implementingthese practices beginning
December 1st, and I hope youwill join me or just start
whenever it is that you arelistening to this podcast.
So what she recommended washaving a rule of life, or
crafting a rule of life, andwhat that is are three
(16:10):
commitments that I can make toincorporate Christ into my life
more fully can make toincorporate Christ into my life
more fully.
So, for example, for me, mythree things are going to be one
, to read scripture daily,either through Bible in a Year
or the daily readings.
The second one is to spend fiveto ten minutes in silence
(16:34):
asking God what he wants me toknow that day and writing it
down.
And the third is to pray therosary daily and include all the
intentions for others that Ipray for.
Your three things can bewhatever you want them to be.
I'm just giving you an exampleof what I've committed to doing,
because these are things thatI'm not always consistent with
(16:59):
and that I know will be sobeneficial in helping
incorporate Christ more fullyinto my life.
Now I pray throughout the day,especially with my family.
We pray in the morning beforeeverybody heads off to school,
and everywhere you know, we prayat dinner together.
We close our days with prayer.
I do a morning offering, soit's not like I don't pray, but
(17:26):
these three small commitmentsare going to help incorporate
Christ even more fully into mylife and help me stay alert and
be watchful and be ready.
These commitments are going tohelp me keep my head up and
stand erect.
The second thing that I am goingto be doing that my spiritual
(17:49):
director recommended, is to do adaily examine, but to do the
daily examine with these threecommitments in mind, and it
makes doing the daily examinemuch more fruitful because
you're actually you have aframework.
A daily examine helps usrecognize God's presence
(18:13):
throughout the day, god'spresence throughout the day, and
then it also helps us identifyareas where we need to grow
spiritually.
Maybe where we were lacking,did we turn to something else
instead of God?
Did we consult an idol insteadof God?
So that's why I think these twopractices are going to be so
(18:36):
powerful.
I'm really looking forward todoing them myself and I hope
that maybe you'll join me onthis journey through Advent.
I definitely want to make thisa permanent practice for me, but
definitely at the start ofAdvent.
I just feel like this issomething that is going to be so
(18:59):
in line with the season,helping me kind of clear the
clutter and calm the chaos sothat I can keep my eyes focused
on Christ, keep my head up andstand direct and keep my eyes on
Christ instead of focusing oneverything else that's going on
and I know this time of year canbe crazy with all the things,
(19:23):
but it doesn't have to be.
It can be calm.
Okay, I promise.
Now, if you need help withplanning, go back and listen to
my last episode, my previousepisode to this one, where I
talk about how to plan this.
(19:45):
The way I talk about it isspecifically for planning for
events, but you can use thisplanning method for pretty much
anything that you need to planfor and prepare for.
Well, that does it for thisepisode of the Catholic Sobriety
Podcast.
(20:05):
I hope you enjoyed this episodeand I would invite you to share
it with a friend, who mightalso get value from it as well,
and make sure you subscribe soyou don't miss a thing.
I am the Catholic sobrietycoach, and if you would like to
learn how to work with me orlearn more about the coaching
(20:26):
that I offer, visit my website,thecatholicsobrietycoachcom.
Follow me on Instagram at theCatholic sobriety Coach.
I look forward to speaking toyou next time and remember I am
here for you.
I am praying for you.
Welcome to the Catholic Sobriety Podcast, the
go-to resource for women seekingto have a deeper understanding
of the role alcohol plays intheir lives, women who are
looking to drink less or not atall for any reason.
I am your host, christi Walker.
I'm a wife, mom and ajoy-filled Catholic, and I am
(00:22):
the Catholic Sobriety Coach, andI am so glad you're here.
Okay, I want to ask yousomething Are you ready for
Christ's return, like if you sawHim descending from the sky on
a cloud with power and glory?
(00:42):
Would you be ready?
Would you be ready to standbefore him and say Lord, I am so
glad to see you.
I have been preparing for thismoment.
Well, I can honestly say that,while I would be so happy to see
Jesus come and set things right, I actually have a lot of work
(01:07):
to do still on myself, because Iam known, just like St Peter,
to take my eyes off him andfocus on the things of this
world, the things that arefleeting and that cause me to
lose my peace.
And, instead of staying thecourse, keeping my eyes fixed on
Jesus and reaching my hand outto him and allowing him to guide
(01:30):
me in the darkness, sometimes Ijust fall into that water of
chaos.
Yet here's the thing Time andtime again in sacred scripture,
you will notice that we arebeing warned to stay alert, to
be watchful and be ready,because our king is coming, the
(01:52):
lover of our soul is coming, theone who gave everything so that
we could have the grace ofspending eternity with him.
Are we willing to do the same?
Are we willing to giveeverything for him?
It's so hard, right?
Well, in this episode, I'mgoing to reveal two simple
(02:13):
things that you can do and thatI am also committing to do, that
will help incorporate Christmore fully into our lives, so
that we can have less fear, lessanxiety and instead have more
peace and more joy.
So, if that sounds good to you,keep listening.
(02:37):
Now.
As I mentioned earlier,throughout scripture we read
about staying alert and beingready.
Mark 13, 33 through 37 tells usto be on guard and stay alert,
because we don't know when theappointed coming of Christ will
be.
Only the Father knows that.
None of us, not even the Son.
(02:59):
And then 1 Corinthians, 16,verses 13 and 14, says that we
must be watchful and alert andto stand firm in our faith, to
be courageous, to be strong.
1 Peter, 5, verses 8 through 9warns us to be alert or watch,
(03:20):
because our enemy, the devil,roams around like a lion looking
to devour us, which is why weneed to stand firm in faith and
stay close to Christ, ourRedeemer, our King, our
Protector.
Now, I know that all soundswell and good and you're
(03:41):
probably wondering how the heckcan I do that?
Now, maybe you know all thatand it sounds great, but I'm
sure you're wondering how theheck you can do that with all
the crazy things going on in theworld and maybe even within
your own community and family.
Well, I am happy to say thatthis week's gospel tells us how
(04:05):
to do just that.
As I'm recording this, we arelooking forward to the beginning
of advent and, as one of thedeacons at my parish pointed out
, as odd as it may seem for thisto be the first reading to kick
off advent, we can see how thechurch, in her infinite wisdom,
(04:27):
would have chosen this reading.
It comes from the Gospel ofLuke, chapter 21, verses 25
through 28 and 34 through 36.
I'm going to be reading fromthe USCCB website and I will
also provide a link in my shownotes.
This week's gospel reading saysJesus said to his disciples.
(04:50):
There will be signs in the sun,the moon and the stars, and on
earth, nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of
the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright inanticipation of what is coming
(05:12):
upon the world, for the powersof the heavens will be shaken
and then they will see the Sonof man coming in a cloud with
power and great glory.
But when these signs begin tohappen, stand, erect, raise your
heads because your redemptionis at hand.
(05:34):
Beware that your hearts do notbecome drowsy from carousing and
drunkenness and the anxietiesof daily life.
And that day catch you bysurprise, like a trap, for that
day will assault everyone wholives on the face of the earth.
(05:54):
Be vigilant at all times andpray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations thatare imminent and stand firm
before the Son of man.
Now, almost every Monday evening, my husband and I, and
(06:15):
sometimes our sons, go to whatis called Adore and More at our
parish.
We pray as a group and then twopeople read the gospel reading
for the coming Sunday, and thenwe discuss the readings and what
came up for everyone.
This event is always led by oneof our deacons, and after we
have discussed the readings.
(06:36):
We spend about a half an houradoring the Lord in the Blessed
Sacrament.
My husband and I have come toreally love these times and we
learn so much and it adds somuch to our experience on Sunday
because we see the gospel froma lot of different angles.
(06:57):
So, as you might imagine, thefirst thing that stood out to me
was the warning about not beingalert due to partying,
drunkenness and the anxieties ofdaily life.
And I'm like heck, yeah, goJesus.
Tell them how alcohol and othercomforts can keep us lukewarm
(07:17):
and far from you or leave usnumbed out so that we are not
aware of the approaching enemywho is at the ready to devour
our souls.
Tell them, tell them howalcohol darkens our will and our
intellect and it leaves usvulnerable and unprepared for
your glorious return and itkeeps us stuck and anxious, with
(07:38):
our eyes on the world and noton you, who has overcome the
world.
But then I started listening tothe other people who were
chiming in and I noticed thatthey had a very different take.
These people, who I admire somuch for their faith and their
(07:58):
devoutness and their love of theLord, were saying things like
reading this scripture soundsscary, and I mean I guess I have
to agree with that, because ittalks about people dying of
fright and all thesetribulations that we will see
and actually are seeing andexperiencing right now, and it
(08:23):
doesn't sound pleasant at all.
And when it talks about howthat day will assault, assault
everyone who lives on the faceof the earth, well, just hearing
that word assault can bringanxiety.
And then of course, there isJesus's warning that if we are
(08:44):
not alert on that day it willcatch us by surprise like a trap
.
In my Revised Standard VersionBible it used the word snare.
So I get it.
But as people talked about theirfears and their suffering, the
spirit was moving in me and Ididn't feel any of that.
(09:09):
I just didn't.
And you know, maybe it's theold cheerleader in me or the
coach energy bubbling up.
But as I saw these words of ourLord, I saw them as a grace.
He's telling us exactly what weneed to do to get ready and I
(09:29):
just couldn't hold my tongue.
I had to speak out.
I told the group that I couldcompletely understand the fear,
but I see Jesus in this momentLike I just had this vision of
Jesus, as like an old footballcoach talking to his team and,
like a gravelly voice, pumpingup his team so that they will be
(09:52):
ready for what is to come.
And he's not saying look at allthese things that are going to
happen, good luck with that, no,no, he is saying that this
stuff will come to pass and youwill be tempted to be scared.
You will be tempted to drownyour worries in alcohol or other
(10:12):
comforts or tune out withemotional eating, binging
Netflix or doom scrolling.
But don't do that.
It is a trap meant to ensnareyou and to leave you weak and
fearful.
Here's the thing you have thespirit within you.
(10:35):
Up straight, stand up tall.
Do not numb yourselves anddarken your will and your
intellect.
Do not focus your gaze on thetribulations.
Instead, keep your head up.
Can you imagine yourself doingthat right now?
Just for a moment, think aboutall the anxieties, fear and
(11:00):
chaos that are plaguing youright now and then imagine
yourself just standing up andseeing Jesus before you.
My older boys, my twins theywrestle, not each other.
They wrestle for school.
I mean, sometimes they have towrestle each other, but they are
wrestlers, and one of the dadswho knows a lot more about the
(11:24):
sport of wrestling than I do isalways cheering the boys on and
encouraging them, and he saysthis phrase over and over and it
sticks with me.
I think about it often, but hesays this phrase over and over.
He yells it at the top of hislungs so that they can hear him
(11:48):
Among the other yelling.
There's literal chaos going on.
There are multiple matchesgoing on, there are coaches
yelling, parents yelling,teammates yelling.
It is just like the loudest,most chaotic and a little bit
smelly place to be.
But somehow these boys hear himand when they do, it just is
(12:16):
like remarkable to see theirtransformation.
He says head up, stand up.
He just repeats it over andover Head up, stand up, head up,
stand up.
I have seen this so many times.
My boys or one of theirteammates just crumpled under
(12:38):
the weight of their opponentwith their face buried into the
mat and then they hear the voice, a familiar voice, of one of
their best friend's dads yellinghead up, stand up.
And it is remarkable.
All of a sudden they gain thiscourage, they regain their
(13:02):
strength and whether they end upwinning the match or not, it
doesn't really matter, becausemore often than not they somehow
get their head up.
They do stand up anddisentangle themselves from
their opponent, and before longthey are looking him square in
the eye.
So, too, we must hear thesewords from our Lord in this
(13:27):
reading Head up, stand up, standerect, with your head up.
That is what Jesus is saying.
Where your head goes, your bodywill follow.
Now here's one more veryimportant thing that I want you
to know.
Just as my boys' coaches givethem the tools they need to be
(13:49):
successful and help them trainand condition and offer them
encouragement and instruction,our Lord does this for us.
So I don't want you sittingthere thinking, christi, I am
not equipped, I can't do this.
I don't have the strengthBecause you are.
(14:11):
The Spirit of the Lord residesin you.
By virtue of your baptism, youwere given the seven gifts of
the Holy Spirit to strengthenyou, to fortify you, to help you
see things not from a worldlyperspective, but an eternal one.
The Holy Spirit is your guide,your confident, your coach, the
(14:38):
one who is nudging you andencouraging you.
And if you can just tune outthe noise and the chaos, the
Holy Spirit does not speak onhis own behalf.
He speaks on behalf of our Lordwith the prompting head up,
(15:01):
stand up.
You were made for this.
Now, I promised way back in thebeginning that I would share two
simple things that you could doto incorporate Christ more
fully into your life, so thatyou will have more peace, less
fear and anxiety, oh, and morejoy.
What I didn't tell you is thatit will also help cultivate
(15:23):
virtue, which will work to rootout the vice that you're
struggling with.
Cultivating virtue will replacethat weed of vice with a
fruit-bearing tree.
Now I have to say that I didn'tcome up with these ideas.
Actually, they were recommendedto me by my spiritual director,
(15:46):
and I will be implementingthese practices beginning
December 1st, and I hope youwill join me or just start
whenever it is that you arelistening to this podcast.
So what she recommended washaving a rule of life, or
crafting a rule of life, andwhat that is are three
(16:10):
commitments that I can make toincorporate Christ into my life
more fully can make toincorporate Christ into my life
more fully.
So, for example, for me, mythree things are going to be one
, to read scripture daily,either through Bible in a Year
or the daily readings.
The second one is to spend fiveto ten minutes in silence
(16:34):
asking God what he wants me toknow that day and writing it
down.
And the third is to pray therosary daily and include all the
intentions for others that Ipray for.
Your three things can bewhatever you want them to be.
I'm just giving you an exampleof what I've committed to doing,
because these are things thatI'm not always consistent with
(16:59):
and that I know will be sobeneficial in helping
incorporate Christ more fullyinto my life.
Now I pray throughout the day,especially with my family.
We pray in the morning beforeeverybody heads off to school,
and everywhere you know, we prayat dinner together.
We close our days with prayer.
I do a morning offering, soit's not like I don't pray, but
(17:26):
these three small commitmentsare going to help incorporate
Christ even more fully into mylife and help me stay alert and
be watchful and be ready.
These commitments are going tohelp me keep my head up and
stand erect.
The second thing that I am goingto be doing that my spiritual
(17:49):
director recommended, is to do adaily examine, but to do the
daily examine with these threecommitments in mind, and it
makes doing the daily examinemuch more fruitful because
you're actually you have aframework.
A daily examine helps usrecognize God's presence
(18:13):
throughout the day, god'spresence throughout the day, and
then it also helps us identifyareas where we need to grow
spiritually.
Maybe where we were lacking,did we turn to something else
instead of God?
Did we consult an idol insteadof God?
So that's why I think these twopractices are going to be so
(18:36):
powerful.
I'm really looking forward todoing them myself and I hope
that maybe you'll join me onthis journey through Advent.
I definitely want to make thisa permanent practice for me, but
definitely at the start ofAdvent.
I just feel like this issomething that is going to be so
(18:59):
in line with the season,helping me kind of clear the
clutter and calm the chaos sothat I can keep my eyes focused
on Christ, keep my head up andstand direct and keep my eyes on
Christ instead of focusing oneverything else that's going on
and I know this time of year canbe crazy with all the things,
(19:23):
but it doesn't have to be.
It can be calm.
Okay, I promise.
Now, if you need help withplanning, go back and listen to
my last episode, my previousepisode to this one, where I
talk about how to plan this.
(19:45):
The way I talk about it isspecifically for planning for
events, but you can use thisplanning method for pretty much
anything that you need to planfor and prepare for.
Well, that does it for thisepisode of the Catholic Sobriety
Podcast.
(20:05):
I hope you enjoyed this episodeand I would invite you to share
it with a friend, who mightalso get value from it as well,
and make sure you subscribe soyou don't miss a thing.
I am the Catholic sobrietycoach, and if you would like to
learn how to work with me orlearn more about the coaching
(20:26):
that I offer, visit my website,thecatholicsobrietycoachcom.
Follow me on Instagram at theCatholic sobriety Coach.
I look forward to speaking toyou next time and remember I am
here for you.
I am praying for you.
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