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Addiction epidemic requires resources

07 Feb 2016 - Preaching the News for Sunday

In the midst of a beatific vision, the prophet Isaiah is overwhelmed by his own brokenness, crying out, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips.” Those caught in the midst of an addiction can also feel overwhelmed and broken. White House officials announced Tuesday that they will seek nearly $1.2 billion in new federal funding over the next two years to address the growing problem of heroin and prescription opioid use, an epidemic that has become an increasingly important policy priority among the nation's politicians. The centerpiece of the proposal is $1 billion in mandatory funding over two years to expand access to treatment for prescription drug abuse and heroin use. Homily hint: Drug addiction is not only a physical and medical health issue, it is also a crisis in spiritual health. Addiction is a spiritual crisis, and the road to freedom also requires great spiritual resources. Pray for those who are addicted and see if your faith community can play a role in supporting programs such as the 12-step programs that have helped countless alcoholics and drug addicts find freedom, hope, and faith. For more on the White House drug prevention request, see: White House seeks nearly $1.2 billion for drug prevention, treatment, overdose response

drug abuse addiction addiction recovery drug rehabilitation

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Exploring the word

10 May 2009 - Fifth Sunday of Easter, Cycle B

It’s always instructive to see what the world does with reformed criminals. Saul of Tarsus, formerly waging a zealot’s war against Christianity, seeks to join the ranks of the enemy in whole-souled conversion to Christ. They won’t have him! In a similar way, as a society we want nothing to do with the rehabilitation of inmates. Incarcerate or even execute, sure. We’re willing to put our tax dollars there. Punishment is the swiftest path to justice. But reform—no. Many of us can’t expand our trust that far. Once a bad guy, always a bad guy. It takes a person of courage and principle like Barnabas to become not only Paul’s RCIA sponsor but his de facto lawyer and to argue his merits to the community. Despite all that, it became apparent to everyone that Paul would get a better welcome from the pagans on the mission trail than among his own in Jerusalem. Postmortem, of course, Paul’s reputation would get a makeover, and he would go from suspicious rebel character to a revered apostle of the church. What made this transformation possible? Paul himself, frankly. His witness to Christ went from a matter of words to deeds. He testified not with his lips but with the sacrifice of his life that he meant what he said when he proclaimed: “Jesus is Lord.” The evangelist John exhorts his community to move in the same direction, not simply to talk a good game but to live what they profess. It remains the ideal of Christian life to demonstrate the reality of our love and not simply to mouth the words in church. Yet most of us would argue that we need more time, we need more chances to prove our love is genuine and our faith sincere. If you or I were judged on the basis of our behavior to date, would there be enough evidence to convict us of Christianity? According to the doctrine of original sin, we’re all condemned criminals in the process of rehabilitating ourselves by the power of grace and through the forgiveness of sin. Sometimes it seems we’re content to judge others once for all by their past deeds while we hope to be delivered personally on the basis of our future possibilities. Our hope is real. Our hope is Jesus, who is the true vine. Remain in me, Jesus says, and you will bear fruit. Note that Jesus doesn’t say: You might bear fruit. There’s no “maybe” here. Planted in Christ, with his word of life planted in us, the future harvest is assured. If you want to live the truth, you can. If you remain in Christ, you will. Related scripture links Growth of the early church: Acts 2:41, 46-47; 4:4, 32-37; 5:12-16; 6:1-7; 9:31; 11:23-24 Saul’s conversion: Acts 9:1-30 Conflict and circumcision: Gal. 1:6-2:21; 5:1-6:15 Christ is our peace: Eph. 2:11-22 Catechism links Jesus as vine: CCC 737; 755; 864; 1108; 1694; 1988; 2074; 2732

Authors Alice Camille

rehabilitation inmates original sin Hope bear fruit

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Featured Exploring the word

28 Apr 2024 - Fifth Sunday of Easter, Cycle B

It’s always instructive to see what the world does with reformed criminals. Saul of Tarsus, formerly waging a zealot’s war against Christianity, seeks to join the ranks of the enemy in whole-souled conversion to Christ. They won’t have him! In a similar way, as a society we want nothing to do with the rehabilitation of inmates. Incarcerate or even execute, sure. We’re willing to put our tax dollars there. Punishment is the swiftest path to justice. But reform—no. Many of us can’t expand our trust that far. Once a bad guy, always a bad guy. It takes a person of courage and principle like Barnabas to become not only Paul’s RCIA sponsor but his de facto lawyer and to argue his merits to the community. Despite all that, it became apparent to everyone that Paul would get a better welcome from the pagans on the mission trail than among his own in Jerusalem. Postmortem, of course, Paul’s reputation would get a makeover, and he would go from suspicious rebel character to a revered apostle of the church. What made this transformation possible? Paul himself, frankly. His witness to Christ went from a matter of words to deeds. He testified not with his lips but with the sacrifice of his life that he meant what he said when he proclaimed: “Jesus is Lord.” The evangelist John exhorts his community to move in the same direction, not simply to talk a good game but to live what they profess. It remains the ideal of Christian life to demonstrate the reality of our love and not simply to mouth the words in church. Yet most of us would argue that we need more time, we need more chances to prove our love is genuine and our faith sincere. If you or I were judged on the basis of our behavior to date, would there be enough evidence to convict us of Christianity? According to the doctrine of original sin, we’re all condemned criminals in the process of rehabilitating ourselves by the power of grace and through the forgiveness of sin. Sometimes it seems we’re content to judge others once and for all by their past deeds while we hope to be delivered personally on the basis of our future possibilities. Our hope is real. Our hope is Jesus, who is the true vine. Remain in me, Jesus says, and you will bear fruit. Note that Jesus doesn’t say: You might bear fruit. There’s no “maybe” here. Planted in Christ, with his word of life planted in us, the future harvest is assured. If you want to live the truth, you can. If you remain in Christ, you will. Related scripture links Growth of the early church: Acts 2:41, 46-47; 4:4, 32-37; 5:12-16; 6:1-7; 9:31; 11:23-24 Saul’s conversion: Acts 9:1-30 Conflict and circumcision: Gal. 1:6-2:21; 5:1-6:15 Christ is our peace: Eph. 2:11-22 Catechism links Jesus as vine: CCC 737; 755; 864; 1108; 1694; 1988; 2074; 2732 Adapted from a previously published Exploring the word.

Authors Alice Camille

Hope rehabilitation true vine

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