Standing in need of grace

"All people are addicts," the late Gerald May, a psychiatrist, spiritual director, and author observed in his book Addiction and Grace. "Addictions to alcohol and other drugs are simply more obvious and tragic addictions than others have. To be alive is to be addicted, and to be alive and addicted is to stand in need of grace."

Whether we're talking about lawful or illicit drugs, alcohol, pornography, the Internet, gambling, nicotine, caffeine, or countless other substances and behaviors, it's very likely you know someone who has struggled with serious addiction. It's possible that you have dealt with a serious addiction yourself. And if we're honest, we can all identify addictive patterns of behavior within ourselves.

Whatever the case may be, acknowledging and coming to terms with one's own underlying brokenness is the key to breaking the cycle of addiction and setting out on the path of healing. The last phrase of May's observation points the way. It is only when we acknowledge that we stand in need of grace that healing and redemption become possible...

-- Excerpt from the new Abbey Press
Catholic Perspectives CareNote
"Addiction, Grace, and Healing,"
by Br. Francis Wagner, O.S.B.