Image: Jon Tyson/Unsplash
Every journey starts with a first step. Here we are just past Quadragesima Sunday, the first Sunday of Lent, reminding us of our forty-day Lenten trek of fervent prayer, fasting and almsgiving until Good Friday.
An unusual first step for me was to attend my first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. No, I am not an alcoholic, but I was honoured to attend as a guest of someone who was receiving his 1-year medallion of sobriety.
AA Sobriety chips
Perhaps 30 people were in attendance announcing anywhere from several days up to 55 years of sobriety. The speaker of the evening recounted, with humour and tears, her downward spiral into addiction then her inspiring journey to sobriety. To say I was moved is a gross understatement. Her acknowledging of her current dependence on God (her higher power), her family of origin and her AA family was inspiring. To see that support in action over the evening will continue to be a blessing for me. To hold the hand of a stranger with 50 year sobriety as we prayed the Lord’s prayer was a gift. Prayer, almsgiving, and fasting were all elements of the meeting. The coffee was very welcome!
As we begin Lent, we often set goals for ourselves: giving up candy or cigarettes OR praying more OR not gossiping etc. At AA I learned that to keep coming back is one key to success even when we misstep. Forty days is long!
Let’s share our journey and offer support to those we love and those who love us and maybe even those who don’t know but have wisdom we need to hear.
-Maureen Condon, CSJ Associate