Matt Talbot: A Model of Fasting

The following is an excerpt from an article at:

http://catholicphilly.com/2017/03/catholic-spirituality/three-saints-for-the-three-pillars-of-lent/.

 

“During Lent, Catholics are asked to go beyond the fasting proscribed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and “fast” in some way meaningful to our unique faith journey. In a culture besotted with self-care and self-indulgence, we often question whether ascetic practices like fasting are really helpful.

Venerable Matt Talbot provides an example of someone who used asceticism to help him on his journey from addiction to wholeness. Born into a large family, Talbot lived in poverty-stricken, post-famine Ireland. He began work at age 12, and that’s when a soul-consuming alcoholism took root.

At the age of 28, Talbot, with the help of a confessor, began his journey of sobriety. His abstinence was accompanied by a radical conversion. A laborer and a union man, he joined the Secular Franciscan Order, gave up another addiction — smoking — and began to lead his ordinary life with extraordinary penance and self-sacrifice.

Talbot is at the second rung of a four-step ladder to canonization. A miracle attributed to his intercession could lead to him being declared “Blessed.” But in the meantime, thousands believe he has helped them in their struggle with addiction.

All of us are attached to something that impedes spiritual growth. During Lent, fasting from a behavior — drinking, gossiping, addictive screen time — that interferes with our relationship with Jesus can lead to conversion. An attribute of Talbot was that people described him, despite his self-denial, as a very happy man.

May the discipline of fasting, the discernment of prayer and the justice of almsgiving bring us joy this Lent.”

A Lenten Journey with Venerable Matt Talbot

 

In addition to any planned Lenten reading, we encourage reading  Matt Talbot - A Lenten Journey (2014), a resource compiled by Fr. Brian Lawless, Vice-Postulator for the cause of  Venerable Matt Talbot, and Caroline Eaton. 

It can be read in its entirety at

https://www.acnireland.org/matt-talbot-a-lenten-journey/

or 
 https://issuu.com/aidtothechurchinneed/docs/matt_talbot_a_lenten_journey

A Lenten Journey with Venerable Matt Talbot

In addition to your planned Lenten reading, it may be worthwhile to add Matt Talbot - A Lenten Journey (2014), a resource compiled and edited by Fr. Brian Lawless, Vice Postulator for the cause of the Venerable Matt Talbot, and Caroline Eaton.        

This free 69 page resource at

https://www.acnireland.org/matt-talbot-a-lenten-journey/ is recommended for those who are not yet familiar with Venerable Matt Talbot as well as a review for those who are familiar with him.

Note: We previously posted this resource on 1 Mar 2017.

Overcoming Temptation

“You can overcome temptation—but only if you want to!”

by Fr Robert McTeigue, SJ 

March 22, 2017 

http://aleteia.org/2017/03/22/you-can-overcome-temptation-but-only-if-you-want-to/

“Every addict who wishes to remain sober starts by admitting that he cannot resist by himself what will surely kill him. We must face our temptations similarly.“

"When the devil caresses you, he wants your soul.” That’s what one mother I knew said to her children whenever she caught them pilfering cookies. A bit over the top? Yes, a bit—but not entirely.

During Lent, we’re frequently encouraged to reflect on the role of temptation in our lives. Temptation is a universal experience. Indeed, when we’re tempted, we might be inclined to say, “Well, what do you expect? We’re only human!” But that’s only partly true.

Yes, as humans, we suffer from a fallen human nature, with partially darkened intellect, partially weakened will, and often disordered desires. When the inevitable temptation leads to chosen sin, we put ourselves under the authority of Satan, who as Jesus said, is the “prince of this world.” This is the fate of every fallen human who yields to temptation—without exception. Thankfully, the story doesn’t need to end there.

Yes, temptation befalls us because we are, as we like to say (especially when we’re about to make another excuse for our sins), “only human.” But Jesus the Christ, who is both Son of God and Son of Mary, offers to help us face our temptations with something so much more than what is “only human.” He offers to help us face our temptations as he did—with our human nature, and with his divine nature.

Saint Augustine reminds us that Christ “…suffered temptation in your nature, but by his own power gained victory for you. If in Christ we have been tempted, in him we overcome the devil. Do you think only of Christ’s temptations and fail to think of his victory? See yourself as tempted in him, and see yourself as victorious in him.”

Here’s what makes the Gospel truly good news! In Jesus Christ, we have a truly human man break Satan’s claim upon human nature. With his divine power he defeats sin, and then offers to share his victory with us! In other words, all that we need to overcome temptation, all that we need to transfer our citizenship to the Kingdom of Heaven, all that we need in this life to enter eternal life able to see the face of God and live—all that is freely offered to us. What shall we do with that offer?

Knowing human nature as I do (including my own!), I fear that what we often do with God’s offer of liberation from sin is to postpone our repentance. We do so because we like the way our sin tastes and feels; we do because we underestimate how offensive and deadly our sin is; and we do so because we overestimate our ability to repent in time. In other words, we procrastinate—at the peril of our souls.

We all like to quote (bemusedly of course!) Saint Augustine’s famous quip: “Oh Lord make me chaste! But not just yet!” Even as we laugh at Augustine and ourselves, we forget that he also wrote: “God has promised forgiveness to your repentance, but He has not promised tomorrow to your procrastination.” Edward Irving’s warning is even more dire: “Procrastination is the kidnapper of souls, and the recruiting-officer of Hell.” None of us knows just when death will come for each of us or when Christ will return in glory for all of us. In terms of repentance, we’re always running out of time, and it’s always very nearly too late.

Every addict who wishes to remain sober starts by admitting that he cannot resist by himself what will surely kill him. We must face our temptations similarly. The recovering addict admits his need for a higher power to attain and retain sobriety. Saint Irenaeus recognized such wisdom centuries ago: “In proportion to God’s need of nothing is man’s need for communion with God.” In other words, we cannot be who we are (creatures made in the image and likeness of God) and who we are meant to be (fully alive before the face of God eternally) unless we allow the sovereignty of God its rights over us, against the claims of Satan, who is entitled to unrepentant sinners. Following our fallen will leads to misery and damnation (James 1:12-16). Uniting our will to the divine leads to joy and glory. Those are the only choices we will ever have. Any other “choice” is an illusion, a seduction from the pit of Hell.

In this life, temptation is inevitable—surrender to sin is not. Damnation, like salvation, is a choice. Christ who endured and triumphed over temptation offers us all we need to share in his victory—from the cross, to resurrection to glory. In the time we have left, please, let’s say “Yes!”


Note: Matt Talbot was certainly no stranger to temptation. And if he had read this article, it would not be difficult to image that he  would copy key words/phrases, especially those of St. Augustine, on a scrap of paper for future reference.

How's Your Lent Going?

by Scott Weeman

March 8, 2017

http://catholicinrecovery.com/hows-lent-going/

We are about a week into the time of year that can be considered a “spring training” for Catholics. Lent is an opportunity for us to imitate Christ by renewing our spiritual discipline prior to the glorious resurrection of our Lord on Easter. The ashes that launch this journey remind us of our own sinfulness and draw us into mourning for our Lord and the price He willingly paid for our salvation. It is an opportunity for renewal.

So, how is that journey going for you so far?!?

It’s easy to see Lent as a time where we simply remove things from our lives that we want, but perhaps do not need. Giving up chocolate (or social media, which seems to be the new chocolate)  for forty days and fasting from meat on Fridays can be a recipe for building mild levels of virtue, but how can you turn that voluntary sacrifice into a lasting experience of faith? Relating our Lenten sacrifice and spiritual practices to what brings success to those in addiction recovery can provide some answers. Furthermore, it can offer some encouragement to renew your commitment over the next several weeks, even if you haven’t gotten off to a great start.

A theme has been ringing through what I have heard a lot of people (both addicts and non-addicts) share in some fashion lately. Some version of, “I always told myself that I never wanted to end up like that,” has come out of the mouths of people who did, eventually, turn out like that. It happens without the person realizing it until much later on, when they recognize that the thing they were running from is the thing that has been running them for a long time. Much of it is rooted in fear, which drives our behavior much more than we would like to admit (there is a reason that when we do our fourth-step inventory we dedicate an entire section to our fears).

Constantly reminding yourself of what you are not going to do has never been a strategy that I have seen work out too well. In fact, obsessing over it can have the opposite effect. When the thing we’re trying to remove from our routine is constantly running through our minds, we tend to want it more. We get pulled to it, often without realizing it until it’s too late. Once we do realize it, feelings of shame and unworthiness appear and keep us from believing that we even deserve better. Lost in all of this is the spiritual meaning of Lent in the first place—to unite us with the suffering Christ while shedding our earthly attachments.

Instead of mentally obsessing about that thing you’re looking to give up (whether temporarily or permanently), try shifting your focus on what can be gained. By the grace of God, you have a great opportunity to make a difference in your life and the lives of others. This gift is given to you today, regardless of how well you’ve kept to your Lenten offering or other promises you’ve made to yourself. Have a vision of the best version of yourself and get into action! The Church suggests increased prayer and almsgiving (sharing your resources) through fasting. Here are a few other things that can bring lasting fruit and fullness to your life this Lent:

• Make a commitment to a small support group or bible study
• Dust off the daily devotional you’ve thrown in your desk drawer and commit ten minutes to it each day
• Sponsor someone in recovery or be available to those in your parish that are preparing to receive sacraments during Easter
• Reach out to individuals that you have not heard from in a while
• Replace the radio with prayer during your morning commute
• With money saved from your fast, buy a meal or a household essential for someone less fortunate
• Communicate with others about what they’ve found to be helpful practices and share some of your success in our community forums

Ash Wednesday is not the only day during Lent that allows spiritual growth to begin. At this point, even if you have come up short of the goals you’ve set, it is not too late. Clean house, serve God, help others. A shift in your attitude and approach this Lent can have an impact for the rest of your life… but is best when taken one day at a time.

A Lenten Journey with Matt Talbot

In addition to your planned Lenten reading, it may be worthwhile to add Matt Talbot - A Lenten Journey (2014), a resource compiled and edited by Fr. Brian Lawless, Vice Postulator for the cause of the Venerable Matt Talbot, and Caroline Eaton.  

   
This free 69 page resource at

https://www.acnireland.org/matt-talbot-a-lenten-journey/ is recommended for those who are not yet familiar with Venerable Matt Talbot as well as a review for those who are familiar with him.

 

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Matt Talbot: from alcohol to holiness

by Fr. Brian Schieber 

St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Parish

Leawood, KS

First Sunday of Lent Year B 

February 22, 2015

http://www.stmichaelcp.org/images/stories/Homily/2015_Fr._Brian_/Matt_Talbot.pdf

Matt Talbot has been declared Venerable which means he on the way to hopefully becoming a canonized saint.

Matt Talbot was born in Dublin Ireland in 1856. He was one of 12 children. At the time in Ireland school attendance was not in force so Matt rarely attended school. At the age of 12, he got a job in a wine shop. It was there that Matt began “sampling the wares,” which started him on a journey of excessive drinking for the next 16 years. For those 16 years, he lived for booze. After working in the wine shop, he started working in a whiskey shop making things even worse. All of his wages he spent on drinking. He frequented the pubs and became such a down and out drunk that he even pawned his clothes and boots to get money for alcohol. Once he even stole a fiddle from a blind street musician.

One day, penniless, he was standing outside a pub waiting for someone to buy him a drink. Frustrated that no one would, he received a flash of grace and recognized what a pitiful life he was living. He went home and told his mother that he was taking the pledge. She had been praying earnestly for his conversion. At the age of 28 he found a priest, made his confession, and then the next day he went to Mass and received Communion which did every day for the rest of his life until he died at the age of 69 in 1925 of a heart attack on his way to morning Mass.

Living the life of sobriety was not easy. He wrote to his sister, “Never look down on a man who cannot give up the drink. It is easier to get out of hell.” It was the grace of God that set him free. He had support and accountability. And he did more than resist the urge to drink – he lived a life of penance and self-discipline. He slept on a plank, fasted, and wore chains around his waist and arm and leg as a symbol of his devotion and desire to be a slave of Mary.

On this first Sunday of Lent we hear Jesus say to us, “Repent and believe in the gospel.” Repent means to make a turn in your life. Turn away from sin and turn toward Christ. Matt Talbot made a huge life-saving turn in his life. All of us, no matter where we are on our spiritual journey, are called to deepening repentance. As we begin Lent, take time to honestly reflect: what are the sins that are binding me? What do I need to let go of in my life? Then I’m asking all of us to do something very important for Lent – please make a good confession! That was really the beginning of Matt Talbot’s conversion.

The Church holds up for us three traditional disciplines of Lent to help us in our on-going process of conversion: prayer, fasting, almsgiving

.

I want to talk about fasting first. Why do we fast? We fast in imitation of Jesus. We see in the gospel that the Holy Spirit led Jesus out into the desert where he fasted. What happens when we you fast? You get hungry! What happens in the desert? You get thirsty. Fasting or giving something up for lent is meant to awaken the deepest hunger and thirst in our life: the thirst for God. Alcohol could not quench Matt Talbot’s deepest thirst. In fact in only led him into the throws of addiction. It was only Jesus and his reception of Jesus in daily Communion that satisfied and set him free. Fasting can help us turn to Jesus. Every time we have a desire to have that desert or soda or coffee that we gave up, it gives us an opportunity to choose Jesus over whatever we gave up.

Second, Almsgiving – our sacrifices should lead to the aide of the poor. After Matt Talbot’s conversion he was known for his generosity. He repaid all of his debts. He tried to find the man from whom he stole the fiddle and unable to find him donated money to the church to have Masses offered for him. Even though he was poor himself, he gave generously to the poor, to charities, and to the Church.

We still have the rice-bowls available after Mass. The idea is that you take the money you would have saved on whatever you give up for Lent and you put it in the rice-bowl to help the poor.

Can I make one other practical suggestion of what we can all do for Lent? Catholic Charities has provided a clothing bin for us that we have put on the north side of the church. Please take time this lent to clean out your closet and donate clothes for the poor.

At our administrative team meetings with the Archbishop, we are taking a few minutes before the meeting to reflect on Pope Francis’ letter called Joy of the Gospel. What struck me this week were these words by Pope Francis: “Can we continue to stand by when food is thrown away while people are starving? We have created a “throw away” culture which is now spreading.” We so often are blessed with abundance which sadly can lead to waste. It could be a beautiful Lenten resolution to say, “I’m going to work hard not to waste food.” Or before we buy something to say, “Do I really need another  one of these?” Simplify your life. Clean out your closet for Lent!

Finally, prayer. It was by the grace of God that Matt Talbot was set free. Conversion goes hand and hand with prayer. The image of the desert provides us with insight. The desert is free of distractions.

Blase Paschal said most of the time human beings seek diversion in life. We easily get caught up in the world through images, ads, media, music, idle conversations, and the constant borage of sensory pleasures available to us. We are drawn out into the world to the neglect of our interior life – our spiritual life.

St. Augustine: Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. St. Augustine searched for God in the pleasures of the world to the neglect of his interior life. If I’m going to be cultivating my interior life – my prayer life – what is necessary?

Silence! I have to unplug. What a beautiful thing to do for lent – create a desert space in your life. Unplug the TV, computer games, IPad, the cell phone, the IPod and enter into the silence.

Take home a copy of the Word Among Us. You can reflect on the daily readings for Mass. It also has a daily meditation. Consider praying the rosary as a family. Come to the Stations of the Cross on Fridays.

As the story of Matt Talbot circulated, his life gave hope to so many. Now there are countless addiction clinics, recovery centers and youth hostels named after him. Matt Talbot made a turn in his life. Now is the time to repent. Let us take up fasting, almsgiving, and prayer and turn back to God with all our hearts.

Lenten lessons from Venerable Matt Talbot

[We greatly appreciate the recent articles about Matt Talbot in this publication.]

Seize the Grace!

Lenten lessons from Matt Talbot, the holy alcoholic

By: Bob French

The Word Among Us: Lent 2015 issue

Source: http://wau.org/archives/article/seize_the_grace/

 

 

  Sometimes it seems like changing bad habits takes forever. But is that an illusion? Is change fast, or is it slow?

I think most of us would be inclined to say that change comes slowly, especially when it involves deeply entrenched patterns of behavior. We think of long hours at the gym to lose weight or months of struggle to overcome an addiction like smoking. Change feels like a long, grueling process, which is why so many of us fail to even attempt it. Except, perhaps, when we make resolutions for Lent or the New Year.

But consider, for a moment, the “I do” at the altar, the cry of a newborn, or the words “You are a priest forever.” In a split second, lives are changed. Never again can the couple not have been married, the woman not have been a mother, or the man not have been a priest. Everything is different from that point forward. Or think of Confession: our sins are erased in much less time than it takes to commit them!

In one sense, then, change is very fast, even instantaneous. But living it out? Now that’s a different story. So the question is: once we receive the grace to get serious about overcoming some compulsion, addiction, or bad habit, how can we keep acting on this decision over the long haul? While there are no easy answers, it can help to look at people who have experienced this “fast change, slow change” dynamic. One exceptional model is Matthew Talbot, the Irish workman whom Pope Paul VI declared venerable in 1975.

Seize the Grace! Born in Dublin in 1856, Matt Talbot was an alcoholic. Not a nice “society drinker,” but a down-and-out drunk from a family of heavy drinkers. The Talbots were poor, and Matt attended school for only a year before leaving at age twelve to work in a wine shop. He began to drink there, and before long was a full-blown alcoholic. 

To support his habit, he went on to work in a warehouse and a construction company. All of his wages he spent in the pubs, often with his father and brothers. He was known to pawn his clothes and boots to get money for drink; once he even stole a fiddle from a blind street musician.

For sixteen years, Matt lived only for booze, careening from work to pub and back again, falling further and further into the grip of addiction. Then one day, when he was broke and none of his buddies would buy him a drink, Matt suddenly realized what a mess he was making of his life. In a grace-filled flash, he determined to “take the pledge” to stop drinking for three months. He went home and told his mother, who had been praying for his conversion but advised him not to make the promise unless he truly intended to change. “God give you the strength to keep the pledge,” she said, as Matt went off to seek his first Confession in many years.

Decide and Tell. Matt’s mom was on to something: the first key to changing is to decide. Not to just think about it, but to seize and act on the grace to make a decision. Often we “want to want” to change, but when it comes right down to it, we aren’t all that keen on actually making an irrevocable decision to change. However, that’s where it all starts. And as with Matt, it can happen in an instant.

When we are brutally honest with ourselves, we know when we have really decided and when we are just playing games. A real decision comes from deep within the soul; we know for certain that we have crossed a line, and there’s no turning back. It’s like Jesus, when he “resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). When Matt Talbot took the pledge, there was no looking back.

But that’s just the beginning. Along with making a decision, it’s essential to tell someone about it. Life coaches call this “accountability.” A decision made in private and kept secret is all too easy to dismiss. In Matt’s case, his mother was a witness and reminder of his decision to give up drinking. When we change, we too must let someone know. After all, that’s one reason weddings and ordinations are public events: everyone attending is a witness to the change.

It is also one of the reasons that we confess to a priest. As part of the sacrament, we say that we resolve to sin no more. The priest is witness to our decision to change, and the penance he gives us is our reminder that we have made that decision before God.

Cultivate Self-Discipline. While Matt Talbot’s instantaneous decision set him on a course of holiness, it took the rest of his life to live out the change. He did it by learning self-discipline, by living out his resolution over and over, day by day. This is the slow part of change—the part that isn’t as much fun.

“Never look down on a man who cannot give up the drink. It is easier to get out of hell!” Matt once wrote his sister. But he kept at it. After three months, he extended his pledge to six months. Eventually, with the help of a priest friend, his sobriety became lifelong. 

Matt did more than just resist the urge to drink. Some of his additional self-discipline came in the form of physical mortification: he slept on a plank, ate very little, and even wore hidden chains around his waist, arm and leg (a physical discipline recommended by his spiritual advisor). He also maintained a cheerful attitude, gave most of his money to the poor, and put in a honest day’s labor for his wages. 

Although some of Matt’s ascetical practices were extreme, most of us would also benefit from cultivating self-discipline. We too can learn to control our attitude, work diligently at our occupations, and put the needs of others before our own wants. 

“Jesus, Mercy!” So is the “fast” part of change mostly God’s work, and the “slow” part mostly a matter of our own striving? Not at all! No amount of resolve and discipline can guarantee success. This is another lesson from Matt Talbot’s life: the whole process of changing requires the grace of God. Right away, Matt realized that he couldn’t overcome his addiction on his own; he had to surrender to God and allow the Holy Spirit to provide the strength he lacked. 

The morning after he took the pledge, fearful and anxious about not being able to keep it, Matt went to Mass and received Communion. He did this every day for the rest of his life. He was on his way to Mass, in fact, when he died of heart failure on June 7, 1925.

Especially in his first three months of sobriety, Matt learned to throw himself on God’s mercy. One day, plagued by an inner voice that kept saying, “It’s no use. You’ll never stop drinking,” he knelt with outstretched arms on the cathedral steps and prayed, “Jesus, mercy! Mary, help!” Another time, after going into a pub and almost ordering a drink, Matt spent the rest of the day in church, praying for help against temptation; he also decided never to carry money again.

If we’re making a change, we too can draw strength from frequent reception of the Eucharist and Confession. We can turn to the Lord in prayer. Devotions like the rosary are a great aid, as is spiritual reading—beginning with the Bible. Spending even ten minutes a day reading something uplifting can help us both rely on God and grow in resolve to face the challenges that come with living out real change.

Seek the Change that Matters. To his friends and even his family, Matt Talbot looked like an ordinary, hard-working man with a strong religious bent. On the inside, though, he was a warrior waging a spiritual battle that lasted forty years and made him a hero of the faith. His story shows us that the deepest and longest-lasting changes aren’t the showy, splashy announcements. They are the inner decisions that may only take a second to make but require a lifetime to live out.

This Lent, let’s ask the Holy Spirit for his guidance and power to help us address the areas in our own lives that need changing for the good. And as we do, let’s remember Venerable Matt Talbot, who stopped drinking in a moment—and spent the rest of his life making good on that change.

 

A Lenten Journey with Venerable Matt Talbot

While there is a wealth of information and reading material available for this 2015 Lenten season, we remind all that there is one Lenten publication that is very special: Matt Talbot: A Lenten Journey (2014). 

 
Details are available at http://venerablematttalbotresourcecenter.blogspot.com/2014/04/matt-talbot-lenten-journey.html, and this book can be read and/or printed free of charge at http://www.acnireland.org/images/books/matt_talbot_a_lenten_journey.pdf.

 

 

Matt Talbot - A Lenten Journey

Matt Talbot - A Lenten Journey is a wonderful new resource compiled and edited by Fr. Brian Lawless, Vice Postulator for the cause of the Venerable Matt Talbot, and Caroline Eaton. It can be viewed at http://www.acnireland.org/images/book /matt_talbot _a_lenten journey.pdf.

Fr. Lawless notes the following in the preface: 

‘The journey of life is like a journey through the pages of history. It is our story often dark, through which we are guided by the lights of others who journey with us; some lights brighter than others, each leading to the ultimate source of all light the Son of God, who has risen on high to dispel the darkness of sin and death, Jesus Christ the Lord. We all need lights by our side - people who shine with His light and so guide us along life’s way.

Matt Talbot is one such light.’ 

This "must read" 69 page resource is worthwhile for those who are not yet familiar with Venerable Matt Talbot as well as those who are familiar with him.

Serve only the Lord your God

 

Fr Seán Coyle, a priest in the Philippines and a member of the Missionary Society of St Columban, from Dublin, periodically reflects on aspects of the life of Venerable Matt Talbot in his Sunday Reflections. He does so again in “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him,” First Sunday of Lent Year A (07 March 2014) at http://bangortobobbio.blogspot.com/2014/03/worship-lord-your-god-and-serve-only.html.

Satisfying a Thirst

Related to the mass readings for this Third Sunday of Lent, what does your thinking and behavior suggest who or what you thirst for?

After 16 years of drinking, Matt Talbot replaced his thirst for alcohol with a thirst for God for the remaining 41 years of his life.

Echoing the Calix Society motto, Matt “substituted the cup that stupifies for the cup that sanctifies.”

 A homily for today that might be of interest: http://blog.adw.org/2014/03/is-the-lords-promise-that-never-thirst-again-real-yes-heres-how/

A Lenten Challenge

Venerable Matt Talbot was a member of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association. Neknomination (or neck nomination), referred to in this article, is an online drinking game.

 
"Lent is almost upon us - Ash Wednesday falls on 5th March. This year the Pioneer Association is asking people to take a short term pledge for the Lenten season. They hope that by signing up to their Lenten challenge the general public will take time to reflect on the negative role that alcohol often plays in our society and help transform society's often over-indulgent attitude towards it.

The new phenomenon of Neknomination, which has already led to several deaths, has added a fresh hazard to the abuse of alcohol. The Pioneers are asking Irish people to consider taking a break from alcohol, and taking time to reflect on their relationship with it: and this not just to avoid abuse, but to claim the bonus of improved physical and mental health; and to offer the challenge up as a prayer for someone they know who has a problem with alcohol or other drugs.

Those who are ready to sign up to the Lenten challenge, can do so by visiting our website and completing the process online. http://www.pioneerassociation.ie/index.php/media-centre/10-news/427-lent2014”

Source: http://jesuitcommunicationcentre.newsweaver.com/Newsletter/1ha3b7f93eb?a=1&p=45131645&t=20449685

An additional link to consider is http://irishbishopsdrugsinitiative.com/?page_id=983
and for a brief illustration about Ash Wednesday & Lent in two minutes, click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3L3c23MfC0

Advent Past and Present

Penance, abstinence and fasting are some of the words we might typically associate with Matt Talbot.

In terms of liturgical seasons we, like Matt, think of these three words in terms of Lent but do we also associate these words with Advent as did Matt?
A topic search suggests that an increasing number of writers are reflecting on changes in Advent practices, such as Monsignor Charles Pope in the following article.

What Ever Became of Advent Fasting and Penance?

By: Msgr. Charles Pope

11 December 2013

http://blog.adw.org/2013/12/what-ever-became-of-advent-fasting-and-penance/

I was explaining to a new Catholic recently that the color purple (violet) used in advent is akin to its use in Lent, in that both are considered penitential seasons. Hence we are to give special attention to our sins and our need for salvation. Traditionally Advent was a time we would, like Lent take part in penitential practices such as fasting and abstinence.

Of course, in recent decades Advent has almost wholly lost any real penitential practices. There is no fasting or abstinence required, they are not really even mentioned. Confession is encouraged and the readings still retain a kind of focus on repentance and a focus on the Last Judgment.

But long gone are the days of a forty day fast beginning on Nov 12. The observances in the period of the Middle Ages were every bit as strict as Lent. St. Martin’s Feast Day was a day of carnival (which means literally “farewell to meat” (carnis + vale)). In those days the rose vestments of Gaudete (Rejoice Sunday) were really something to rejoice about, since the fast was relaxed for a day. Then back into the fast until Christmas. Lent too began with Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), as the last of the fat was used used up and the fast was enjoined beginning the next day.

And the fast and abstinence were far more than the tokenary observances we have today. In most places, all animal products were strictly forbidden during Advent and Lent. There were many regional differences about the rest of the details. While most areas permitted fish, others permitted fish and fowl. Some prohibited fruit and eggs, and some places like monasteries ate little more than bread. In some places, on Fridays of Lent and Advent, believers abstained from food for an entire day; others took only one meal. In most places, however, the practice was to abstain from eating until the evening, when a small meal without vegetables or alcohol was eaten.

Yes, those were the day of the Giants! When fasting and abstinence were real things.

Our little token fast on only two days (and only in Lent) really isn’t much of a fast: two small meals + one regular meal; is that really a fast at all? And we abstain from meat only on the Fridays of Lent, instead of all forty days.

What is most remarkable to me is that such fasts of old were undertaken by men, women and children who had a lot less to eat than we do. Not only was there less food, but is was far more seasonal and its supply less predictable. Further, famines and food shortages were more a fact of life than today. Yet despite all this they were able to fast, and twice a year at that, for eighty days total. There were also “ember days” sporadically through the year when a day long fast was enjoined.

Frankly I doubt we moderns could pull off the fast of the ancients, and even the elders of more recent centuries. Can you imagine all the belly-aching (pun intended) if the Church called us to follow the strict norms of even 200 years ago? We would hear that such demands were unrealistic, even unhealthy.

Perhaps it is a good illustration of how our abundance enslaves us. The more we get, the more we want. And the more we want the more we think we can’t live without. To some degree or another we are so easily owned by what we claim to own, we are enslaved by our abundance and we experience little freedom to go without.

I look back to the Catholics of 100 years and before and think of them like giants compared to us. They had so little compared to me, but they seem to have been so much freer. They could fast. And though poor, they built grand Churches and had large families. They crowded into homes and lived and worked in conditions few of us would be able to tolerate today. And sacrifice seemed more “normal” to them. I have not read of any huge outcries from those times, that the mean nasty Church imposed fasting and abstinence in Advent and Lent. (Though certainly there were exceptions for the very young, the old the sick, and also pregnant women). Neither have I read of outcries of the fasting from midnight before receiving Communion. Somehow they accepted these sacrifices and were largely able to undertake them. They had a freedom that I think many of us lack.

And then too, imagine the joy when, for a moment the fast lifted in these times: Immaculate Conception, Gaudete, Annunciation, St. Joseph’s Feast day, Laetare Sunday. Imagine the joy. For us its just a pink candle and a pondering, “Rejoice? Over what?” For them these were actual and literal “feast days.”

I admit, I am a man of my time and I find the fasting and abstinence described above nearly “impossible.” I did give up all wine for this Advent. Last Lent I banished radio and TV. But something makes me look back to the Giants of old, who, having far less than I, did such things as a matter of course.

There were giants in those days!

Note:  Two additional articles on this topic can be read at  

http://omniumsanctorumhiberniae.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-advent-fast-in-irish-church-1.html and http://liturgyguy.com/tag/penance.

Faith & Spirituality Resources Related to Addiction

[The very informative “Irish Bishops Drugs Initiative” website at http://irishbishopsdrugsinitiative.com/ has recently been updated and is well worth your time to systemically review its content.

As only one example of additional information, the current “Faith & Spiritually” section at http://irishbishopsdrugsinitiative.com/?page_id=231

has been reproduced below.]

Church: drugs and drug addiction

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ.” —Galatians 6:2 Spirituality & Substance Misuse Each of us is a gift of God. When we give a gift to a meaningful person in our lives, we hope they will like and appreciate the gift we give them. God is like this, …
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Matt Talbot

Venerable Matt Talbot He was born on 2nd May 1856 in humble circumstance in Dublin’s inner city, the son of Charles and Elizabeth Talbot. In post-famine years Dublin and the rest of Ireland was in distressed state: an era of grinding poverty and appalling living conditions. Yet it was also a time when the Faith …
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12 Step Spirituality

Intercom Oct-2005 12 STEP SPIRITUALITY A programme of living for everyone As it’s main focus12-step Spirituality is based on the principle of living not in the yesterday, not in the tomorrow, but living in the day – today, one day at a time and allowing God to be God in my life. This spirituality is …
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Spirituality Perspective

Spirituality: Perspectives from Theory and Experience Irrespective of the language used, the process in all cases is one of fundamental discovery by the individual that they have an inner life that can help them become free persons – Christian spirituality seeks to free people and increase their freedom to choose to be people who …
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Homily notes

4. Homily Notes Temperance Sunday 10 Feb 2013 A good resource is Bishop Eamonn Walshe in February Intercom when he writes about balance and the forthcoming publication of prayers for those affected by addiction. Of interest is how Tara relates to her primary school teacher how she is “ashamed to bring my friends home …
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Order our new Prayer book.

Our new prayer book written for those affected by addiction. Forty beautifully illustrated pages with prayers. Please fill in the order form below. All donations kindly received will go towards the financial costs of supporting our nationwide Initiatives. Thank you.
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Temperance Resource Pack

TEMPERANCE SUNDAY REFLECTION – Bishop Eamonn Walsh Andy was six weeks out of treatment when he phoned, Friday afternoon at 4.30p.m., ‘Can we meet Eamonn, I am desperate and on the drink’. I suggested that we talk when he was sober, to which he replied – ‘I can only talk when I am …
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Lenten Period

LENT: Alcohol – Our Culture – Our Challenge With alcohol costing our country billions a year, along with the trail of destruction it leaves in its wake to individuals, families and communities. It is a positive sign to finally see movement towards the Government addressing the issues and standing up the powerful drinks industry. …
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Prayers of the Faithful

Prayers of the Faithful For the poor, the persecuted, the sick, and the unemployed; for all those suffering from depression or addiction, and for all those in any kind of danger. For all those struggling with any form of addiction in our parish, especially alcohol, drugs, …
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Talk to the Saints during Lent

As one of her "12 Ways to Pray During Lent," Therese Borchard suggests that her readers talk with various saints during Lent, including the Venerable Matt Talbot if struggling with alcoholism and drug addiction. (JB)

Talk to the Saints ( Slide 12)

Yes, as a typical Catholic, I'm crazy about the saints. Why wouldn't I be? They have every neurosis and insecurity covered! St. Joseph takes care of those prone to panic attacks while traveling. For twitching, Bartholomew the Apostle is your dude. Those roaming the house in their sleep can call on Dymphna. The Venerable Matt Talbot is patron saint to those struggling with alcoholism and drug addiction. And, of course, St. Jude covers the hopeless causes.

Personally, I pray a novena to Saint Therese every day--during Lent and every other liturgical season. Maybe it's because I was named after her, but this saint's "little ways" to God are much more appealing than the heady theology of Saint Thomas Aquinas. In reading words by Therese, I'm comforted because she experienced the same annoyances and distractions that I do. And she's a saint!

I also have a special devotion to Mary. Now that I'm a mom, I can appreciate how much she must have suffered watching her Son be crucified. I also know if I beg her to deliver a message to her boy, she'll be sure it gets there. She's a mom. She's responsible.

Source: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2008/09/12-Ways-to-Pray-During-Lent.aspx?nlsource=11&source=NEWSLETTER&utm_campaign=Bible&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_source=NL

Note: Theresa J. Borchard is the author of the spirituality and mental health blog, Beyond Blue, at beliefnet.com (http://blog.beliefnet.com/beyondblue/).

Lenten Patterns

Although the practices of almsgiving, fasting, and prayer for Lent were well known and utilized by Matt Talbot in his day, we now have an abundance of comprehensive guidelines in print and online for Lenten practices today. Since Matt's spiritual director was a Jesuit, the following was selected as an example of one example of Lenten guidelines for today from Creighton University Online Ministries. (JB)

Beginning My Lenten Patterns

"Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results." This saying, commonly used in 12 Step programs, reveals a real wisdom. It can be a good beginning reflection as we examine the choices we will make in the days ahead. It is very simple. Our Lord is calling us to a "change of heart." And, we know from experience, that nothing will change, unless we change our patterns. To expect different results is insanity. So, what needs changing? We start to come to know that by asking for help. "Lord, help me to know what needs changing." It is often said, "Be careful about what you ask for." This is one of those requests that God must surely want to answer. Then, we have to listen. With a little bit of reflection, most of us will just begin to "name" things that make up our ordinary habits and ways of being who we are, that we aren't very proud of. Things we do and things we never get around to doing. We can "feel" the call to change our attitudes, our self-absorption, or our way of interacting with others. Perhaps a spouse, a loved one, a friend, a family member, a co-worker has told me something about myself that gets in the way of communication, that makes relating to them difficult. Maybe I don't take God very seriously. I go to Church on Sunday, and contribute my share, but I don't really take time to deal with my relationship with God. Perhaps I've let my mind and fantasy get cluttered with escapist litter. I might begin to name a number of self-indulgent habits. I may realize I rarely, if ever, hear the cry of the poor, and can't remember when I've answered that cry. It could be that dishonesty on all kinds of levels has become a way of life. One of the roadblocks in my relationship with God and others may be deep wounds or resentments from the past, things I continue to hold against others or myself. You are always merciful! Please wipe away my sins. merciful! Wash me clean from all my sin and guilt. - Psalm 51 (See The Penitential Psalms) Beginning New Patters during Lent Something all of us can do is commit ourselves to being more reflective during Lent. It just means that I'm going to make a point of being more observant, more aware of what I'm experiencing - paying more attention to what is "automatic" behavior. And, I then start paying attention to my desires. We have all kinds of desires. During Lent, I can reflect upon the desires I currently have and which of them need to be purified, which may need to be abandoned, and which are wonderful desires that are there, but I haven't acted upon them. Naming our deepest desires will guide the choices we make to establish new patterns for Lent. Praying Lent is the time to start new patterns of prayer. Perhaps I haven't been praying at all. This is a great time to choose to begin. It is important to begin realistically. I can start by simply pausing when I get up and taking a slow, deep breath, and recalling what I have to do this day, and asking for grace to do it as a child of God. I may want to go to bed a half an hour earlier, and get up a half an hour earlier and give myself some time alone to read the readings for the day, the Daily Reflection, or the PRAYING LENT page for the day. I may choose to go to Mass each day during Lent. I may choose to get to church on Sunday, just 15 minutes earlier, so I can reflect a bit. Lent may be a time I would want to choose to start to journal the day to day reflections that are coming, the desires I'm naming and asking for, the graces I am being given. Eating Lent is a great time to change our eating patterns. This is not about "losing weight" or "getting in shape," though for most of us, paying attention to what we eat, will make a difference in our overall health. This is about being more alert. Anyone who has tried to diet knows that something changes in us when we try to avoid eating. The monks in the desert, centuries ago, discovered that fasting - simply not eating - caused a tremendous boost to their consciousness. Not only did their bodies go on "alert," but their whole person seemed to be in a more heightened state of attention. The whole purpose of fasting was to aid prayer - to make it easier to listen to God more openly, especially in times of need. Among Catholics, only Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are named as days of fast we all do together. (And that fast is simply to eat only one full meal in the day, with the other two meals combined, not equal to the one.) On the Wednesdays and Fridays of Lent, we may want to try to fast more intentionally. Of course, always conscious of our health and individual nutrition needs, we may want to try to eat very little, except some juices, or perhaps a small amount of beans and rice. We will experience how powerfully open and alert we feel and how much easier it is to pray and to name deeper desires. Not only will I feel less sluggish and tired, I will feel simply freer and more energized. The other powerful advantage of fasting is that it can be a very simple gesture that places me in greater solidarity with the poor of the earth, who often have very little more than a little rice and beans each day. Powerful things happen in me, when I think about those people in the world who have so much less than I do. And, it's a great cure for self-pity. Practicing Generosity Almsgiving has always been an important part of Lent. Lent begins with the powerful Isaiah 58, on the Friday and Saturday after Ash Wednesday. It is important to give ourselves the experience of fasting from being un-generous. Generosity is not simply giving my excess clothes to a place where poor people might purchase them. It's not even writing a "generous" check at the time a collection is taken up for a cause that benefits the poor. These are wonderful practices. Generosity is an attitude. It is a sense that no matter how much I have, all that I have is gift, and given to me to be shared. It means that sharing with others in need is one of my personal priorities. That is quite different from assessing all of my needs first, and then giving away what is left over. A spirit of self-less giving means that one of my needs is to share what I have with others. Lent is a wonderful time to practice self-less giving, because it takes practice. This kind of self-sacrificing generosity is a religious experience. It places us in solidarity with the poor who share with each other, without having any excess. It also joins us with Jesus, who gave himself completely, for us. Establishing new patterns of giving will give real life and joy to Lent. Practicing Penance When I sprain my ankle, part of the healing process will involve physical therapy. It's tender, and perhaps it is swollen. It may be important to put ice on it first, to reduce the inflammation. I may want to wrap it an elevate it and stay off of it. Then I will need to start moving it and then walking on it, and eventually, as the injury is healed, I'll want to start exercising it, so that it will be stronger than it was before, so that I won't as easily injure it again. Penance is a remedy, a medicine, a spiritual therapy for the healing I desire. The Lord always forgives us. We are forgiven without condition. But complete healing takes time. With serious sin or with bad habits we've invested years in forming, we need to develop a therapeutic care plan to let the healing happen. To say "I'm sorry" or to simply make a "resolution" to change a long established pattern, will have the same bad result as wishing a sprained ankle would heal, while still walking on it. Lent is a wonderful time to name what sinful, unhealthy, self-centered patterns need changing and to act against them by coming up with a strategy. For example, if the Lord is shining a light into the darkness of a bad pattern in my life, I can choose to "stop doing it." But, I have to work on a "change of heart" and to look concretely at what circumstances, attitudes, and other behaviors contribute to the pattern. If I'm self-indulgent with food, sex, attention-seeking behaviors and don't ask "what's missing for me, that I need to fill it with this?" then simply choosing to stop the pattern won't last long. Lasting healing needs the practice of penance. Putting it All Together - Alone and With Others In the end, the prayer of St. Augustine places us in the right spirit for Lent: O Lord, our Lord, you have created us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they rest in you. Lent is indeed how God draws us home, as individuals. But, it is also a very communal journey. We never journey alone, no matter how "lonely" we may feel. We are always journeying together. If we can experience our journey in communion with others, it makes it so much clearer that we are on a journey together. When I can share my experience with even one other close friend, or with my regular worshiping community, I can enjoy and share the support and environment that allows grace to flourish. Let us pray for each other on this journey, especially those who need and desire a change of heart on this pilgrimage to Easter joy. Source: http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/patterns.html