Mending, Recovery, and Soul Stuff

We are all addicts in one way or another.

That's what Richard Rohr notes in his freshest tome just out, Breathing Under Water: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps.

. . .And institutions, nations and cultures often exhibit addictive neuroses.

Rohr concludes that also in this tome.

The articulate and conversant pastor points to control, consumerism, desires of the senses, and more, in our Western culture.

Oil, empire and war are American addictions, he claims.

Absolute exceptionalism is the church's addiction, Rohr notes.

"How helpful it is to see sin, like addiction, as a disease, a very destructive disease, instead of merely something that was culpable, punishable or 'made God unhappy,'" Rohr writes, using notes from talks on the twelve steps he gave a quarter of a century ago.

And, Rohr says:

"If sin indeed made God unhappy, it was because God desires nothing more than our happiness, and the willing healing of our disease."

When conflict, violence, guns, bullying and brokeness is everywhere these days, this refreshing
book is a reminder that Jesus was about healing his entire brief life on earth, and today also as
advocates follow his teachings and model for living well.

Healing is central to Jesus. Mending means more than adherance to truths borne back in the fourth century when Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. Certain truths point to the afterlife beyond the daily routine and struggles coupled with suffering that need healing salve and salvation now. Following Jesus was always a preferance over how to worship him. Living in the present and Presence with an eye on the 'prize' seems to be what Rohr suggests.

Acceptance of powerlessness over sin, addictions and attachments begins the process of morphing and mending, according to Rohr and countless 12-step groups with proven track records of fruifulness as the American contribution to Western spirituality.

Finally, Rohr says that all are spiritually powerless, including not only those physically addicted to process or substance attachments. Repeatedly doing the same things over and over again, such as ritually and habitually confessing the same sins week after week without resolution, for example, remind readers of the spiritual powerlessness we've embraced and are stuck in one way or another.

Compassion and forgiveness fails to go deep enough within to the soul of seekers and searchers of the healing God. Consequently, recovering Catholics, claim they didn't get the good news they needed.

Faith has to take people beyond self to the mystical - one who is head over heel in love with God - and past the dualistic level of thinking of who is in, out, good, bad, up, down, win, lose. . .

"Nunc, et," are Latin words for "both, and." The good news of the Gospel is both old and new at the same time, Rohr concludes.

This is needed fresh air and good news concurrently.