Prayer is the Key to Ending Addiction

by Letters Editor · December 12, 2016

I was deeply touched as I read your article “Cardinal: Use prayer against addiction” (September 28), and would like to share my story as I feel it could benefit others.

I was committing and confessing the same sin repeatedly until I reached a point where I felt fed up and sick of it.

I then reflected on my sin and the emotions I endured. I decided I had to put an end to this.

I was always questioning my penance of three Hail Marys when daily I prayed the full five decades.

I decided that in addition to the three Hail Marys I would give myself my own penance as well:

Pray my three Hail Marys after confession.
Reflect on Psalm 51 for a month.
Note the date of my confession.
Each day I did not commit that sin, say: “Thank you God for keeping me in your grace.”
On the monthly anniversary, say: “Thank you God that I did not have to confess that sin this past month.”
I also read and reflected on the Exodus. The Israelites had the Red Sea. Confession is our Red Sea.

It is now more than a year since I last needed to confess that sin and it feels very good.

Reflecting on Psalm 51 has become a habit and I thank God, because it is only through his grace that I could do this.