FR.LEO'S DAILY MEDITATION #essentialsofrecovery

GREED

Not one who has little, but one who wishes more, is poor.

~ Seneca ~

In recovery, I still must deal with the compulsive side of my nature that always wants more. I must remember to be grateful for what I have. I try not to hold up a code of behavior I expect from others but not myself! I know I miss the fun of the moment when I am preoccupied with what I may be missing elsewhere. I know I miss the comfort of my own home as I fantasize about country mansions. Always I want more, yet in my own experience more has always been less.

Today I focus on a spiritual program of gratitude. I have a checklist of things to be grateful for. I work on my greed by talking about it.

Thank You for the part of me that must remain poor.

© 2008 Leo Booth 

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Twenty-Four Hours A Day #essentialsofrec #Free

A.A. Thought For The Day

In Alcoholics Anonymous there is no thought of individual profit. No
greed or gain. No membership fees, no dues. Only voluntary
contributions of our money and ourselves. All that we hope for is
sobriety and regeneration, so that we can live normal, respectable
lives and can be recognized by others as men and women willing to do
unto others as we would be done by. These things we accomplish by
the help of each other, by following the twelve steps and by the grace
of God. Am I willing to work for A.A. without material gain to myself?

Meditation For The Day

What is sometimes called by religion as conversion is often only the
discovery of God as a friend in need. What is sometimes called
religion is often only the experiencing of the help and strength of
God’s power in our lives. What is sometimes called holiness is often
only the invitation of God to be our Friend. As God becomes your
friend, you become a friend to others. We experience true human
friendship and from this experience we can imagine what kind of
Great Friend God can be. We believe Him to be a tireless, selfless, all
conquering, miracle-working Friend. We can reach out to the Great
Friend and figuratively take His hand in ours.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that I may think of God as a Great Friend in need. I pray that I
may go along with Him. 

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DAILY ZEN #ESSENTIALSOSREC #ZEN #BUDDHISM

A person of wisdom should be truthful, without arrogance, without deceit, not slanderous and not hateful. The wise person should go beyond the evil of greed and miserliness.

Do not get excited by what is old, do not be contented with what is new. Do not grieve for what is lost or be controlled by desire.

-Sutta-nipata, translated by H. Saddhatissa 

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Fr.Leos Daily Meditation #essentialsofrec #Recovery #Greed

GREED

“Not one who has little, but one who wishes more, is poor.”

~ Seneca ~

In recovery, I still must deal with the compulsive side of my nature that always wants more. I must remember to be grateful for what I have. I try not to hold up a code of behavior I expect from others but not myself! I know I miss the fun of the moment when I am preoccupied with what I may be missing elsewhere. I know I miss the comfort of my own home as I fantasize about country mansions. Always I want more, yet in my own experience more has always been less.

Today I focus on a spiritual program of gratitude. I have a checklist of things to be grateful for. I work on my greed by talking about it.

Thank You for the part of me that must remain poor. 

© 2008 Leo Booth

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AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX #essentialsofrecovery

TEMPLE OF SOLOMON SILVER

Next comes the silver. This stands for greed of money or money’s worth, for material objects that can be bought, and even for riches themselves. Or it may be that the offender is not interested in riches themselves but in their ability to give him honor in the eyes of the world. He wants to be considered important and to have adulation or applause. Often he wants to be a “leader,” not because he has a message to give but to be important. He is the victim of egotism. Now this is a base and ignoble sin; an insurmountable barrier across the spiritual path.

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while coveted after, they have erred from faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:10)

© 1931 by Emmet Fox 

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Father Leo’s Daily Meditation

GREED

“One of the weakness of our age is our apparent inability to distinguish our needs from our greeds.”

–Don Robinson

I was a greedy drunk. A greedy man. Spoiled, selfish and demanding. I felt that the world owed me a living and if I did not get my way, I sulked, cried or tried to hurt people. And this greedy attitude to life only made me sad, dull and boring. Greed, in this sense, could not work because what I was craving would never satisfy me.

Then I learned how to “let go”. Instead of demanding, I learned how to wait. Instead of consuming large amounts of alcohol, I practiced abstinence. Instead of expecting life on my terms, I went with the natural flow of life. I became happy, joyous and free. A miracle? Yes. I accepted my “needs” and with the acceptance came the satisfaction.

Lord, only when I accept my hunger for You am I truly satisfied.

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Father Leo’s Daily Meditation #essentialsofrecovery

GREED


“Not he who has little, but he who wishes more, is poor.”

— Seneca (4 B. C. — A. D. 65)

In my recovery I must still deal with that compulsive side of my nature that always wants more.

I forget to be grateful for what I have. I ruin relationships because I have a code of behavior that I expect from others but not myself! I miss the fun of the moment because I am preoccupied with what I am missing elsewhere. I miss the comfort of my own home as I fantasize about country mansions owned by millionaires. Always I want more — and yet in my own experience more has always been less.

Today I work hard on a spiritual program of gratitude. I have a checklist of things I need to be grateful for; I work on my disease of greed by talking about it.

Thank You for that part of me that must remain “poor”.

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Father Leo’s Daily Meditation #essentialsofrecovery

GREED

“One of the weakness of our age is our apparent inability to distinguish our needs from our greeds.”

–Don Robinson

I was a greedy drunk. A greedy man. Spoiled, selfish and demanding. I felt that the world owed me a living and if I did not get my way, I sulked, cried or tried to hurt people. And this greedy attitude to life only made me sad, dull and boring. Greed, in this sense, could not work because what I was craving would never satisfy me.

Then I learned how to “let go”. Instead of demanding, I learned how to wait. Instead of consuming large amounts of alcohol, I practiced abstinence. Instead of expecting life on my terms, I went with the natural flow of life. I became happy, joyous and free. A miracle? Yes. I accepted my “needs” and with the acceptance came the satisfaction.

Lord, only when I accept my hunger for You am I truly satisfied. 

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Father Leo’s Daily Meditation #essentialsofrec #FrLeo #Greed

GREED

“One of the weakness of our age is our apparent inability to distinguish our needs from our greeds.”

–Don Robinson

I was a greedy drunk. A greedy man. Spoiled, selfish and demanding. I felt that the world owed me a living and if I did not get my way, I sulked, cried or tried to hurt people. And this greedy attitude to life only made me sad, dull and boring. Greed, in this sense, could not work because what I was craving would never satisfy me.

Then I learned how to “let go”. Instead of demanding, I learned how to wait. Instead of consuming large amounts of alcohol, I practiced abstinence. Instead of expecting life on my terms, I went with the natural flow of life. I became happy, joyous and free. A miracle? Yes. I accepted my “needs” and with the acceptance came the satisfaction.

Lord, only when I accept my hunger for You am I truly satisfied.

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Fr.LEO'S DAILY MEDITATION #Essentialsofrec #Recovery #Gluttony #Greed

GLUTTONY

“Gluttony is not a secret vice.”

~ Orson Welles 

Food addiction—eating, forever dieting, starving—is the hidden disease that is becoming more obvious. But am I talking about it? Some recovering alcoholics minimize it and get lost in ice cream and doughnuts. For many, the pain around food is as real as alcohol or any other drug. The family and relationships suffer.

Today I am willing to talk about it. Spirituality affects all my life, and this involves my eating habits and body weight. God does not make junk, so I choose not to eat junk. Today I choose to talk about the buried emotions I am stuffing behind the food. That is a step toward living.

When I bless my food at mealtime, may I also bless my abstinence. 

© 2008 Leo Booth

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THE EYE OPENER

18
November


Money is a medium of exchange and is as good as the things you can get with it.

If you have enough money in your pocket when you fall overboard it can drown you.

Love of money can make you the most despised of men, but love of mankind can make your money a blessing to you and to them.

Copyright Hazelden Foundation

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Today’s Gift from Hazelden #essentialsofrec #Recovery #Happiness #Togetherness

8
July

We have our time together

Sometimes we feel bad because we cannot afford all the things we need or want. Whether or not we have all we want, we can get lost in the quest for material possessions and the happiness we think they will bring.

These thoughts can carry us toward a narrow and cold view of life. But we can return to the spontaneous life that surrounds us. Squirrels still chase each other through the grass. Children still engage in fanciful conversations. The joy of music can still enrich our lives. We have our time together and our imagination. When we take the time to enjoy our connection and express our love, we discover riches of far greater value than material items.

Take this moment to look around you to notice the simple things that give you pleasure.

From the book:

The More We Find In Each Other by Merle Fossum and Mavis Fossum

The More We Find in Each Other by Merle Fossum and Mavis Fossum. © 1992 by Hazelden Foundation

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Father Leo’s Daily Meditation #essentialsofrec #Recovery #Weakness

 7
June 

GREED


“One of the weakness of our age is our apparent inability to distinguish our needs from our greeds.”

–Don Robinson

I was a greedy drunk. A greedy man. Spoiled, selfish and demanding. I felt that the world owed me a living and if I did not get my way, I sulked, cried or tried to hurt people. And this greedy attitude to life only made me sad, dull and boring. Greed, in this sense, could not work because what I was craving would never satisfy me.

Then I learned how to “let go”. Instead of demanding, I learned how to wait. Instead of consuming large amounts of alcohol, I practiced abstinence. Instead of expecting life on my terms, I went with the natural flow of life. I became happy, joyous and free. A miracle? Yes. I accepted my “needs” and with the acceptance came the satisfaction.

Lord, only when I accept my hunger for You am I truly satisfied.

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Father Leo’s Daily Meditation #essentialsofrec #Recovery #greed #pride

26
May 

SPACE
“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

–Neil A. Armstrong

Man is able to do such wonderful things in this world. There is no end to what man can achieve when he behaves responsibly and honestly, working together with others to discover more about himself and the universe. God has truly made man in His own image with all the power and creativity that that implies.

The danger that forever surrounds man is greed, pride and the misuse of “power”.

As a recovering alcoholic I understand this only too well. I wanted to be out in front, and ego made me arrogant and selfish. If this is true for me and other human beings, it is also true for governments, countries and alliances. Countries don’t make wars, people do; countries don’t have achievements, people do – and this universe must be seen as belonging to everyone or it will belong to no one!

Let us learn to enjoy and share Your garden and not destroy it.

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Daily Reflections #essentialsofrec #Recovery #Success

 4
April

CRYING FOR THE MOON

“This very real feeling of inferiority is magnified by his childish sensitivity and it is this state of affairs which generates in him that insatiable, abnormal craving for self-approval and success in the eyes of the world. Still a child, he cries for the moon. And the moon, it seems, won’t have him!”

 –LANGUAGE OF THE HEART, p. 102

While drinking I seemed to vacillate between feeling totally invisible and believing I was the center of the universe. Searching for that elusive balance between the two has become a major part of my recovery. The moon I constantly cried for is, in sobriety, rarely full; it shows me instead its many other phases, and there are lessons in them all. True learning has often followed an eclipse, a time of darkness, but with each cycle of my recovery, the light grows stronger and my vision is clearer.

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Keep It Simple #essentialsofrec #recovery #Money

18
March


Money cost too much.

—Ross MacDonald

Many people are poor and really need money to live better. But we’re in trouble if we think money will solve all our problems. If money solved all problems, all rich people would be happy.

Consider this: A man talks about his shortcomings in a Twelve Step meeting. He says his main shortcoming is to think being happy means having enough money. But then he says that he has over a million dollars! This man is lucky—not because he has money, but because he knows greed is a shortcoming. He knows he has a spiritual problem. He doesn’t need money; he needs faith in a Higher Power.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me to really believe I’ll be given what I need. This will free me to get on with life.

Action for the Day: Today, I’ll read over the promises of the program. They are found at the bottom of page 83 at the top of the page of page 84 in the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, Third Edition.

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Father Leo’s Daily Meditation #essentialsofrec #Recovery #Greed

 9
March 

GREED


“Not he who has little, but he who wishes more, is poor.”

— Seneca (4 B. C. — A. D. 65)

In my recovery I must still deal with that compulsive side of my nature that always wants more.

I forget to be grateful for what I have. I ruin relationships because I have a code of behavior that I expect from others but not myself! I miss the fun of the moment because I am preoccupied with what I am missing elsewhere. I miss the comfort of my own home as I fantasize about country mansions owned by millionaires. Always I want more — and yet in my own experience more has always been less.

Today I work hard on a spiritual program of gratitude. I have a checklist of things I need to be grateful for; I work on my disease of greed by talking about it.

Thank You for that part of me that must remain “poor”.

Why not sign up to get emails with all daily posts included?