How Do We Overcome Deeply Rooted Vices?

Thank you, Father Josh, for this topic I really have been struggling with this and I will dwell on it, but what happens it only drains my inner being, and leaves me struggling with prayer. I did not know how to approach this type of thoughts, I become really angry but not approaching who "am angry with. Now I have learned that I can go to the scripture and get the healing, from here I will go see my priest for confession. Thanks so much this has been helpful.
May the Almighty and all-knowing God continue to Bless you.

Hi Father Josh,

First of all, thank you for your work and getting the message of Jesus and the bible out there. Your discussion on how to deal with those repetitive sins was constructive for me. However, as you are aware, each situation is unique. Could you give me some insight into my struggle? I pray the rosary-5 decades every morning and think I have been doing this for the past 2 years or so. There is more to my prayer life than the rosary, such as receiving the body of Christ, listening to scripture, being an active member of our local TMIY group, etc. I try to keep my soul/spirit nourished. But I struggle and have a tough time trusting in Jesus. It seems like the more I pray, the more my faith is put to the test. There are days when it is so discouraging, and I feel hopeless that I don’t know what to do or how to continue. I have heard “Let God be God,” but it is challenging. I pray each day for my 13-year-old daughter and all of her struggles. It is so difficult at times for her, but it seems like it is something new and more discouraging each day. Sorry to ramble, but I would appreciate your thoughts if you have any insight. Thank you again Father

If we give in to a vice (sin), and if it is serious matter, we cannot say that we are still holy. What you meant probably is that we still have faith in Christ, and desire not to sin in the future
When asked, What is a sinner, St. Bernadette replied, A person who loves sin. If we occasionally fall into sin, even after struggling, yes, we lose holiness, but we do not lose faith, and as long as we pray to be delivered from the sin, we do not become a lover of sin, a sinner. And Christ looks with love upon us.

Fr Mike!
Your interview with that dude with the fish on his shirt, was pretty awesome. I’m the mother of seven children (2 of whom are now baby angels in heaven.) I loved hearing the story about you being a renegade, cranky “in your face “ seminarian with a big head in theology, and you were ready to just pummel people with your smarty pants, know it all attitude. I laughed so hard hearing your story!! It reminded me so much of our oldest son. He’s the only boy in the surviving five children. ( he hates hearing me say, “You’re blessed amongst women!) Constantly pummeling his father and I about how bad being a Catholic was. He pretty much polluted the the minds of our four remaining daughters by arguing with me & my convert hubby. Aaron actually forced us to learn more about what it’s meant to be a good Catholic and why we had the audacity to baptize him three days after he was born!! It was a good experience to be forced to learn our catechism and why we did what we did as Catholics. Aaron kept us on our toes! Sadly, he never bought into any of the simple theology answers we gave him, and David (his devout Dad) was very well-versed being raised a God-fearing Presbyterian, who knew his Bible. Fast forward 42 years. Our son married on a beach with seagulls as witnesses, our oldest daughter, married on the hospital birthing table with a justice of the peace as the minister. Our next two daughters married in the Catholic Church, but just for the sake of making mom & dad “shut up” about the blessings they’d receive much less believe in. . The older of those two girls marriage ended in a tragic divorce when they lost their first full-term baby to an infantile heart attack 30 minutes after he was born. Our youngest daughter, threw all her faith & beliefs to the wind and got married in a bar. We are took that as a big giant exclamation point … “And that’s that!” She justified her actions by saying “Jesus is everywhere and don’t you dare bring a tabernacle in your purse the day we get married.” 😳😳😳
Needless to say after 42 years of marriage, we felt like miserable Catholic failures. That was the same year their dear dad was diagnosed with not 1 incurable cancer but 1 that gradually morphed into four different incurable cancers. At first the five were as supportive as they could be, but the longer David was sick, the more surly & cantankerous they became. David and I figured their anger and temper was due to the fact that they had no anchor of faith to hold onto. I won’t bore you with the details but on his final day on earth, our kids were besides themselves, slowly begrudgingly trickling into our home with many levels of angry disgust. It was not the atmosphere that a good devoted Catholic father needed to die peacefully in. I began praying the rosary aloud as we had always done since they were babies. I knew that this would bring a much-needed atmosphere of peace, but when none of the five would respond to the Hail, Mary’s., David squeezed my hand, tight. By the third decade, he struggled deeply, but managed to actually respond to the Hail Mary’s aloud. Our children suddenly sat up straight to marvel … even in his waning ability, they were dumbstruck at how he fought to respond in his final prayers. You could hear a few of them finally mumbling the responses with him. What you could hear more was their sobbing. At that moment, David opened his beautifully clear hazel eyes & as tears welled up,, you could see the emotional pain they were inflicting on him. He squeezed my hand again & with a trembling, voice, he uttered his final “amen.” He never regained consciousness again.
The daughter that lost the baby witnessed all of that and was disgusted with her siblings. I felt it was time for me to leave them alone, with their dad so they could say their final goodbyes. That middle daughter.(BTW. – middle kids ROCK!) called a sibling meeting. At her suggestion, they realized they needed to leave mom alone with her husband for the last night of his life. The daughter told them all to go home and give mom and dad the peace they deserved. They begrudgingly & angrily left our home. I was allowed to spend the last 12 hours of his life alone with him, without the snide comments,,praying with all the angels & Saints, St Joseph & Mother Mary, to personally, prayerfully peacefully escort him to the gates of heaven. It was the most beautiful, holy peaceful death I’ve ever experienced in my life!
Why do I bring this up? Because it is in sharp contrast to the beautiful death you experienced with your own mother. You spoke of how it was almost like a vacation where siblings supported siblings. All of you gathered around your father. You spoke of how it was almost like a vacation of siblings, supporting siblings as you all gathered around your Dad in a holy & blessed time. That whole week was holy for you and probably continues to be for your father.
David’s death occurred exactly 18 months ago July 27, 2023. We buried him a week later. My children deserted me on the day of his funeral. sitting on the opposite side of the church with their spouses, not one of them approached me or offered any condolences of any kind. They didn’t greet me, refused to cross the street for the funeral meal. Instead, they all got in their cars and drove away.
18 months later they have yet to speak to me face-to-face no phone calls no checking up on mom no inviting her to anything. They have family get together’s but I am never invited. They are not bad people they are broken people -,my home has turned into an adoration chapel. As I am being treated for PTSD, I spend my days in prayer and fasting for their souls.
You are right about your mothers prayers. I endure the pain of loss and abandonment for the sake of their souls, but I cannot do it without the help of your YouTube videos. I cannot do it without you are guidance & the hope you give me with your talks. When I hear you speak, I am reassured that God didn’t make junk when He created people. God also doesn’t throw people away when they stand up for their faith.

I encourage you to continue that marvelous vocation God blessed you with and I know you fought hard for it but Mama Rita’s ♥️ grateful prayers will be keeping you uplifted in that vocation ~,most especially on those days when it seems like an insurmountable chore & “ya just don’t wanna do it! “

ARTS,
Ms Rita Jordan
979-587-4400

This is spot on with struggles.