3 Anchors of Catholicism and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

3 Anchors of Catholicism and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:

The Cross, the Eucharist, the Rosary and CBT

Well, it’s not that we need therapy, just some friends, family members and God’s support will suffice.  It is actually how CBT works.  

Who cannot love the ‘Prayer of Our Daily Neglects’?  

“Eternal Father, I offer you the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with all its love, all its sufferings, and all its merits.”

First:  “to expiate all the sins I have committed this day and during my life.  Glory Be…”

Second:  “to purify the good I have done badly this day and during all my life.  Glory Be…”

Third:  “to supply for the good I ought to have done and that I have neglected this day and during all of my life.  Glory Be…”

Cleaned, free, forgiven of all our mistakes and shortcomings, and ready to go !  True, we all fall short of the Glory of God, some farther away than others.

Yes, there are consequences of our choices and behaviors that are life lasting, individually and socially.  Our choices were made,  behaviors followed, for good or bad.  What do we do now?  Hard to accept and so difficult for some,  but as for the consequences, we can  both bear and overcome them.  How?  Through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and these three anchors of Catholicism:  The Cross, the Eucharist, the Rosary.    

The Cross: As  Catholic Christians we are called to walk with Jesus and follow His way of the cross, now our way.  It is Him acting and living in us.  It is His cross that gives us the strength to struggle after Jesus.  We gladly suffer our struggles to follow Jesus, a minuscule of his sufferings.  And, if we persevere, we bear it all, do it through Him, knowing that no sin of ours is greater than His love for us.

The Eucharist: The mystery of the Holy Eucharist is the center of Catholic life.  The actual presence of the body and blood of Christ is offered to each and as we take the Holy Eucharist, we proclaim His resurrection until He returns.  Our oneness with Him compels us to love Christ, love others and proceed to serve the Lord.  What more should we actually want in life?  Let us be sure better decisions and outcomes will result from it.  

The Rosary: Prayer of the Rosary allows us to meditate on the life of Christ.  St. Josemaria Escriva calls praying the Rosary a continuous act of faith, hope and love, of adoration and reparation.  It enables us to win in our interior struggles and to help others.  Since we all have our individual paths to follow, the Holy Spirit will work in us and we will see the fruits of our Prayer of the Rosary.

 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is about decision making.  Our decisions are based on our beliefs, values and life circumstances.  Connect that to living with Christ and in Christ, our struggle to do God’s will, not ours.  Our will, got us into this mess.   

Sources:

Anderson, Nick.  “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy”

Enzler, Clarence.  “Everyman’s Way of the Cross”

Relevant Radio. “Treasures of the Rosary”