The following is in no way meant to minimize the fact that I am remarkably sinful. I still am of the opinion that St. Paul could truthfully write that he was the chief of sinners simply because I was not yet on the scene.

In 1981 I acquired a very bad habit – well, that year I acquired a few bad habits, but there’s one in particular that’s germane*. Lots of my time and energy were spent in pursuit of this habit over the years. For more years than I care to recount, this habit was very nearly a daily part of my life.

Through the grace of God as dispensed in the sacraments of His Church, I rejoice to say that it’s now been a full year since I indulged in that habit. Better yet, I find that my old habit repulses me. I can actually envision living a long life without ever going back to that habit, when just a few months ago it was hard to forego any chance to go back to the habit.

That’s not to say there isn’t room for improvement in every part of my life – there certainly is. It is to say that there’s hope for the much-needed improvement. My making it a whole year away from that habit is a pretty sure confirmation that nothing is impossible with God.

There really wasn't any Damascus road moment either. There were lots of little things. Archbishop Chaput's homily on All Saints Day, several incidents in the confessional, a weekday Mass in May all gave me what I needed at that moment. With all of my habitual sins, then, I now have a general strategy and, more importantly, real hope.

*I don’t know of any good reason to describe it in detail, but suffice to say that it violates multiple commandments. Any really sinful habit a reader might have is probably generally comparable.