2 months ago after confessing a relapse, father recommended I learn about the Chinese saint, St. Mark Ji Tianxiang. St. Mark Ji Tianxiang struggled with his addiction to opium while remaining faithful and committed to God and the Church. While I don't plan on continuing to fall in sin the rest of the my life, I hope that if I cannot find a way out of my addiction that I will at least be as strong as St. Mark Ji Tianxiang during the lifelong fight. Listen to the inspiring video below about his life.
Wow! What an example of the perseverance of a man, yet had so many struggles. Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks for sharing this, brother. I've heard about this saint before and upon learning about his life, I was able to relate my own experiences with his struggle. I pray that you will find a way out of your addiction because there is always hope. Praying for your freedom.
St. Mark Ji Tianxiang lived in times where people rather didn't know what was effective to get rid of an addiction. There was no 12 steps groups etc. I don't know how was it in China but I doubt they had working system to effectively help addicted men. Nowadays, at least in the West culture there are known effective and proven systems to get out. For sure one of the few effective ones are 12 steps groups. In Poland there is a very effective kind of 12 step group based on Christian faith which is rather unique because world wide 12 step groups are rather secular. I had frequented from time to time one of the groups in Poland and my impression is that they ( their means) are very effective. Hardly I could find a more effective group and methods - maybe Cenacolo. What makes them effective is a combination - therapy plus faith (catholic) means. So if St. Mark Ji Tianxiang lived now in Poland and attended such a group he would be for sure (my opinion) free. If you are as strong as St. Mark Ji Tianxiang cleaving to the church and Catholic means plus if you frequent a 12 step group you'll be for sure free (my opinion). therapy plus Catholic means and witnesses (former addicts who are for many years clean) such a combination plus your own unceasing struggle in spite of many failures are the key.(the magic bullet). Make the use of the time you live. Now some people know what to do. St. Mark Ji Tianxiang didn't know. Then you won't need to think that your addiction will be endless, till your grave.
I really love the story of St. Mark Ji. There are so many things to take away from his story, but one the biggest ones, in my opinion, was Mark's steadfastness in prayer and going to Mass. He didn't leave the Church and he didn't give up on Jesus. A beautiful example for those struggling with addiction.
I don't know where you live but in Poland they are in all cities and some towns. They can be found in the Internet or facebook. Who looks for they will find.
If we talk about St. Mark Ji Tianxiang we all must know that he didn't become a saint for his lifelong struggle with the opium addiction or for the fact that he stayed in faith even in addiction. The cause he was declared a saint was that he was killed because of his faith ( the Chinese authorities wanted him to renounce his Catholic faith and he refused it), so he was a martyr. He had asked God for such a martyr death because he was afraid of not being saved because of his addiction. We can't have a wrong impression that one can be addicted and become a saint in so called normal life conditions. Our task is honestly trying to fight this addiction successfully.
