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ARMOR’s approach to breaking free from the chains of vice or addiction is to grow in virtue by striving to practice the 3 pillars of prayer, asceticism, and community. While practicing these pillars is challenging and not expected to be perfect, the extent to which one practices them is the extent to which one finds freedom from vice or addiction and peace from God.
Strive one day at a time. Yesterday’s successes and shortcomings are in the past, and tomorrow may never come. All you have is today; sometimes all you have is right now. Now is a very acceptable time to take the next step toward freedom.
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3 Pillars of ARMOR: Prayer, Asceticism, and Community
Prayer
- Make a holy hour daily.
- Pray the examen nightly.
- Attend Mass at least weekly and on holy days of obligation.
- Go to confession at least monthly.
Asceticism (Acts of asceticism should be done out of love of God and offered for others’ benefit.)- Get at least seven hours of sleep per night.
- Exercise 30-60 minutes at least 3 days every week.
- Take short showers without non-washing/rinsing idle time.
- Drink water more than other liquids, except when fasting from food and liquids.
- Limit consumption of soda and sweet drinks to one serving per day.
- Limit sweet foods to one serving per day or abstain from it if this is a vice for you.
- Limit alcohol consumption to one serving per day or abstain from it if this is a vice for you.
- Limit playing video games to one hour per day or abstain from it if this is a vice for you.
- Limit social media use to one hour per day or abstain from it if this is a vice for you.
- Limit watching televised programs or movies to one program/movie per day with others (not alone).
- Abstain from snacks between meals except as necessary for one’s health benefit.
- Abstain from watching immoral pictures, videos, televised programs, or movies.
- Abstain from engaging in immoral activities.
- Abstain from smoking cigarettes, cigars, vapes, etc.
- Abstain from using drugs/medicines except as directed by instructions/physician.
- Abstain from gambling.
- Abstain from unnecessary work on Sundays.
- Abstain from unnecessary purchases on Sundays.
- Abstain from listening to, singing, or playing music with immoral lyrics.
- Fast on Fridays. (Eat 1 full meal & 2 small meals that combined are less than a full meal.)
Community- Communicate daily for a Daily Virtue Renewal (DVR).
- Attend weekly meetings.
- Share inspiration and encouragement from Recommended Reading or other spiritual works in group chat periodically.
- Practice the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy as often as possible.
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- Respond to adversity with a virtuous plan of action like ARMOR’s Get Help Now.
- Seek indulgences regularly to obtain a remission before God of the temporal punishment for sins.
- Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
- Read other spiritual works to deepen your faith.
- Seek regular professional counseling to address underlying issues.
- Seek regular spiritual direction to guide you along your spiritual journey.
- Participate in a retreat at least annually.
- Participate in spiritual exercises at least annually.
- Exodus 90 (for men)
- Magnify 90 (for women)
- Miles Christi Spiritual Exercises
- Use your gifts of time, talent, and treasure in a group or ministry.
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- Theological Virtues: They help us to live in right relationship with God.
- Faith: The theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us. (CCC 1814)
- Hope: The theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit. (CCC 1817)
- Charity: The theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. (CCC 1822) “The practice of all the virtues is animated and inspired by charity, which ‘binds everything together in perfect harmony’.” (CCC 1827)
- Cardinal Virtues: They help us to live in right relationship with others.
- Prudence: It disposes of practical reason to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it. (CCC 1806)
- Justice: It consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor. (CCC 1807)
- Fortitude: It ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of good. (CCC 1808)
- Temperance: It moderates the attraction of pleasures… and keeps desires within the limits of what is honorable. (CCC 1809)
- Capital/Heavenly Virtues: Virtues that oppose the Capital/Deadly Sins, from which all other sins stem.
- Chastity: Opposes lust
- Humility: Opposes pride
- Kindness: Opposes envy
- Meekness or Patience: Opposes wrath
- Diligence: Opposes sloth or acedia
- Generosity: Opposes avarice or greed
- Temperance: Opposes gluttony
- Ten Principal Virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary (from “True Devotion to Mary”)
- Profound Humility: Mary had a deeply modest opinion of herself. (Luke 1:48)
- Lively Faith: Mary demonstrated unwavering belief in God’s plan for her through her “fiat”. (Luke 1:38)
- Blind Obedience: Mary’s blind obedience implies she denied her will in observance of God’s will. (Luke 2:22-24)
- Continual Prayer: Mary communed with God aloud and interiorly in all her activities. (Luke 2:19,51)
- Universal Mortification: Mary’s life was one of sacrifice for God’s plan of salvation. (Luke 2:35)
- Divine Purity: Mary was divinely pure (without sin) in order for Jesus to dwell in a place without sin. (Luke 1:28)
- Ardent Charity: Mary was, and still is, passionate in her service to God and others. (Luke 1:39, 56)
- Heroic Patience: Mary accepted difficulty/suffering without anger or complaint (Mt 1:19; Lk 2:4-7, 35; Jn 19:26-27)
- Angelic Sweetness: Mary’s joyful and peaceful encounters with others confer God’s grace on them. (Luke 1:41-45)
- Divine Wisdom: Mary handled challenging situations with prudence and without offending God. (Lk 2:48-51, Jn 2:3-5)
- Theological Virtues: They help us to live in right relationship with God.
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In addition to reading the Daily Bible Readings as part of the Pillar of Prayer, it is recommended to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church and other spiritual works such as these below that are used in this ministry to help grow in virtue:
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