For many adult children of divorce or separation, personal wounds can feel heavy, confusing, and isolating. We may spend much of our lives trying to understand or heal our own pain. Yet this week, we are invited to turn our gaze toward Jesus, to encounter Him in His wounds and discover there the source of our healing.

But guilt, properly understood, is not the denigration of ourselves, but is instead an acknowledgment of our extraordinary, ultimately incalculable, value to God. Our acknowledgment of our failure is our acknowledgment of the vast chasm between what we have made of ourselves, and what we know God has made us to be.

For many adult children of divorce or separation, experiences of loss, grief, or brokenness can feel overwhelming—like something has died within us. These wounds can tempt us to believe that hope is gone or that healing is out of reach. Yet the Gospel proclaims a powerful truth: Jesus has authority even over death itself. He calls each of us—personally and lovingly—out of the tomb and back into life.

…the evil one thinks that he can tear us down by stealing from us. But he does not know the hidden counsels of God. When the evil one steals a coat from us, we may end up going on a mission to give our cloaks as well.

For many adult children of divorce or separation, it can be easy to focus on our limitations, brokenness, or past hurts. These wounds can cloud our vision—making it difficult to see ourselves as God sees us: known, loved, and chosen. Yet the Gospel reminds us that Jesus is the Divine Physician who longs to restore our sight and heal the deeper vision of our hearts.

For many adult children of divorce or separation, it can be difficult to let others, and even God, into the wounded places of our hearts. Like the Samaritan woman, we may carry shame, isolation, or walls built to protect ourselves. Yet Jesus meets us precisely there, thirsting for our faith and longing to offer us living water.

In this reflection, Fr. Carl connects the Call of Abram, St. Paul’s encouragement to persevere in hardship, and the Transfiguration of Jesus to our own healing journey as adult children of divorce and separation.

In this reflection, Fr. Carl meditates on the intimacy of God in the second creation account. He connects this powerful image to the Gospel of Jesus’ temptation in the desert, reminding us that being beloved does not mean being free from struggle.

In this Ash Wednesday reflection, Fr. Carl invites adult children of divorce and separation to enter Lent through true interior conversion. “Rend your hearts, not your garments.” While we receive ashes and practice external disciplines, the deeper work God desires is the healing of our hearts.

In this Lenten series, Fr. Carl, a Dominican priest of the Western Province and an adult child of divorce, shares personal reflections, Scripture, and prayer for those walking the path of healing as adult children of divorce or separation (ACODs). Fr. Carl speaks about how the wounds of his parents’ divorce affected him and how bringing those wounds into the light has become a source of grace and healing.