Today as we celebrate the feast day of the great St. Joseph, I hope you are not just worrying about getting your Italian cookies. St. Joseph is such a powerful example to us mainstream Catholics and Christians as well. His obedience to God's requests brought the world Jesus Christ. His protection of the Virgin Mary and Jesus caused such a revolution that we are still contemplating the consequences. St. Joseph was a terrific husband and father and now is a great time to look to him for guidance. Look at his conversation with God's messenger in the Bible. Look at how he stood by his commitment to our Mother Mary when there was immense pressure to walk away. Look how he moved his family quickly to safety every time the leaders of the time changed their minds. Look at his influence on Jesus. Now more than ever, when many men are turning their backs on their own children, Joseph is the perfect example of what a real man does. His devotion and allegiance to Mary and Jesus is really quiet shocking in modern day terms. But that is why God chose Joseph, isn't it? God knew that the world would look at Joseph as a role model and so God chose carefully. So today as you pause to consider your life, ask God to give you the wisdom, patience, loyalty, and grace that Joseph was given.
I am just beginning to dive into the beautiful, ancient devotion to the Five Wounds of Jesus, and I wanted to share a bit of the journey with you. It can feel a little overwhelming at first to look at the Crucifix this closely, but I’ve found such a gentle guide in St. Bernard of Clairvaux . In his Jubilee Rhythm on the Passion, Bernard doesn't treat the wounds of Jesus as distant historical facts or sights to be avoided. Instead, he approaches them with the tenderness of a friend, speaking directly to the feet, hands, side, and face of our Lord. For someone like me who is just starting out, his rhythm teaches that prayer isn't just about reciting words; it’s a holy hide-and-seek. Bernard invites us to literally hide ourselves within these wounds, seeing them as clefts in the rock where we can find shelter when our own lives feel turbulent or heavy. As I start this process, I’ve been practicing what I call gazing and greeting. Following Bernard’s lead, I look at the Crucifix an...