This morning's conversation - go to St. Joseph!

This morning I spoke with John Morales on Morning Air about St. Joseph, whose feast day is coming up on March 20 this year. March is the month of St. Joseph, and as he is our most powerful intercessor only after Mary, I say go to St. Joseph! You can hear the conversation here, which starts at minute 9:10. We discussed why St. Joseph is your go-to for work, family, and relationships, why men in particular can pray to him, what St. Joseph’s intercession means to me in my life, and John asked an excellent questions at the end, which is, why is it that St. Joseph is the “terror of demons?” My answer: because of his place in the Holy Family and his protection of Mary and Jesus, his ability to follow the Lord, and to therefore foil the enemy’s plans. St. Joseph, pray for us! And on that note, sign up for Pray More Novenas’s upcoming novena to St. Joseph.

I’ll next be on Morning Air in two weeks, on Tuesday, March 21 at my usual time of 7:10 am eastern. I think I am going to talk about taxes and what it means to render unto Caesar. Oh. boy!

The Pillar writes about L'Arche; March is the month of St. Joseph

Happy March, one and all! Here in the DC, a mild winter and early warm days have begun to bring about the beginning signs of spring. Everywhere, daffodils are exploding in bobbing pops of yellow, some pear and cherry trees are showing their full pink glory, and otherwise the irises and spring flowers are bringing their first green blades up from the ground. March is dedicated to St. Joseph, one of the greatest saints of the Church, as his feast day approaches on March 19. You can bet your buttons I will be doing a novena to him, and in the meantime, entrusting to him my needs around work, housing, and relationships, as he so deftly attends to these. Plus, he is the terror of demons! Go on, St Joseph!

In other news, the best, most impartial form of Catholic journalism out there is happening at The Pillar. I am a monthly subscriber, and you should be, too. I was grateful, and not surprised, that they recently took on the new revelations of Jean Vanier’s abuse in the L’Arche community, which he founded. I was honored to be asked by the excellent Pillar journalist Luke Coppen to share my experience as a member of the DC L’Arche community in light of the recent revelations in a story called “L’Arche after Vanier: ‘We’ve moved on from Jean’.” L’Arche Greater Washington, DC Executive Director Luke Smith also provided thoughtful context on how core family members themselves have, and are, processing the revelations, going back to the initial report in 2020.

It is true that, as I say in the interview, I cried all day. There was a Saturday in particular I remember feeling so utterly betrayed. But, I also mean it when I say - that really has nothing to do with us. Who L’Arche is, is not Jean. Better people than him were able to make something glorious and miraculous out of his strange form of “spirituality.” Everything I have encountered at L’Arche is very real. This news does not change that. And most importantly, it is example 1,000,000,000 of how nothing is ever over with God; He brings good out of bad and it is one of his defining characteristics. Life goes on, thanks be to God. He makes all things new.

Other things on my mind as Lent progresses: why ought we to add something, rather than take away something, during this time? Also, what is the value of going on a retreat, and why should more people take a spiritual retreat? More coming on these fronts for you.

May your Lent continue to be blessed and meaningful.

Ash Wednesday 2023

Happy Ash Wednesday! I realized today that it is a full ten years, going back to Ash Wednesday 2013, that I began my journey back into Catholicism, and to this moment as I write these words, here on a Catholic blog. I thank God for the gift of fidelity, and curiosity, and all the avenues He has opened up for me to learn and be with others as I get to know Him. I simply do not know what my life would look like, otherwise.

I attended a Stations of the Cross service this afternoon. There is something timeless about that tradition, where even if the words and reflections are slightly different from version to version, the eternal aspect is the same. These are real things that happened, these are the real last moments of Jesus’s life, which are engraved in time.

Yesterday, I spoke with John Morales and the Morning Air team about preparing one’s heart for Lent. It was a great conversation with a few ideas of things you can add, or give up, this season. Usually when I think of giving things up, yes I acknowledge we can do wine and chocolate and those basic things, but imagine if you gave up something that impacted, say, your ego. Or your own development of virtue. Like giving up gossip, or giving up having multiple browser tabs open! Focus.

You can listen to that conversation here.

I will leave you with something that was a part of my Lent a few years ago. It is a bit of scripture which, although I have never seen it on an Ash Wednesday, and maybe not even during Lent, it reads to me about the spirit of Lent - and specifically, of how we should approach God now, and always.

Sirach 35:1-13:

To keep the law is to make many offerings;

whoever observes the commandments sacrifices a peace offering.

By works of charity one offers fine flour,

and one who gives alms presents a sacrifice of praise.

To refrain from evil pleases the Lord,

and to avoid injustice is atonement.

Do not appear before the Lord empty-handed,

for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the precepts.

The offering of the just enriches the altar:

a sweet odor before the Most High.

The sacrifice of the just is accepted,

never to be forgotten.

With a generous spirit pay homage to the Lord,

and do not spare your freewill gifts.

With each contribution show a cheerful countenance,

and pay your tithes in a spirit of joy.

Give to the Most High as he has given to you,

generously, according to your means.

For he is a God who always repays

and will give back to you sevenfold.

What a concept! Give, give generously, give generously and cheerfully - for that is how God gives to you. Meditation on God’s generosity in your life - now there’s a Lenten theme for you.

Be well! And may you have a fruitful Lent.