May: A Great Month

Greeetings readers! It is May 1, which means a great month is getting started. Why is it a great month, you ask? Well, for one thing, because it is under the patronage, you could say, of St. Joseph, and also of Mary. Today, May 1, is the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker. Did you know St. Joseph is such a significant saint in the Catholic tradition that he has two feast days? The other is on March 19. Technically March is “his” month, but I give him May, too,

As for Mary, in May we can pay special attention to the rosary: praying it, and learning its promises for its pray-ers, and contemplating the mysteries of her life alongside Jesus.

I will also point out that today begins the novena to Our Lady, Undoer of Knots, a devotion popularized by Pope Francis during his pontificate. I have been for years - it might even be a decade at this point - using Pray More Novenas to keep on top of celebrating feast days. They email the day’s pray to you each day leading up to the feast day celebration. You can see all they do here and sign up for Our Lady, Undoer of Knots here. The feast day is not actually until September 28, but I am guessing Pray More Novenas is prioritizing this one because ‘tis the month of Mary.

Another good one: May 13 is the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima. Huzzah! May is actually packed full of remembrances of special saints: St. Damian of Molokai (May 10), St. Phillip Neri (May 26), Joan of Arc (May 30), and the Visitation (May 31).

May 25 is also when the 50-day Easter season concludes. So, you are in good spiritual company this month as we move back into “ordinary time,” which, as we know, is just as important as a liturgical celebration. It is in the ordinary time that life really happens.

Lastly, I’ll put in a plug for my next radio appearance, which will be next Thursday, May 7 at about 8:25 am eastern. Find where you can listen here. Topic to be announced.

Have a blessed May!

Do a little spiritual spring cleaning

I enjoyed once again being on Morning Air this week, and speaking with Sarah Tafoya. Our topic was what it means to do a lil’ spiritual spring cleaning in the season of Easter. Listen here!

Bottom line: now is a great time to evaluate your spiritual life and decide what’s working and what you need more of. Since all of life goes through different seasons, we may unwittingly find ourselves “stuck” in a certain prayer routine without knowing why we are doing what we are doing, and feeling like we’re going through the motions. Sarah likened prayer to a relationship - it is! - and there is no relationship that would withstand years of stagnation and routine. Sometimes we just need to mix it up a bit and re-inject a little life.

I particularly enjoyed the part where we discussed the sometimes awkwardness of prayer, especially if you are praying spontaneously for the first time (like without a written or memorized thing to say), or just trying something new. As I mention in the conversation, prayer is between you and God; there is no one to impress or get it right for. If we can’t be vulnerable and really ourselves with God, where can we be? As I listen back to the conversation, I get in my mind the image of a wriggly newborn baby: totally dependent on its parents, barely able to see, unable to control its body. That’s like us before God. Don’t flatter yourself, you’re not impressive to God. He sees all our faults and shortcoming - and that’s a vulnerable feeling - and loves us entirely, none the less. So at the very least, we owe God our truthfulness.

May your spiritual spring cleaning be fruitful!

Welcoming little kids in church, and spiritual spring cleaning

I’m a little behind in getting you audio of my last interview on Relevant Radio. Last week, Sarah and I discussed how sometimes people are rude to small children and their families in church, and how these people need to get a grip. Kids should be welcome because they are the future of the church. And by the way, you were little once, too. You can listen here.

This week, on Thursday at about 8:20 am eastern, I am once again joining the Relevant Radio crew to talk about the idea of spiritual spring cleaning: that is, thinking of the spring, and especially Easter time, as a good oportunity to examine your prayer habit especially and decide what’s working, what needs to go, and what needs a refresh. Like if your rosary praying seems stale, what can you do about? Spring clean it! Find out where you can listen here.