The Year of St. Joseph continues as we are between the great solemnity of Joseph, Husband of Mary and move towards my favorite Joseph celebration…St. Joseph the Worker on the first day of May. We also begin the with Palm Sunday the holiest week of the year as we enter into the passion, death and resurrection; the saving mystery of our Lord Jesus Christ. And while St. Joseph was not present at the passion we can still reflect on his place in the journey and how he presents to us a model for our understanding and living the paschal mystery as Christian disciples.
In Archbishop M. de Langalerie’s book “The Month of St. Joseph” he reminds us of the different virtues St. Joseph lived and how we are called to share in his example of loving Jesus and our Blessed Mother Mary. As St. Joseph lived the virtue of Prudence he continually sought the better and looked for the good in each action and job he was called to perform in his vocation as husband and father. “Prudence is a virtue that causes us to use the most appropriate means in which to arrive at a proposed end.” (p 102)
And what is this proposed end? “Christian prudence, unlike worldly prudence, proposes for its aim the eternal salvation of the soul, the glory of God, and the accomplishment of His adorable will. Christian prudence always looks beyond the terrestrial aim. This is the first law of Christian prudence.” (p 104) in other words it is very long way of saying our goal is Heaven.
During the upcoming Holy Week, we are called to act in prudence in choosing how best to celebrate and live our faith as St. Joseph did each day of his life. What are we doing to seek the eternal goal of heaven and how are we helping others to live their eternal goal? Giving glory to God is recognizing how many blessings we have received and continue to receive in love and hope. It may be looking at our Lenten promises and reflecting how we can carry them into the Easter season renewed in the light of Christ.
For me, it is the challenge of looking outward again. It can be a busy time and the pandemic has not made it easier but trusting in God’s love and grace we are able to look beyond and enter into a renewal of life that is only discovered in the cross leading us to resurrection.

God Bless
Fr. Mark