Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today's Mass Readings

We have to confront brutal facts to get anywhere meaningful in life. How we think about the harder parts of life determines how we face reality. We can linger in denial or a false sense of naïve optimism instead of accepting reality and learning from it. A better way of thinking is to face reality with determination and realistic hope. Society does a disservice when it whitewashes hard things and puts them in a hermetically sealed bag. Let the reality of Jesus’ Cross speak to your heart this Lent. Can you face its pain? Will you embrace the hope in new life to come?

Face Forward: How do you confront the brutal reality of the Cross? How do you think about it?

Reflection by Br. Matthew Marie, OSB