As we approach this wonderful feast of the blessed Spouse of the Virgin Mary, Foster-Father of sour Lord, and Terror of Demons, we do well to meditate on the most profound and sublime saying of this magnificent patriarch:
“…”
Proving once again that the wise and virtuous man holds his tongue more often than not and is known for his deeds rather than his speech.
St. Joseph, pray for us (especially us husbands and dads)!
Today my only son turned 16.
He is a great blessing to me and my wife.
When he was born I remember an older sibling saying something to the effect of, “Don’t blink because they grow up so fast!”
I dismissed it as sentimental musings.
And yet here we are.
He’s grown up. Where on earth did that time go?!
Thanks be to God for all of His gifts to us, including the gift of time. I pray to use it wisely.
Just a friendly reminder that I’ll be starting a new StZ Rita novena on April 30. Don’t worry if you send a prayer intention later though. It’s an ongoing novena so I simply add it in and keep going.
Been under a significant risk for severe weather today (and another slated for tomorrow). They’re talking tornados and hail.
I’m not worried in the least. My “estate” is under the protection of the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts.
On a side note, I recently re-watched the JD Vance biopic Hillbilly Elegy. Highly recommend this if you can watch it with a filter. I’m still not sure why so many think it’s A-OK to take Our Lard’s name in vain. In any event, there is a scene in the beginning where young JD’s great-grandmother (an ancient woman ca. 1992) sits on a porch in a rocking chair in hill country Kentucky listening to a radio playing a sermon of Billy Graham. My wife turned to me and remarked that , “Other than the state being Kentucky and not Texas, and the radio playing Billy Graham and not Ann Barnhardt on your phone, that’s totally you!”
Decided to stick around a few minutes longer after Mass than I usually do this afternoon.
In my prayers of thanksgiving, I thanked Our Lord for His mercy and for His Sacrifice. I thanked Him for the grace not only of coming to the foot of His cross every day but for the love He has put into my heart to do so. I thought of the psalm from the Lavabo.
“Oh Lord, I have loved the beauty of Thy house and the place where Thy glory dwelleth.”
Then I remembered something a wonderful and holy priest once said while preaching at one of the many daily Masses in our parish wherein a child receives his first Holy Communion. The priest has since died so pray for his soul. Addressing the young girl about to receive he said, “When you receive Him, ask Him for whatever you want. He lives to be generous and lavish us with His gifts in this moment.”
So I thanked Him for His angels and saints who have been such a help and consolation to me in my prayers – saints like Rita and Padre Pio and my Guardian Angel.
As I lifted my head preparing to get up I glanced at the altar rail in front of me and saw this:
There, where it had not been moments earlier, was a single long-stemmed rose. Whether a sign from St. Rita about a prayer already being answered or a sign of God’s beauty reminding me of His majesty I cannot say, though I had the strong feeling it was more the former.
Regardless, this was a beautiful sign to me and an encouragement to persist in my prayers.
I hope you all find roses in your daily lives as well!
Happy feast of the Mother of Good Counsel! This is my favorite title of the Blessed Mother and it is under her patronage by this title that I have frequent recourse. I grew up in a parish named after her and I think the impact of the image of Good Counsel high above the original high altar always moved me to greater devotion to the Blessed Mother.
If you are unfamiliar with the story behind this feast, watch the video below. There is also a wonderful connection between Good Counsel and St. Rita of Cascia as it is the Augustinians who have been responsible for promoting the devotion throughout the centuries.
Mater Boni Consilii, Ora pro nobis!
In case anyone reading is not aware, I have a particular devotion to the saint of the impossible – St. Rita of Cascia. St. Rita has been very kind to me over many years and I thank God for this great friendship.
I pray an ongoing novena to her found here. Every nine days I start anew. For the past two years I have been asking readers if they have any particular intentions that I could add into this daily novena.
To my surprise, the list is now several pages long. And I don’t simply mention it once and then forget about it. Whatever anyone has asked me to pray for, I keep it on the list until I hear otherwise.
Yesterday I received a beautiful email from a man who had written in November asking for prayers for a particularly difficult situation. Turns out his prayer was answered in February and it just took him a little while to let me know. It’s all good. He got an extra few months of novena prayers!
Tonight I heard from a friend who is already on the list. She asks for prayers for an additional situation. It is done. I actually wonder sometimes how this came to me to be a sort of “apostle of Rita” if you will. But it is what I can do and I do it gladly.
If you have any intentions, please forward them to me by email. harvey@harveymillican.com . I will happily add you to the list and will pray until you tell me to stop.
St Rita of Cascia, Patron Saint of Impossible Causes, pray for us!
Please offer up a prayer to St. Rita for my intentions if you think of it.
Harvey Millican's Blog: Musings of a Trad Dad 