Christ likens the Kingdom of Heaven to a mustard seed. That starts as “the smallest of all the seeds” yet becomes the “largest of plants”. Something others can live in. Many attribute this parable to the Church, which started with only the Twelve, and became the largest Religious Institution in the world. But we may also look at it from the personal level. Ones own faith.

For many of us, our faith begins as a private endeavor. Whether you’re a convert or a cradle, we can all identify the moment our walk began. And the mustard seed of the word being planted in our hearts is the first step of faith.

However, how often does our faith remain a private matter? Society today tells us to keep our views to ourselves and not to “force it onto others”. Sometimes, we apply this to even out own families and loved ones. For fear of coercion or feeling pushy, we avoid occasions of encouraging our loved ones in the faith, or seek to supporting them in their walk. We don’t speak, we don’t invite, we don’t lead.

The mustard seed of faith planted in our hearts is supposed to blossom, grow, and spread out to cover others. Faith that remains private is not yet mature. Our lives are supposed to become something where others can find rest because of our faith, most especially our families. When this happens, we become the good and faithful steward who will be set over much (cf. Matt 25:21).

Through Joseph’s Heart

St. Joseph guides us in stewardship through his own service.

St. Joseph’s entire life was poured out in service, whether in the home or the workshop.

His service was a product of his faith, which enabled him to overcome the bitter trials of his life. HIs responsibility to guard and cover Jesus and Mary. To exercise discernment and prudence, not for his own sake, but for the sake of others.

His life became a refuge for the Holy Family. And now he serves as s refuge for the Church as Patron of the Universal Church

The Lord set him over much, because he was faithful in the little things first. Joseph is the blessed man who is like a tree that yields its fruit (cf. Psalm 1). We too are called to be the firmly planted tree that covers the ones we live for.

Ordinary Monasticism

As Ordinary Monastics, we can imitate Joseph’s stewardship through our own almsgiving.

In order to be set over great things, we must prove faithful over small things. We cannot expect to lead our families and cover them with our branches if we are not watering the seed of faith planted in our hearts. Faithfulness in small things allows the seed to grow.

• Practice: Make one intentional act of service daily. When we become conscious of doing good to others and seeking out the opportunity, we will be amazed by the number of occasions presented to us. This will start with small things; holding the door, making eye contact when expressing thanks and welcomes. Greeting people good morning when you walk past them. Cleaning or doing a task without your spouse having to ask you. These small things add up. They make a difference in the people you encounter, and they begin to make a difference in you.

Pray Constantly, Fast Often, Love Always

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After my wife and I exchanged our vows, the Offertory Hymn was the Servant Song. It is a song that effectively recalls what we had just promised.

“Will you let me be your servant,

let me be as Christ to you”.

This is the call of marriage, and really the entire Christian life. We are called to be another Christ for those around us.

In His instruction to the Apostles as they are sent out, Christ tells them, “whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me”.

As I am sent out in my vocation of marriage, and as every Christian is sent out in the vocation of discipleship, the question becomes this:

When people encounter me, do they encounter Christ?

The Lord says, “whoever receives you receives me.” But that is not automatic. People may encounter my personality, my mood, my impatience, my distractions, or any another deficiency and imperfection, but do they encounter Him?

This demands honesty and self examination. Am I showing people the love of Christ?

Oftentimes, we allow the demands of modern life to cause the Christ in us to fall asleep. Like the apostles in the storm, we only turn to Him in times of distress.

But when He is asleep in us, He is hidden from others.

We are called to bear witness to the love of Jesus. Whoever receives us receives Him. But we cannot give Him if we do not first carry Him ourselves.

Through Joseph’s Heart

Joseph guides us in witness through his silence.

Everything Joseph did was pointed to Christ. He is called the “just man” and this means that he lived in continual union and abandonment to the will of God. God was alive in Him, so he was prepared for others to encounter the Lord within himself.

He held the Child Jesus in his arms, but he most importantly held Him in his heart. Wherever he went, Christ was present.

He was happy to decrease, that the Lord may increase. “It is not longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).

Ordinary Monasticism

As Ordinary Monastics, we can imitate Joseph’s witness through our own prayer.

It is impossible to love God without prayer. And it is impossible for the love of God to be alive in us, without prayer.

For, “we pray we live, because we live as we pray” (CCC 2725).

Prayer is not an option, it is how Christ remains alive in us.

• Practice: Begin developing a prayer rule.

A prayer rule is essential if we want to pray daily. Having routine times to pray is the beginning of a fruitful prayer life because, “we cannot pray ‘at all times’ if we do not pray at specific times” (CCC 2697).

Start with simple prayers. Say an Our Father in the morning, at midday, and in the evening. And if you don’t feel like praying, do it anyways. Whose voice do you think it is telling you not to?

If we do not pray, people will encounter only us. If we do, they will encounter Christ.

Prayer is the way.

Pray Constantly, Fast Often, Love Always

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Jesus Christ is our peace. He calms the storms in our heart and promises His consolation. The Disciples were afraid and uncertain. Christ gave them Peace, and they rejoiced at His presence.

This peace is not the absence of pain, but the presence of Christ within it. And this peace gives us joy.

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The connection between Peace and Joy has been a focus of my own personal prayer lately. It is the radical call of the Christian to be joyful in all things. Scripture instructs us to rejoice even in our sufferings. Yet without the Lord’s peace, this is impossible. Without it, our suffering overwhelms us. It causes us to stumble and we become restless and unstable.

How often does this happen in our own lives? A difficult conversation with your spouse. A frustrating day at work. Small inconveniences that slowly wear down your patience. We allow these moments to disturb us. We become frustrated, anxious, or discouraged. And in doing so, we fall short of the joy we are called to live. We lack the clarity necessary to identify our suffering as a means to draw closer to the Heart of Jesus.

When suffering comes, we rarely remain in it with Christ. Instead, we try to escape it. We turn to distractions, comforts, and pleasures to ease our pain. But these things do not give us peace. They may give us some momentary reprieve, but they only delay the encounter. And when they pass, we are left in the same place, or perhaps worse off than before.

But the peace of Christ enables us to face our suffering, and be joyful within it.

Joyful suffering makes us holy.

Through Joseph’s Heart

Joseph guides us in peace through his own silence.

Joseph was not without uncertainty. The news of Mary’s pregnancy troubled him deeply. And yet, he does not react impulsively. He does not seek control or immediate resolution. Instead, he remains in silence. Joseph’s silence allowed him to be present to God always. Because of his silence, he was prepared to hear the Lord speak to him, even in his sleep.

Joseph shows us that peace is not found by running from our pain, but by remaining present to God within it.

He doesn’t just “feel peace”, he endured in silence long enough to encounter it.

Ordinary Monasticism

As Ordinary Monastics, we can imitate Joseph’s peace through our own prayer.

Prayer is how we remain present to God. If we are not rooted in Christ, we cannot have His peace. And if we do not have His peace, we cannot have His joy. We attain His joy by abiding in Him. And we abide in Him through prayer.

• Practice: Pray the Angelus. Three times a day; 6am, 12pm, 6pm. Sanctify the hours of your day with this simple prayer. Begin with an Our Father, say the Angelus, end with a Glory Be. It takes 3 minutes and allows us to be recollected in the Lord and His incarnation throughout the day.

Scripture instructs us to pray without ceasing. This is not a recommendation, it is a command. A divine instruction on how to abide in Christ.

Pray always

Prayer predisposes us to the joy of Christ

Prayer enables us to suffer well

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We work, we commute, we complete tasks, only to return home thinking the hard part is finally over. As if work were something to get through, rather than something to be redeemed.

But St. Joseph the Worker stands quietly in contradiction to this.

He does not separate work from life. He sanctifies it.

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Work is not a result of the Fall. It is not a punishment to endure. From the beginning, man was placed in the garden “to till and to keep” (Gen 2:15). Work is good. Work is necessary. Work is Holy.

Man was made to work

Modern life disfigures this truth. We speak of “work” and “life” as though they are opposed. Our obsession with the work-life balance seeks to strip the “work” out of life.

But Scripture leaves no room for this division:

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” - Colossians 3:17

“Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men” - Colossians 3:23.

Everything can be offered. Everything can be sanctified. Everything can become prayer.

Work is all encompassing.

A Work Most Excellent

Within this universal call to sanctify our work, there is a hierarchy.

There is a work most excellent. Most necessary. And most closely united to the heart of St. Joseph.

The work of the home.

St. Joseph, the Patron of Workers, whose feast we celebrate today, is also the Glory of Domestic Life. Because there is no greater work than that of the home.

The home is not secondary.

It is man’s first work.

It is the greatest and most necessary work of man.

No external success can replace it.

No personal accomplishment can justify its neglect.

Joseph understood and lived this. His carpentry supported and served his primary vocation. His Family.

His glory is not found in what he built in his workshop, but rather in what he built in his home.

In a way, the home becomes its own workshop. It is the place where souls are formed, where virtue is learned, where the Faith is not simply taught, but lived. The Church calls it the Domestic Church because it is here that the life of God takes root in the ordinary rhythms of daily life.

St. Joseph would have gathered the Holy Family in prayer. He would have ordered the life of his home toward God. And in this hidden fidelity, he was entrusted with something unthinkable, to father a household that contained both the most perfect creature, Mary, and the Creator Himself, Jesus.

See what glory is given to simple home life by the headship of Joseph.

Ordinary Monasticism

Modern life leads us to believe that our work is finished when we finally come home.

St. Joseph reveals the opposite.

As Ordinary Monastics, we can imitate Joseph’s home life by our own service.

Each task in the home is an opportunity to serve your family, and to glorify God. Every meal cooked, dish washed, garbage taken out. The hidden, repetitive, and often unnoticed duties of home life. It demands patience, sacrifice, and a daily death to self. And it is how you will become a Saint.

This is when the true work begins.

It is here, in the home that souls are formed, virtue is practiced, and God is glorified.

You don’t need more impressive work to become holy.

You need greater fidelity to the work already entrusted to you.

Enter through Joseph’s Heart.

Pray Constantly, Fast Often, Love Always

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These are the words written to my fiancee and I from our Diocesan Bishop. It is a calling and reminder that marriage is a legitimate path to sanctity and indeed, marriage makes you holy.

It is with this zeal for sanctity and service to God that I am entering into my wedding day. As of April 11, 2026, I will be a husband.

From this day on, I will be judged by the Almighty based on one thing: Was I a good husband.

It is the greatest responsibility I am going to have in this world. And I’m ready.

This platform is built around St. Joseph and the unique spiritually curated by a devotion to him. We have seen massive growth recently which has no doubt been thanks to his intercession. St. Joseph has been preparing me for this responsibility and has become my model and guide for spousal love and intimacy with Christ.

Through his example of silence, sacrifice, and service. I pray that I may be a good and holy husband.

Pray for me, and for my beautiful bride. As we enter into this new chapter of life.

We will be away for our honeymoon immediately following the wedding and thus, there will no new posts through the month of April. I hope to be back in full swing come next month once things settle down upon our return.

In the meantime, I would urge you to go through my archive and the many articles i’ve published. I hope they may be nourishing and edifying for you all during this small hiatus.

Thank you all for your support, and prayers. This platform has become so much more than I thought it would and I can’t wait to continue this work as I step into the fullness of my vocation.

Pray Constantly, Fast Often, Love Always

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As I’ve prepared for marriage and all the responsibility that will fall on me as a husband, I’ve benefited greatly from meditating on an important truth of marriage. One that gets to the very root of love. One that is perfectly revealed in the Passion.

Marriage is a cross.

You Have Found Your Cross

There is a tradition in the Croatian wedding liturgy that involves the couple saying their wedding vows over a Crucifix. They hold it together as they promise themselves to one another for life, and then kiss it. This same cross is then placed above their bed as a sign of their Covenant. During the ceremony, the priest will typically say these words as part of the blessing;

”You have found your cross. It is a cross to be loved, to be carried, a cross not to be thrown off, but rather cherished”.

This prayer gets to the heart of the Cruciform Nature of Marriage.

Marriage is a cross meant to be carried. It is not made for your comfort or your happiness. No, marriage was made for your holiness and sanctification.

Your spouse, while being a source of great joy, may also be the whetstone against which you are sharpened. Marriage places you in positions in which you must exercise great love, even when you do not feel like it.

Love is a choice you make every single day, not a feeling. It is the choice to stay when the world tells you to run. This unwavering of marital love is the foundation for all that the couple is called to.

Without love, they cannot bear the cross. With love, they can endure anything.

Love Never Fails.

Following the words of Jesus, we are called to pick up our cross daily and follow Him. For the married person, this also means being Simon of Cyrene and bearing the cross your spouse.

The hidden cross of marriage is its mutual bearing of one another’s shortcomings, faults and wounds.

Wounds

Often in marriage, couples experience the wounds of their past resurfacing in unique ways. This is because, in opening ourselves up, our wounds too become exposed. When I first started dating my beautiful fiancee, I thought I had done a lot of work on myself in healing. However, from the second we started dating, all of my insecurities, past trauma and disordered fears came rushing back to the surface. Wounds I thought long buried had resurfaced. It felt like a full regression. It would have been easy to interpret this as a sign to walk away. And seeing as I had just come out of a priestly discernment, it could have been easy to suggest this.

However, thinking in this way fails to recognize that Good Friday comes before Easter Sunday.

I had not yet picked up my cross. I ignored my old wounds and thought they were gone. Rather, they were only pushed down and suppressed. The moment I opened myself up, they came rushing back.

Your vocation is meant to break you open. To rip you apart and reveal all your ugliness, only for it to then be touched by the Lord, and indeed your beloved.

Wounds cannot be mended until they are revealed. The doctor cannot heal from above the bandage. Likewise, our wounds cannot be loved until they are seen. And we are indeed called to love the wounds of our beloved.

Our Lord Himself bore His wounds to us. He Himself wept before us. He did not hide his wounds. He revealed them. And in doing so, He transformed them.

The cruciform nature of marriage means to bear your wounds to one another, open and naked. To be loved and adored by your beloved, and to love and adore them.

Adam and Eve became ashamed in the garden, but Jesus shows us to bear our wounds and “nakedness” without shame. We are called simply to love. And there is no greater love than this; to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (cf. John 15:13).

Marriage is not the avoidance of the Cross. It is the place where the Cross is lived. The Cross is no longer an idea, but a person whom you are called to love.

Pray for me, and my beautiful bride. That we may be always faithful to the Cross we’ve been given.

Pray Constantly, Fast Often, Love Always.

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The triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem is a paradox. The King is being welcomed and celebrated with singing and palm branches. But in reality, he is being led into the slaughterhouse, by His own will, on His own accord.

He’s on His way to suffer.

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Modern life is allergic to suffering. Man will do anything in their power to avoid it. The mere presence of suffering is often used as an argument against God’s existence. If God is so good, then why are we allowed to suffer?

This question crumbles at the foot of the cross. Our Lord Himself willingly suffered and indeed chose it freely. He is our model and example for how we are to achieve salvation.

By and through the cross.

How often do we self-medicate so as to avoid the discomforts of life? Food, drink, entertainment. We all find things to help make us feel better when we’re feeling down or to seek some form of reprieve. Sometimes, this can spill over into sinful habits that result in lust, gluttony, or sloth. We must be prepared to endure moments and seasons of discomfort. When we enter into suffering willingly, we are arming ourselves for the storms to come.

God does not promise the storm to go away. Rather, He promises to be with us in the midst of them.

Through Joseph’s Heart

Joseph guides us in endurance through his own sacrifice.

Christ tells us; “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).

Joseph laid down his life daily for the Holy Family. He sacrificed his own comforts for the sake of Jesus and Mary. This sacrifice led him into the uncertainty of Mary’s pregnancy, the lowliness of the manger, all the way into Egypt and back again. No doubt during the travels of the Holy Family, Joseph would have foregone a meal, or endured a sleepless night to keep watch. This was his lot. He was called to man his post and endure the thankless work of silent duty.

He knew it would hurt. He did it anyways.

Ordinary Monasticism

As Ordinary Monastics, we can imitate Joseph’s endurance through our own prayer.

Joseph’s only consolation came in the form of messages in his dreams. This indicates a closeness to God only cultivated through a deep interior prayer life. It was only by being firmly rooted in prayer first that his heart was opened to hear the Angel speak to him.

Throughout the Gospel, Christ continually displays His closeness to the Father. In the Passion, this is displayed in the Agony, when only after praying to the Father and surrendering Himself is He finally consoled. Suffering is not removed in prayer, but transformed.

So too for us. It is only through prayer that we may endure suffering.

The comfort we seek from worldly things is temporary. But the consolation of God is eternal. “Jesus said to her, ‘Every one who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst’” (John 4:13-14).

Practice:

Meditate upon the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. Contemplate the sufferings of Christ’s Passion and prepare your heart to enter into the Paschal Mystery of your own life.

Let this be your prayer: “not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39).

Surrender yourself to God. Welcome the suffering that comes, and rejoice in the opportunity to share in the Cross of Christ.

Christ walked in triumphant, and continued walking all the way to Calvary. We’re called to follow Him there.

Pray Constantly, Fast Often, Love Always

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Silence is the remedy to the world’s noise. The life of a lay person is full of noise and we can learn a lot from the silence of Joseph.

For Joseph is silence that demands attention.

Silence that calls for reflection.

His silence reveals more about his character than any lofty prayer or eloquent sermon.

For in his silence, a deeper lesson is revealed in the one thing we know he said:

The Holy Name of Jesus.

The Sole Word

“And he called his name Jesus” (Matthew 1:25).

Joseph named Jesus.

“He was the first to speak the greatest word ever spoken” (Fr. Boniface Hicks, Through the Heart of St. Joseph).

The most Holy Name.

“The name that is above every other name”. The name to which “every knee shall bend, in the Heavens, on the earth, and under the earth” (Phil 2: 9-10).

This is the sole word of a silent man.

Joseph’s silence is not passivity. It is self control and a rightly ordered disposition to one thing that matters in life. That is, loving God and serving Him. Everything he did, he did for God, and his only word is evidence of this.

His sole word reveals his sole desire:

Jesus.

Everything he did:

Jesus.

Everything he was:

Jesus.

Throughout his entire life, everything was simply:

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.

The Name of Jesus took flesh in Joseph’s daily life. It was present in his work, in the care of the home, and in the quiet fulfillment of his duties. The same Name he spoke was the reason he labored, the reason he rose, and the reason he remained faithful in all that he did.

He uttered the only word worth uttering. The Word of Life. And this Word gave him life. And this Word was his life.

So if he, the silent one, spoke only the Name of Salvation, what shall we say about the countless words that fill our own days?

The Power of Our Words

“O Lord open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise” (Psalm 51:17).

What comes out when we open our mouths to speak? Whether it be complaining, gossip, self-loathing or the like, how often do we waste our precious words on things not conducive to our salvation, or to the Glory of God?

“Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for edifying, as fits the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear” (Eph 4:29).

Our words are powerful. They reveal our desires, our intentions, and the state of our heart and soul. We must take great care in what we say. For “the tongue is a fire…With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing” (James 3:6a, 9-10a)

If what comes out of a man defiles him (cf. Matt 15:11), then what comes out can also edify him. And there is nothing more edifying or fitting for the occasion than the Holy Name of Jesus.

Anchored in the Name

The Name guides our steps, as it guided Joseph. And we too, like Joseph, must let the Name take root, and direct all that we do.

For when the Name is on our lips, no evil can enter our heart.

• Practice: Meditate on the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus. Let the Name dwell on your lips until it begins to shape your thoughts, your speech, and your desires. The name of Jesus blocks out the world’s noise and Joseph prepares us to contemplate the Name.

For a silent heart is one that contemplates Christ.

Joseph is the model for the contemplative life. For all his thoughts, words, and deeds can be summed up in his one word:

Jesus.

He lived for Jesus. He loved Jesus. He served Jesus.

The world is loud because it speaks without first listening.

Joseph listened first.

And when he finally spoke.

He spoke the name of Jesus.

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Jesus is the cause for division. He Himself testified to this when he said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s foes will be those of his own household” (Matthew 10:34-36).

This division rests upon the fundamental question we are all eventually confronted with, “who is Jesus?”.

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He Himself poses this question to the Apostles, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?”…“But who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:13-15).

Your entire life depends on who Jesus is to you. How you live; how you think, how you talk, how you act, how you treat others. Your whole being rests on who you say He is. And in an era of increasing religious indifference or the far worse “pluralism”, the critical question of who Jesus is becomes an afterthought. We spend countless hours debating politics or global affairs, building our careers and obsessing over our health, but we forget the One thing that truly matters.

Jesus Christ is either Lord of all, or He isn’t Lord at all.

There is no in between.

People talk about having priorities. A hierarchy of things that are important to them. And faith is something that’s just part of their life. It fits into the bigger picture of who they are. We often find ourselves juggling one over the other and eventually, something gets neglected. Your other interests and wants may occupy the same space as your faith, and often, it gets pushed to the side.

The reality is however, this is incompatible with the life of Faith. There truly is only the one Priority, and everything else that is good flows from that. “But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides” (Matthew 6:33).

You may hear people say the Church needs to “get with the times” or to stop being so rigid. The reality is, the issue was never the “times” or rigidity for its own sake. It is recognizing the Lordship of Whom she bends the knee to. The Sovereignty of God is such that He reigns over your whole life, or you allow something else to instead. Indifference is not an option.

“For that person must not suppose that a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways, will receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:8).

To seek His Kingdom, we must be single-minded. Fully aware, confident, and sure of the One thing that matters.

Through Joseph’s Heart

Joseph guides us in single-mindedness through his silence.

The double-minded man entertains noise. He is pulled in many directions, often none of which that lead toward God. Joseph’s silence allowed him to acknowledge the Lordship of God and to render all things onto and under Him. He had no priorities, just one Priority. His single-mindedness enabled him to love God and neighbor without compromise.

His ability to take action when called upon by the Angel displays his readiness, and his singular focus on the Most High.

Ordinary Monasticism

As Ordinary Monastics, we can imitate Joseph’s single-mindedness through our own prayer.

Prayer, in its simplest sense, is just time spent with God. Whatever you find yourself doing, you can offer it up to God. Gazing upon a crucifix can be a prayer. Exercise can be a prayer. Cooking a meal can be a prayer. What makes it prayer is ones disposition while doing it, not the matter or form by which it is performed.

When they are consciously offered to God, even ordinary tasks can become prayer. And when a person is single-minded, and pursuing the Lord first and foremost, their entire life becomes a prayer. Because it will be impossible to not pray.

• Practice: Pray Psalm 95(94) every morning. Psalm 95 is known as the Invitatory and is the most common opening Psalm for Morning Prayer in the liturgy of the hours. It is a psalm that extols God goodness, Lordship above all creation, calls for praise and worship to Him, and also warns against double-mindedness and hardening of the heart toward God. “O that today you would listen to His voice; harden not your hearts…”.

Love God first, and then all things for His sake.

Come and rest in St. Joseph’s Heart, that you may learn to:

Pray Constantly, Fast Often, Love Always

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The woman at the well is in a way, the first evangelist. Her courage and zeal to immediately go and proclaim Christ after encountering Him is inspiring. Evangelization is a tricky thing. Especially nowadays when relativism is the new norm, “you do you, and I’ll do me”. Modern culture insists that faith remain private and a personal conviction rather than a public truth.

But this is contradictory to the direct command of Christ. In the Great Commission, we are instructed to go and “make disciples of all nations”, and to “teach [them] to observe all that [He] [has] commanded”.

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Oftentimes, sharing our faith can feel difficult or impossible. We’re scared of being embarrassed or creating an awkward moment. Especially in the workplace when oftentimes it feels like our job depends on keeping our personal views private. And when we have a family and those whose wellbeing we are responsible for, we must exercise prudence in how we present our faith. But there is a way to evangelize even in these environments.

What we do often matters more than what we say. Wearing a cross, saying grace before we eat, and generally talking about our faith when people ask (going to Mass over the weekend, holy hours, etc) are all subtle ways we can make our faith known. However, our conduct must be becoming of a Christian and one who is called to be salt and light.

The credibility of our witness rests more on our character than our words.

Evangelization can look like the woman at the well, proclaiming Christ loudly. Other times, it can be of a more quiet sort.

One that rests more on what people see rather than what they hear.

Through Joseph’s Heart

Joseph guides us in authentic witness through his silence.

Paradoxically, silent witness is as strong of an evangelization tool as loud proclaiming. Both are bold, both are holy. In Gaudete et Exsultate, Pope Francis reminded us that, “we are all called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves”.

St. Joseph lived this every day. There are no recorded words of Joseph in Scripture, yet his example for us is eternally relevant. He simply showed up and did his duty. He understood very well that “actions speak louder than words” and he led with integrity in his actions.

This is also evident in his own “Annunciation”. Joseph shows there is more than one way to say “yes” to God and serve Him. The same is true for evangelization. Where Mary uttered her glorious fiat out loud, Joseph responded with silent action. His silence allowed him to act accordingly. And that right action is shown in his witness.

Joseph evangelizes by showing up.

Ordinary Monasticism

As Ordinary Monastics, we can imitate Joseph’s authentic witness through our own almsgiving.

We can be silent in words, but heard in our good deeds.

Being a generally kind person goes a long way in making an impression on those around us. Always having a smile on your face, greeting people warmly, and doing your job well. These are all actions that serve the Kingdom. Joseph didn’t serve God through miracles, great works and mighty preaching. He did it through simple and often unseen fidelity to his daily tasks.

• Practice: Focus on doing your job well. Greet others with a smile. Whether you’re a professional or a student, put your all into everything you do. “Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men” (Col 3:23). Strive for excellence in your work, that others may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven. And should they commend you for your good deeds, give due glory to Whom it is for. Our diligence becomes almsgiving when we become a gift to others.

The Love of God is meant to flow through us into others. That our good conduct may spark something in them. We are here to plant the seeds, and let God do the rest.

Come and rest in St. Joseph’s Heart, that you may learn to:

Pray Constantly, Fast Often, Love Always

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The Transfiguration is a glorious image, “his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light”. There is tons of typology and symbolism packed into it. Christ reveals himself in a glorious state and converses with the Law (Moses), and the Prophets (Elijah). However, only three of the twelve apostles even got to see it.

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Throughout the Gospels, we see a sort of “Inner Circle” that was formed of Peter, James and John. The closest Apostles of Christ who were seemingly allowed to see more than the rest. One must consider, how did the other nine feel knowing certain things were kept from them? Or at least not granted to them.

When we consider their reaction when James and John ask for seats of power, it’s easy to imagine similar moments occurring throughout Christ’s ministry. Remember, they didn’t have the Holy Spirit yet. And they all fled at Gethsemane.

Contemplating their potential reactions or questioning makes me think of the Litany of Humility and some of its petitions. No doubt the other Apostles had to practice great humility. Even Paul, who wasn’t even an original follower, but rather a persecutor, was eventually called and went on to be the “Apostle to the Gentiles”.

The humility some of the Apostles had to exercise would have been violent.

Violent to pride

Violent ego

Violent to the desire to be seen.

A complete abandonment of self and giving over to the Divine Providence.

Something we too need exercise in.

Part of humility is how we respond when God gives to others what He does not give to us. When somebody gets a promotion ahead of you, or commended in a meeting by others. Oftentimes our good deeds go unnoticed. Others get recognized when we don’t. For the Apostles, though they were called, some got to see and do more.

This in itself is a cross. Being overlooked, being second, going unseen.

St. Joseph’s Heart

Joseph guides us in humility through his own sacrifice. Joseph was of the line of David. He is royalty, and according to the Davidic covenant, he was the heir to the throne of Israel. Joseph himself was aware of this. It’’s why he went to Bethlehem for the census, and the Angel too, calls him “Son of David”. He belongs on the throne.

However, he relinquished earthly prestige and worldly glory, though it was his to claim. He abdicated his birthright in greater service to the true King that was promised to come. Joseph looked past the earthly kingdom to the Eternal Kingdom thats fulfillment was unfolding right in front him. Right in his own arms.

His sacrifice is evident in the life he lived. Uncertainty, poverty, and obscurity. All for the sake of the Kingdom.

How little are we willing to become for the sake of the Kingdom?

Ordinary Monasticism

As Ordinary Monastics, we can imitate Joseph’s humility through our own almsgiving.

When we are generous with others, we begin to think less of ourselves. We spend less time thinking about our own wants and needs and “regard others as more important than [us]” Phil 2:3.

• Practice: Make one unique sacrifice. Small or big. Whether it’s watching the movie someone else wants, going to a different restaurant, or perhaps a personal sacrifice of something you enjoy. Say no to yourself. And do not ever catch yourself complaining, even to yourself.

If we can say no to ourselves, we can then say yes to God. And when we do this, we unlock the true joy and peace Christ promises us rather than worldly glory. And should we happen to also gain glory, we owe it all to whom the glory is ultimately given.

Come and rest in St. Joseph’s Heart, that you may learn to:

Pray Constantly, Fast Often, Love Always.

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We have arrived at Ash Wednesday and the start of the Liturgical Season of Lent.

Our forty days in the desert begin with a solemn reminder. We are dust.

“All go to one place; all are from the dust, and all turn to dust again” (Ecc 3:20).

This is not to make us feel bad or our life seem pointless. Rather, it is to remind us of our littleness to the greatness of God.

God is Sovereign Lord over all and "Heaven and earth will pass away, but [His] words will not pass away". He is the source of our coming and going, our rising and our laying down. Whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

We often allow ourselves to be enveloped with worldly cares and these can prevent us from serving God fully. When we prioritize the creature over the Creator, we lost sight of our purpose.

“If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builder’s labor”

“Vanity of vanities! All is vanity”

We are called to serve the Lord. This earthly pilgrimage we call life is meant to prepare us for the life to come. We are dust, and we will return to dust. We must not waste away our time on things that do not concern the Lord. Our time here is short, and we are meant to serve Him.

Through Joseph’s Heart

Joseph guides us in littleness through his service.

Joseph was utterly unconcerned with worldly matters. He knew his place and manned his post. Everything he did was at the service of his greater vocation. Uncertainty of his wife’s pregnancy, being displaced from his home, making a meager wage and facing poverty. He had plenty of reasons to fall into passivity. But he put his head down and simply served the Lord and glorified God in his work.

He knew where he came from, and he knew where he was going.

He had a mission during the time in between.

His merit was found in having done his duty.

Ordinary Monasticism

As Ordinary Monastics, we can imitate Joseph’s littleness through our own almsgiving.

To be little means to think less of yourself in favor of the other. To put the concerns and needs of those around us before our own.

When we remove worldly cares from ourselves, we are free to serve others.

• Practice: Pray the Litany of Humility. This litany will crush your ego if you aren’t ready for it. You may even question some of its petitions. Remember the words of your Lord: “I am meek and humble of heart”. We are called to imitate Christ in His humility. When we empty ourselves in humility and become little, we become open and free to serve.

Pray this litany as much as you can throughout Lent. Remember the words you heard at the beginning of the season. “You are dust, and to dust you shall return”.

I hope you all have a very prayerful and spiritually enriching Lent.

Come and rest in St. Joseph’s Heart, that you may learn to:

Pray Constantly, Fast Often, Love Always

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The Temptation of Jesus is a powerful and revealing scene. Before the miracles, before the wonders and great teachings. The Christ allowed Himself to be “led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil”.

Temptation is something we all encounter. While temptation does not come from God, see James 1:13-14, He may permit them so that by overcoming them, we increase in virtue and holiness.

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We can often view temptation as a sign of weakness, or that by experiencing them, we are already failing. But the Gospel reading reveals otherwise. Our Lord Himself was tempted. And we know that He did not sin. Therefore, the experience of temptation cannot in of itself be an indication of vice or sinful desire.

Temptations can spring up when we are seeking gratification, or in the midst of discomfort. Christ was fasting, and the devil tempted him with food. Christ is Almighty, but lowered himself to be human, and the devil tempted Him with power.

For ourselves, resisting temptations can mean choosing to remain in discomfort rather than the means to relieve it. If conceded to, sexual frustration can boil over into lustful action. Hunger, to gluttony. Anger, to wrath.

But the Gospel reveals the fundamental truth of why temptations happen, and what the result of persevering will be: You will receive consolation from God. And that consolation and joy will be far greater than the temporary gratification sin promises.

God does not promise that the storm will never come. Rather He promises to be with us in the midst of them.

He will comfort you and give you everything that you need.

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you. Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you”.

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, and strengthen you” (1 Peter 5:6-7, 10).

Through Joseph’s Heart

Joseph guides us in perseverance through his silence.

Silence doesn’t eliminate temptation. It stops us from entertaining it.

When temptations creep in, only the silence of an untroubled and undivided heart can block out its noise. God speaks to us through the silence of our hearts. When we don’t cultivate an interior life of silence, we leave the door open for the noise of sin to enter.

Joseph’s silence allowed him to resist the urge to act on impulse whenever confronted by discomfort. He persevered and chose obedience. The only way he could have responded swiftly to take the Holy Family to Egypt, or even take Mary into his home in the first place, was to simply refuse to entertain any temptation of the enemy.

The enemy tempts us when we are most vulnerable. Like Joseph, let us cut out the noise and patiently wait for God’s protection and consolation.

Ordinary Monasticism

As Ordinary Monastics, we can imitate Joseph’s perseverance through our own prayer.

Prayer keeps us on the path and is our aid in the midst of temptation. Rather than entertaining it, we turn our hearts to God for Him to help us. Knowing that His promises and blessing are far more satisfying than whatever our sinful inclinations suggest.

• Practice: When you are tempted, say the Jesus Prayer. The Holy Name of Jesus is powerful and a prayer made in His name is capable of moving mountains. The enemy flees at the Name which is above every name. It interrupts the devils advances and anchors the heart in the Eternal.

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God. Have Mercy on me, a Sinner”.

Prayer quiets our heart and blocks out the noise of sin. And that noise is swept away by the Holy Name of Jesus.

Leave consolation to God.

Come and rest in St. Joseph’s Heart, that you may learn to;

Pray Constantly, Fast Often, Love Always.

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The Sermon on the Mount is the New Law. As Moses went up the mountain and received the Law from God, now God Himself goes up the mountain to deliver the New and Perfect Law. Within it, we find a teaching most demanding; what are we willing to go without in order to avoid sin?

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Christ commands us to give up anything that leads us to sin, no matter how severe. For everyone, this may be different. Some people are able to bring their phone to bed with no issues (despite maybe some excessive scrolling). Whereas someone else finds themselves falling into the same sin of the flesh time and time again. Some people can buy a treat for the house and be responsible. Others, myself included, devour the full thing once it comes home from the store.

We must be honest with ourselves and examine where in our own lives are we allowing sin to enter. The New Law of Christ calls for us to discern these things, and eliminate them.

The near occasion of sin is lethal and must be avoided.

Through Joseph’s Heart

Joseph guides us in fidelity through his sacrifice.

A popular title for Joseph is “Terror of Demons”. This was given him because of his example in warding of evil and the wiles of the devil. While not preserved from sin, like Mary, or sinless by nature, like Christ; Joseph knew his mission required a severe disdain toward sin and anything not in accord with God’s will. He is the “just man”, and he knew all about sin and its dangers. In order to serve, sin was not an option.

He cut things off before they could become a threat so he could remain faithful to God. He was told what to do by the Angel and acted before doubt or anything else could creep in. We too must be swift to act when we detect sin in our midst.

Ordinary Monasticism

As Ordinary Monastics, we can imitate Joseph’s fidelity through our own fasting.

In order to serve, we must first be free to serve by avoiding sin. In order to avoid sin, we must first sacrifice the things that lead us to sin.

Fasting is not limited to food. Renunciation of any tangible thing is an act of fasting. Fasting and self denial is essential to the development of virtue, and even more so for the avoidance of vice.

• Practice: Choose one thing to sacrifice. Something you have identified as a vice or even an innocent time-sink. Consider what it might be, and let it go. Depending on when you’re reading this, lent is around the corner. Start your lenten sacrifice now. Choose something else in addition to whatever else you had planned. Ask the Lord, ‘what are the things in my life that might be keeping from you?’

Fidelity is not merely avoiding sin, but choosing God even when obedience demands us to sacrifice something we enjoy or rely on.

Come and rest in St. Joseph’s Heart, that you may learn to:

Pray Constantly, Fast Often, Love Always

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We are called to be witnesses to the glory of God and His goodness. We are called to be Salt and Light.

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Salt seasons and brings out the good flavor. In life, we are called to season those around us with Christ’s love, that His love may come to life in them.

By our good deeds we serve as authentic witnesses to Christ’s love. That when those around us see our good deeds, they may come to believe in He whom we serve.

We may be the only Bible someone reads, or the only sermon someone hears. In reality however, how often do we fall short of this calling from Christ? We might engage in gossip, or be found complaining, or making jokes and saying and doing things we’d never allow in Church. This can happen because we want to fit in. We want to be liked and accepted by people, especially our friends or those we work with.

We choose to let things slide or ignore and downplay our convictions, even in small matters, all for the sake of avoiding an awkward moment. Over time, our light dims and Christ becomes unrecognizable in us. For, “he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much” - Luke 16:10b.

We may claim to be Christians but our words and deeds are contradictions. “He who says “I know him” but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him” - 1 John 2:4. Actions speak louder than words. And people will more quickly remember the things you’ve done than what you’ve said.

“People don’t need to hear about Christ any more, they have heard enough. They rather need to see Christ in us.” – Fr. Bishoy Kamel

Christ came to set us apart: To proclaim and glorify Him. To be Salt and Light.

Through Joseph’s Heart

Joseph guides us in integrity through his silence.

In order to stand firm in our calling, being set apart to glorify God, we must guard our inner light. Just as Joseph guarded Christ in the flesh, he now also guards Christ in us from Heaven, where he resides as “prince over all His possessions”. He helps us guard our Light.

There was no doubt rumors going around Nazareth of Mary’s pregnancy and the nature of the Holy Family. Or stories of their time in Egypt or “losing” Jesus in Jerusalem. Joseph could have easily indulged in the talk and speculation and lost sight of his mission.

Rather, his silence protected him from all the noise that sought to lead him astray and dim his light.

Ordinary Monasticism

As Ordinary Monastics, we can imitate Joseph’s silence through our own prayer.

Prayer is a non-negotiable in the Christian life. Without it, we are unable to guard our inner light. For “We pray as we live, because we live as we pray” (CCC 2752).

Our prayer does not have to be complicated, and for Joseph it certainly wasn’t. For prayer is not measured by its form, but by its sincerity, presence, and love. We can pray anywhere and in any occasion.

• Practice: Pray the Angelus, thrice daily. It is so short and easily memorized that it can be recited anywhere and at any time. Begin with an Our Father, recite the Angelus in full, and end with a Glory Be. These are the prayers of the saints.

If you remain devoted to this simple practice, your prayer will flourish. And if your prayer flourishes, then your light will shine. And your Lord will be unmistakably present within you.

Let all that you do be in the name of the Lord, that you may glorify Him in everything and that the world may come to believe.

Come and rest in St. Joseph’s Heart, that you may learn to:

Pray Constantly, Fast Often, Love Always.

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If you are new here, this is a good place to begin.

St. Joseph’s Heart is a place for Lay Catholics to be formed under his patronage.

The day to day of modern life can be suffocating. Its many responsibilities and obligations can leave us tired and discouraged. Life is heavy, and at times, holiness feels distant and unattainable.

However, holiness is not for the select few, or the spiritual elite. It is the fundamental call of every Christian. Through Joseph’s Heart, we learn how to become holy and live a rule of life I call - Ordinary Monasticism.

Pope St. John Paul II called monasticism “the reference point for all the baptized” and the soul of the Church. For laypeople, this means inviting the monastic rhythm into ordinary life and bringing it into our homes, workplaces, and relationships.

Ordinary Monasticism is built upon three pillars:

• Prayer - Daily fidelity to time spent with God

• Fasting - Intentional restraint from comforts in order to free the heart

• Almsgiving - Generosity expressed through love and placing others first

These are daily habits that anchor us in Christ, no matter our role or vocation.

There is no greater Saint that exemplifies this than St. Joseph.

“The greatest male Saint who ever lived was not a deacon, not a priest, not a bishop, not a pope, not a hermit, not a monk…he was a husband, father, and a worker”-St. Josemaria Escriva.

St. Joseph is the Ordinary Monastic, and the model and guide for how we can become saints. By his example, we learn how holiness is lived through:

• Silence - Quiet and constant presence to God in all circumstances

• Sacrifice - Death to self and simplicity in daily duties

• Service - Protection and care for those entrusted to us

“When we pass through his heart and arrive in his home, we discover that it is a kind of monastery” - Fr. Boniface Hicks, Through the Heart of St. Joseph.

To become Ordinary Monastics and live out this rule of life, we must enter through St. Joseph’s Heart.

Through the heart of Joseph, I am proposing a monasticism for all.

Where to Go Next

If you feel called to more, here are your next steps. They will provide you with a more robust and detailed framework of everything we are about:

1. What is Ordinary Monasticism:

• Click here to explore the biblical, historical, and spiritual roots of Ordinary Monasticism in depth.

2. On Spiritual Exercise for the Soul

• Click here to learn the three pillars of Ordinary Monasticism; Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving, and how they anchor your daily life.

3. Under the Patronage of St. Joseph:

• Click here to discover how Joseph serves as the model and guide for Ordinary Monasticism.

Come and rest in St. Joseph’s Heart, that you may learn to:

Pray Constantly, Fast Often, Love Always

The greatest sermon ever given begins with hope. Entire books have been written on the Beatitudes alone, and their wisdom is near infinite. For today, we will focus on the ending message; the reward of our earthly toil will be great.

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Sometimes, we serve faithfully yet still feel unseen. How often do we find ourselves growing discouraged and jaded from the hardships of life? Our hard work goes unnoticed and we don’t get the recognition we feel we deserve. Perhaps someone got a promotion over you, or your spouse doesn’t seem to appreciate everything you do for them. You work so hard, but nothing seems to go your way.

Eventually, we become weary and lose the motivation to do what we know is right. But the Beatitudes assure us it does not go unnoticed, and God sees us.

Through Joseph’s Heart

Joseph guides us in steadfastness through his service.

Joseph remained steadfast and did his duty no matter what. He was poor, sent away to a foreign land, and was responsible for the two most important people in human history. He could have easily grown discouraged, unable to provide for his family as he wished. The temptation to despair was countered by his sense of purpose found in God’s mission for him.

His consolation was found in God.

He persevered in doing what was right for God and his family. He remained diligent and served to the end. And his Heavenly reward was great.

Ordinary Monasticism

As Ordinary Monastics, we can imitate Joseph’s steadfastness through our own almsgiving.

Almsgiving can be expressed as a free gift of self to others and we can accomplish this through our presence. Just as Joseph gave himself fully to his family, we too can give ourselves to others. Even in small ways.

• Practice: Reach out to one person and give them your presence. Someone you haven’t spoken to in a while, or that you know is going through something. Schedule a time to meet with them. Even just sending a heartfelt message can make a difference.

We can come up with plenty of excuses and reasons for being too busy or overloaded with other things. But the Lord calls us to make sacrifices in order to be there for others.

Our reward will be great and our time will be multiplied through this self gift. “I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).

Make sacrifices. Choose God. Persevere to the end.

Come and rest in St. Joseph’s Heart, that you may learn to:

Pray Constantly, Fast Often, Love Always

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The opening words of Christ’s ministry are striking, profound, and tell us everything we need to know. The message: Repent!

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Repentance means to turn away from the things that keep us from God. In our own lives, how often do we allow things to turn us from His gaze? The world is flooded with distraction and comfort. It is nearly impossible to be bored when our phones give us the world at our fingertips. Reading is replaced with scrolling and fast food is easier than cooking. When we’re busy and tired from our days, it’s easy to fall into sinful habits.

In order to repent from what keeps us from God, we must let them go.

Through Joseph’s Heart

Joseph guides us in obedience through his sacrifice. He sacrificed his own comforts daily in order to be present to God and his family. We know the Holy Family was poor and there may have been plenty of occasions when Joseph had to forego his plate of food or a comfortable bed for the sake of Jesus and Mary.

Joseph was prepared to sacrifice because he trained his body through his own daily mortifications. As the “Just Man”, and a devout Jew, he would have been no stranger to fasting and voluntary discomfort. He made sure he was ready for the moments that demanded it most.

Ordinary Monasticism

As Ordinary Monastics, we can imitate Joseph’s obedience through our own fasting. If we intentionally deny ourselves the things we want, we train the heart to choose God when it matters.

Begin by fasting on Fridays more intentionally. For centuries, Christians have marked this day with fasting and penance in remembrance of the Lord’s passion.

When we deny ourselves in small things, we prepare ourselves for greater things to come. Responsibility is given to the responsible. Christ went out to the desert before starting His ministry and His first words tell us why: Repent!

Come and rest in St. Joseph’s Heart, that you may learn to:

Pray Constantly, Fast Often, Love Always

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The Gospel for this upcoming Sunday reveals to us the importance of two things.

1. Trusting the Lord in His words

2. Remaining awake for when it is revealed and made manifest to us.

The Baptist speaks of the word given to him, “the one who sent me…told me”. He did not know the one to come, but he waited patiently on the fulfillment of the word given him.

Do we find ourselves growing impatient with the Lord and His promises? Do we trust Him enough to wait on His word?

If John didn’t trust, he may have never started his ministry. He may have grown impatient and “fallen asleep” to the Lords presence. One after another he baptized them, preaching repentance and right living. And he continued to wait. When will the promised One come?

In our own lives, we may feel the constant tension of waiting on the next thing. Waiting on the fulfillment of a promise made: Scheduling an interview, getting a promotion, waiting for that person to text you back.

Our prayers may go unanswered and we become fatigued. And oftentimes, the longer we wait, the less excited we are when it finally comes to pass.

Through Joseph’s Heart

Joseph’s life was also marked by waiting. His obedience to the Lords voice in his dreams required trust and patience. He is continually placed in a perpetual waiting room, listening patiently: What next, Lord?

Joseph, like the Baptist, was only given instructions on what to do, and the message was clear; Listen, and obey. Any desires, questions or concerns he had were surrendered and rendered subordinate to the word of the Lord.

Ordinary Monasticism

What is one thing you are waiting on right now? Something you are unsure of or have no control over?

Whatever it is, surrender it to the Lord. Make an intentional act of the will to hand this concern over to Him. Ask Him for His help, and patiently wait for its fulfillment. Whatever comes to pass, like Joseph and John, we too are called to listen and obey. Obediently accepting His will in whatever it is. “Not as I will, but as you will” - Matthew 26:39.

Come and rest in St. Joseph’s Heart, that you may learn to:

Pray Constantly, Fast Often, Love Always

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We find our identity primarily as sons of the Father.

However, how often do we find ourselves forgetting this truth and placing our identity in other things; Our work, hobbies, even our spouses and families. When we lose sight of our true identity, we become lost. Our temper is short, we are easily irritable, and we feel constantly let down by the important people in our lives.

We have placed our identity and sense of worth in created things rather than in the Creator.

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But the Baptism of the Lord reminds us that the Father is pleased with us, eternally. Our true identity is not something we earn or work for. It is a gift by the grace of our Baptism in Christ. This, we are assured; we belong to the Lord.

Through Joseph’s Heart

We know we are the Lords when we act rightly and in accordance with His will. When we are open and receptive to His voice. Joseph was keenly aware of this. He was only able to hear and obey the Angels command in his dream because he placed his identity in the Lord.

If he had found all his worth in Mary, his wife, he would have been crushed under the harmful implications of her pregnancy. Or if his identity was placed in his royal lineage, he would have viewed the life of poverty promised him as Guardian of the Redeemer to be below him.

He was able to deny himself and obey God because his identity was not divided.

Ordinary Monasticism

To remain firm in our identity, we must return to Gods presence, and His presence is opened to our hearts through prayer.

When you rise in the morning each day, give God the first fruits. Start your day with prayer and let nothing come before time spent with the Lord.

Make the Sign of the Cross the moment your eyes open. And when you sit up, pray the Morning Offering. All of the prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of the day, belong to the Lord, as do we.

Ground yourself in Christ daily.

Prayer is necessary for us to reclaim our identities as sons of the Father. Without it, we begin to lose our way and seek consolation from others. But when we return to it, we are satisfied by the eternal love of the Father.

Come and rest in St. Joseph’s Heart, that you may learn to:

Pray Constantly, Fast Often, Love Always.

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