May 2 Feast of St. Athanasius (296 - 373)
He who confesses his sins freely receives pardon from the priest by virtue of the grace of Christ.”
-St. Athanasius
Today's Reflection
What most holds me back from confessing my sins “freely” to the priest who hears my confession in the person of Jesus? Am I willing to bring this defect to the sacrament for healing?
The rise of the modern practice of mindfulness into the field of therapy has posed a conundrum for many Catholics who want the therapy, but without the Buddhist roots. What are their options and how do they find them?
May 1 Feast of St. Joseph the Worker
St. Joseph is the best protector to help you in your life, to penetrate the spirit of the Gospel. Indeed, from the Heart of the God-Man, Savior of the world, this spirit is infused in you and in all men, but it is certain that there was no worker's spirit so perfectly and deeply penetrated as the putative father of Jesus, who lived with him in the closest intimacy and community of family and work. So, if you want to be close to Christ, I repeat to you "Ite ad Ioseph": Go to Joseph!
-From an address of Pope Pius XII to Italian Workers
Today's Reflection
How are my labor and my leisure fruitful for my salvation and that of others? What can I do in each to make them more so? How can St. Joseph's example and intercession aid me to do so?
While the annual Feast of Saint Joseph, celebrated on March 19th, is familiar in many parts of the world, the second date on the Church calendar dedicated to him is perhaps not quite so well known. Each year, May 1st commemorates another title of this beloved saint, that of Saint Joseph the Worker.
