“Love ought to show itself more in deeds rather than words.” St. Ignatius of Loyola
One of the basic things we do to express love is giving. Naturally, we give of our time, talents and treasure to our family and friends.
In this time of Lent, we are called to expand our horizons of love to those in need through almsgiving. By giving alms, we not only help the less fortunate, but we also grow in our own humanity.
Giving and receiving things is part of what it means to be a human being. None of us chose to exist. God’s creation is itself the primary gift.
By Courtney Mares
St. Joseph does not have any words recorded in Sacred Scripture, but the published meditations of an 18th-century Italian nun offer the chance to imagine the details of the Holy Family’s daily life as it might have been from the perspective of the foster father of Jesus.
Servant of God Mother Maria Cecilia Baij’s personal revelation, described in the book “The Life of Saint Joseph,” provides an intimate portrait of the life of prayer, suffering, and joy within the Holy Family.
As an artist might fill in the details in a painting depicting a scene in the life of Christ from the Bible, Baij’s account allows the reader to dwell on the scenes that could have made up Joseph’s life with Jesus and Mary, with a particular focus on his interior life.