The Church dedicates the month of March to St. Joseph. He is the patron of the Universal Church. Just as the Blessed Virgin is the mother of all Christians, St. Joseph has been entrusted with the care of all, including the Church herself. This makes sense as St. Joseph was entrusted with being the father of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Moreover, he stands as an example for all. He was a man who accepted the will of God completely, even in the face of requests he could not fathom.

Temptations are always part of our lives. Everyone will be challenged by them, as Our Lord was. Then there are what we call the near occasions of sin. Some of us may believe that we can resist them despite succumbing to these vices in the past. We must be aware of our inclinations toward these sins while also adamantly avoiding those situations that would allow us to fall into them.

Lent is a great time to receive graces, but we cannot receive them in vain or let them go to waste. The story of the life of José Sánchez del Río, a fourteen year old boy who died a martyr without giving up the Catholic Faith, is a profound example of how we may receive God’s grace, indeed God’s strength, without relinquishing it even under the most trying circumstances.

Lent has arrived. Whatever trepidation we may have had leading into this season, the reality is the crosses we are called upon to carry are far less a burden than we hold in our imagination. Lent presents an opportunity for us, indeed a freedom, to practice the virtues we must always adhere to. And this penitential season offers us a renewed opportunity to draw closer to God.

Having arrived this season of penance, Holy Lent, we may look forward to the opportunity to put forth the effort of accepting God’s graces for the good of our salvation. It is not a burden to shy away from. In this season we can find the courage to do as we ought, to look straight on toward the great gift Our Lord has bestowed upon us. All are free now to do what perhaps we felt throughout the year we could not do, namely embrace God’s love and live in accordance with His will.

As the Society of Saint Pius X is looking toward new consecrations and the threat of sanctions, we must never forget that this act is one of charity for the good of the Catholic Church. The Society esteems and loves what is most perfect, Who is God. And it is for God and His Church, that He established for the salvation of souls, which the Society serves. The Society will continue to serve this mission regardless of any adversity placed before it.

We may dread Lent and the reminder of our eternal destination. We should instead orient our minds to seeing Lent as a beautiful challenge to grow closer to God. Lent is not an obstacle, but an opportunity for spiritual growth.

Christ’s teachings are often presented as a paradox. We may puzzle over Or Lord’s teaching that in our weakness we may be strong. But in reflecting on this puzzling teaching, we understand that in knowing our weakness and frailty, it is God alone Who gives us strength. In humility, we understand that above all else we need God and that our weaknesses are not an affliction to be disparaged, but rather an opportunity to draw closer to Him.

The announcement of the Society of Saint Pius X’s forthcoming episcopal consecrations has caused mixed emotions, ranging from relief to fear. There can be no doubt about the seriousness of this decision. However, it must be examined in the light of the seriousness of the situation that has brought it about, namely the ongoing crisis in the Catholic Church. The decision to consecrate new bishops for the Society is not an act of defiance, but done out of a genuine desire to save souls.

The recent announcement of the Society of Saint Pius X’s Superior General, Don Davide Pagliarani, that the Society intends to consecrate new bishops on July 1st took many by surprise. Although it remains uncertain what Rome will do in response to this momentous announcement, all of the priests of the Society were directed to preach on this decision, laying out why these consecrations are necessary for the preservation of Tradition and the good of the Catholic Church.