Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

1. Lectio

(Matthew 1:16, 18–21, 24a — Joseph Takes Mary Into His Home)

Joseph, described with that most dangerous of compliments—a righteous man—finds himself in a situation that appears morally impossible.

And so, like any sensible and decent man, he devises a solution:

to divorce her quietly.

It is the kind of solution that preserves dignity, avoids scandal, and keeps everything respectable.

And then God intervenes—not with an argument, but with a dream.

“Do not be afraid…”

Joseph awakes and does the most unreasonable thing imaginable:

He abandons his plan to separate
and instead embraces the mystery.

Education aims to do precisely this: To increase our personal ability to think critically; evaluate whether our sources are trustworthy and the possible interests behind selecting the information we have access to; to understand the psychological mechanisms involved; and to enable our families, communities and associations to develop practical criteria for a healthier and more responsible culture of communication.

A possible alliance

How can I, in living out Communion—the Centennial pillar for March, refuse to divorce myself from the responsibility of forming my mind and heart—so that through critical thinking, discernment of sources, and honest dialogue within my family and community, I become not a passive consumer of information but an active builder of relationships rooted in truth?

2. Meditatio

There is something deeply attractive about Joseph’s original plan.

To quietly divorce himself from confusion.
To step away from scandal.
To maintain order in a world that has suddenly become unreasonable.

I recognize that instinct immediately.

When confronted with things that disturb me—violence, hatred, antisemitism, Islamophobia, the madness of nations at war—I feel the same quiet temptation:

to divorce myself from it all.

To say, politely and inwardly:
“This is not my problem.”

To retreat into my own carefully ordered spiritual life, where things make sense and can be managed.

But today’s Gospel refuses to allow such a separation.

God chose not an abstract humanity, but a particular family—a Jewish mother, a Jewish foster father, a Jewish child.

Joseph’s crisis was not simply about Mary.

It was about whether he would remain in relationship with a mystery he did not understand.

And the angel’s message could just as easily be addressed to me:

“Do not be afraid to take this into your life.”

For the temptation to divorce is not always about marriage.

It is about disengagement.

Disengagement from people who are different.
From suffering we cannot solve.
From truths that unsettle us.

Joseph teaches me something profoundly inconvenient:

Holiness is not found in avoiding complicated situations,
but in remaining faithful within them.

3. Contemplatio (Chestertonian Synthesis)

Chesterton might say that Joseph is the patron saint of those who refuse to run away from reality—even when reality behaves quite irrationally.

For what could be more absurd than this?

A man prepared to act justly
must abandon his perfectly reasonable plan
in order to obey a dream.

Yet this is the great paradox of Christianity:

The most rational act is often obedience to something that exceeds reason.

Joseph does not divorce himself from the situation.

He marries himself more deeply to it.

And in doing so, he becomes guardian not only of Mary,
but of the mystery of God Himself.

4. Oratio

5. Actio — In Light of Laudato Si’ and Synodality

…the world cannot be analyzed by isolating only one of its aspects, since “the book of nature is one and indivisible”, and includes the environment, life, sexuality, the family, social relations, and so forth.

Laudato si’ §6

This week, I will resist the temptation to disengage from difficult realities—whether in conversation, community, or global concerns.

In a spirit of synodality, I will choose presence over withdrawal, listening and standing in solidarity rather than quietly separating myself.

Communion is the opposite of divorce.

6. Song Pairing 🎵

🎶 “He Didn’t Have to Be” – Brad Paisley🎵

7. Movie Pairing 🎬

🎬Movie: “Instant Family” (2018)

My Story

• Bishop Matthiesen, who rode the white horse of public activism even as he brought abusive priests into our diocese such as John Salazar—wounds that still mark us today. I spoke with him often, pleading with him to reconsider his “no regrets” about bringing those priests here…
• Bishop Yanta, who sought to enforce the Dallas Charter even when Bishop Matthiesen resisted him, and who bore the personal and pastoral cost of doing so. I met with Bishop Yanta about Bishop Matthiessen’s “no regrets” stance. He listened. He believed me. He acted where he could. And when he retired, he urged me—quietly but firmly—to keep speaking out.
• Bishop Zurek, who told the Diocese of Amarillo he had “no facts” about the Philadelphia report even as Amarillo’s connection to that tragedy was headline news. When I continued to speak out, as Bishop Yanta had once urged me to do, he later wrote that I was not among the faithful and loyal disciples whom the Lord Jesus desires.
• Bishop Daniel Cardinal DiNardo…

While we recognize your thoughtful suggestion for a renewed dialogue on Bishop Matthiesen, the present circumstances do not present an opportunity for it. I think it would foster division not dialogue. We remain confident in God’s providence and hopeful for what the future may bring.

from a letter dated March 5, 2026