When I was a young priest I recall a parishioner telling me that Lent was her favorite liturgical season. What?! Her favorite liturgical season? How is that possible? Lent is full of sacrifices, sufferings, and difficulty. Even the time of year is challenging with winter dragging on and the cold weather seeming to refuse to give in to the coming of spring. How is Lent your favorite season I would ask.

Typically this time of year we contemplate where the Lord might be leading us and where we might like to be by the end of the year, and we make resolutions to lead us in those directions. As we begin this year we entrust ourselves, our families, and our parish family to the patronage of St. Joseph, the husband of Mary and foster father of Jesus.