Joseph’s chastity, and his purity of heart, which includes but goes beyond just physical purity, enabled him to embrace God’s will, no matter the apparent cost to himself or the strenuousness of the undertaking. The pure, unadulterated gaze of Joseph’s heart upon God made it extremely sensitive and supple to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, as revealed to him by God’s messenger angels.

Every year World Marriage Day is celebrated by the Church worldwide as a day set aside to honor marriage as the foundation of family life. It is a beautiful opportunity for the Church to celebrate the example marriage demonstrates of honor, beauty, dignity, and living out one’s vocation.

Francis knew he couldn’t live the way the Lord asked and still remain part of the social structure. The only way he saw to accomplish this other way of living was to commit to a life of voluntary poverty – what he called non-possession. When Francis started his order of brotherhood, he told his brothers: “We do not want to possess anything in this world.”

The Catholic Church teaches that technology is a gift when it serves human dignity and fosters authentic relationships. Still, we have to be careful. Relying too much on AI risks fraying the delicate threads of human connection.