Attempted SAVE

There's a movement in Congress to pass legislation that would protect the right of US citizens to vote in a federal election. Aptly named the SAVE Act (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility), it would require proof of citizenship to vote.

Regardless of the fact that it is already illegal for non-citizens to vote, the sudden appearance of the SAVE Act raises an unavoidable question: What took you so long, Congress?

With uncounted masses of illegal aliens invading the United States freely and continuously for the past three-plus years, wouldn't a thinking American voter wonder why our "representatives" in Washington DC lagged for such a length of time before starting to address this lawless and dangerous national crisis?

Thinking American voters know better than to expect much from our "leaders" these days. Go ahead, guys, give it a go. But probably most of us citizens are not optimistic about the election being SAVEd.

St. Joseph the Worker

It's been a while since I gave a shout-out to my favorite saint, Joseph of the Holy Family. Today, May 1, is one of his feast days; the other is celebrated on March 19. While May 1 is a recent addition, the March 19 feast day dates to the 10th century.

Two dedicated feast days in the Catholic calendar is a rare honor afforded to only four saints. Besides St. Joseph, St. John the Baptist, St. Peter, and St. Paul are the only others so lauded. Unlike those three saints, St. Joseph has no spoken words recorded in the New Testament. Two feast days for such a humble soul may seem striking. But considering the fact that Joseph accepted the divine, lifelong charge of protecting, supporting, and caring for Jesus Christ and the Blessed Mother, two feast days hardly seems sufficient.

St. Joseph died at an unknown time before Good Friday. There is a theory I've heard and read that God permitted his death before Christ's suffering because Joseph would not have been able to stop himself from trying to protect Jesus. It's interesting to imagine how differently the story of the Lord's Passion might have unfolded if St. Joseph had been alive. There would have been a few unexpected twists, I'm willing to wager.

But Good Friday had to happen as it did, so God made sure Joseph was safely home before then. After working so hard his whole life, both in physical labor and under such awesome responsibility, St. Joseph had definitely earned his rest.

St. Joseph, pray for us.