The Grave Reckonings and Quiet Renewal of March

San Giuseppe, ora pro nobis

March is the time of year when winter loosens and spring presses forward. The year pivots here, carrying the weight of what has been endured into what may yet be renewed. From the Kalends, Nones, and Ides—the old Roman markers by which the month was reckoned—the days are measured with sobriety and order.

March remembers sacrifice before rebirth. On March 10th, the Martyrs of Tradition are recalled—nine seminarians from Oviedo, killed in odium fidei during the Spanish Civil War.

The Ides of March remind us that order can fall in an instant. History marks the day as a warning; the Church marks it as the feast of St. Longinus, the soldier whose act of violence became his conversion.

The vernal equinox restores balance; night and day stand equal within the order of creation.

March 19th, the Church honors St. Joseph, guardian of the Holy Family and protector of the Universal Church. March 21st recalls St. Benedict of Nursia, whose rule of prayer and labor helped rebuild a shattered civilization.

March remembers what has been lost, measures what remains, and prepares the ground for what must come next.

~ By Giovanni di Napoli, February 28th, Feast of Saints Romano di Condat and Lupicino Abate