Hearth & Altar

August begins today. And the first thing the Gospel gives us is a hard story: John the Baptist is dead. Herod threw a birthday party, made a reckless oath, and when the moment came to do what was right, he didn't. He was distressed - the Gospel actually says so - and he still gave the order.

But then the last line: John's disciples came, buried him, and went and told Jesus.

That is worth holding. They did what needed to be done. They buried their friend and their teacher. And then they went to Jesus. They didn't know what would come next. They just knew where to go with what they were carrying.

August is the month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Mary spent her whole life going to Jesus with what she was carrying. That is what this month invites your family into.

• For our family, that when we don't know what to do next, we would do what John's disciples did - go and tell Jesus what happened, we pray to the Lord.
• For the courage Herod lacked - to do what is right even when the people watching make it hard - we pray to the Lord.
• On the feast of Saint Alphonsus, for all those who serve in the confessional and bring God's mercy to people who are afraid of it, we pray to the Lord.
• Under the Immaculate Heart of Mary, as August begins, for our family to be formed in her habit of bringing everything to her Son, we pray to the Lord.

Tonight at dinner: tell your children the end of John the Baptist's story. His disciples buried him and went and told Jesus. Ask them - what do you do when something really sad or hard happens? Who do you go to? Then tell them: that's what going to Jesus looks like. It's going to the person who can actually receive what you are carrying.

If you have a home image of Mary, bring it to the table tonight and say a Hail Mary together. August is her month. Begin it that way.

The model you are giving your children when you pray through hard things rather than avoiding them is the same one John's disciples gave us. They didn't hide the grief. They brought it somewhere real.