When the World Trembles, Fix Your Gaze Upward
How the legacy of St. Joseph and the Canadian Martyrs calls men to heroic calm in chaotic times
It has been a tumultuous week, one that has forced me to pause as both grandfather and father and ask how best to support my family and those around me. The news has been relentless: the tragic shooting of Charlie Kirk, drones intercepted over Poland, civil unrest in Nepal, upheavals in France, and the ever‑present memory of 9/11. In moments like these we wonder how to counsel the people we love.
A few years ago I committed God Squad Canada—now Heroic Men Canada—to keep its focus on the future, because it is all too easy to become mired in the “mud of this world.” As St Paul reminds us,
“If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.”1
Pope Benedict XVI echoed this call, urging us to lift our gaze to the heavenly reality that gives meaning to our daily struggles 2. The early Church Fathers also taught that the Christian’s mind must be fixed on the heavenly, not on earthly distractions 3 4.
In my own family we have tried to bring that light into the present. My son’s birthday fell on September 11th , the anniversary of the attacks. He confessed that he had stopped wanting to celebrate it because he felt the day should remain solemn. Since his third birthday—on the very day of 9/11—we have chosen instead to thank God for the gift of life He gave us on 11 September 1998, turning a date of sorrow into a moment of gratitude.
This year has brought additional heart‑aches: the death of Charlie Kirk, the passing of my uncle at 8:10 p.m. on September 11th, and the remembrance of my father, whose birthday is September 12th. In these moments I lean on the prayers of my brothers and, above all, on St Joseph, who is ever near us.
St Joseph, patron of the Martyrs and of Canada
St Joseph has long been invoked as the protector of the Canadian people. He appears among the nation’s patron saints and is specifically named “Patron of the Martyrs and of Canada” in devotional prayers. He has been a patron of Canada for 400 years. In 1940 Pope Pius X declared him a secondary patron of Canada, confirming his special intercessory role.
In keeping with that devotion, Heroic Men Canada commissioned a Litany of St Joseph earlier this year. We are pleased to announce that its theatrical release will be available on 26 September 2025—coinciding with the feast of the Canadian Martyrs, who held St Joseph in great reverence. The film will be streamed on Heroicmen.ca and Heroicmen.org, and the litany can also be accessed at stjosephlitany.com.
A call to heroic living
Let us, therefore, be “heroic men” who turn our sights upward, following the example of the North American Martyrs who bore witness to Christ even in the face of persecution. By fixing our minds on the things above, we become true witnesses for our families and our communities, grounded in the hope that Christ offers.
“Seek the things that are above… ”
May St Joseph’s quiet strength guide us as we navigate these troubled times, and may we, like the martyrs before us, remain steadfast in the light of the risen Lord.
Shared this week
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