A priest I know was once falsely accused of a terrible crime. The claim was wild and easily disproved, but for a while, it didn’t matter. In the atmosphere shaped by the abuse crisis of the early 2000s, the public assumption was guilty until proven innocent. His name was dragged through the mud, and his ministry placed on hold. I had the privilege — and the burden — of walking closely with him during that time.
He was angry. He was confused. He felt abandoned and deeply disoriented. The last thing on his mind was the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel: “Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me … Rejoice and be glad” (Matthew 5:11-12). Rejoice? He felt anything but.
And yet… something holy slowly grew in him. Not overnight, and not without pain. But as the truth came to light and his name was cleared, I watched him become more Christlike — more patient, more compassionate, more detached from human approval.
Maybe you haven’t faced something so dramatic. But where do you feel judged? Misrepresented? Overlooked? Maybe someone else got the credit or the promotion. Maybe someone you love isn’t getting their due. In those moments, the Cross of Jesus is near. When we feel accused, that’s when we ask him for the grace not just to endure, but somehow, mysteriously, to rejoice and be glad.
— Father John Muir
©LPi
General Mass Notes
Welcome
Good afternoon and welcome to St. Joseph,
As we begin our liturgy, we would like to extend a special welcome to everyone visiting our parish for the first time. We also warmly welcome all of you who are here today. We are so grateful and blessed to have you with us. As we settle in and prepare our hearts for Mass, please take a moment to make sure your cell phones are turned off so as not to disturb our prayer.
(Wait a few seconds to allow people to turn off their phones)
Let us now take a moment to prepare for Mass and open our hearts and minds to the message we will hear today. The intentions of this Mass are for all those in our special intention basket and for…
Please stand and greet those beside you.
Mass Intentions
Universal Prayer (Petitions)
A. For the Church, that like the shepherds returning to the fields after seeing the Lord, we may glorify and praise God whenever we encounter the Son, let us pray to the Lord.
B. That the peace that flows from the Queen of Peace and the Prince of Peace may take root in our world, our community, and our hearts, let us pray to the Lord.
C. For mothers of newborns who find themselves overwhelmed by their maternal responsibilities, that through the intercession of the Blessed Mother they may find the confidence and serenity they long for, let us pray to the Lord.
D. That we may work as one to extend justice to the poor, the victimized, and the forgotten, let us pray to the Lord.
E. For our parish community, that we may treasure our faith in our hearts and find ourselves moved to put it into practice throughout 2026, let us pray to the Lord.
F. For all the prayers that we hold in the silence of our hearts; for all our intentions spoken and unspoken, and for (read all intentions from 1st page), let us pray to the Lord.
Announcements
The Together in Mission 2026 annual appeal is upon us, and while the official kick-off is not until next weekend, we ask you to generously support the parishes and schools of our Archdiocese. Archbishop Gomez has chosen the theme of This is the hour for love. It is such a great reminder that the Lord is working through each of us, and the time is now for us to respond.
Are you, or is someone you know, asking questions about the meaning of life, faith, or God? We are excited to announce that we are starting Alpha, a space where you can explore the basics of our faith in a friendly, open, and informal environment. We have team members outside the main doors of the Church who can provide detailed information.
