The first time I stood inside St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, its majesty overwhelmed me. The sheer beauty of Michelangelo’s dome seemed to lift my soul right out of my body. Later, I joined the Scavi tour that winds below the basilica, down into the ancient pagan cemetery where Peter was buried. There, in the dim light and narrow passageways, I found myself looking at the bones of a murdered Jewish fisherman, his feet cut off so his crucified body could be taken down more easily.
What a paradox. Above me, the most glorious church ever built. Beneath me, the remains of a backwater fisherman. But this man dared to answer Jesus’ question, “Who do you say that I am?” And crowning that immense dome above his tomb are the words from today’s Gospel, “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.”
Within you and me is the drama of the lowest and the highest. Every time we confess Christ, humbly, imperfectly, maybe even trembling, we enter that same mystery. The dust of our humanity, touched by the splendor of heaven. God’s presence and our dry bones together. Humility and glory. May our lives embrace both the lowest and the highest, like that great basilica, as we profess Jesus.
— 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 Pope Leo, that he may grow in wisdom and courage as he follows in the footsteps of Saint Peter, let us pray to the Lord.
B. For all those in positions of leadership—in government, business, or family—that they may exercise their authority with forbearance and fairness, let us pray to the Lord.
C. For those threatened by floods, hurricanes, and other storms of summer, that they may be kept safe, let us pray to the Lord.
D. For young people returning to school, that their curiosity and love for learning may be rekindled by a new school year, let us pray to the Lord.
E. For each of us in this parish community, that we may sharpen our eyes to recognize the Christ, the Son of the living God, in our sisters and brothers in need, 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
This weekend, we will have a second collection for relief services in Columbia for those affected by the August 10 earthquake, which left widespread devastation and an unfolding humanitarian crisis. We thank you for your continued generosity, compassion, and faithful prayers.
The Señor de Esquipulas ministry is selling coffee, bread, champurrado, and tamales at the Madonna Plaza. Proceeds will be used for the restoration of the statues of Señor de Esquipulas and Sacred Heart.
We invite all adults ages 18 to 35 to join us next Sunday for our first Young Adult Fellowship as we welcome our new seminarian, Michael Lee. The gathering will take place in the Youth Center after the 6:00 p.m. Mass. We’ll have pizza, and it will be a great way to connect!
The parish is joining the Salesians sisters in going to World Youth Day in South Korea next year. There will be a informational meeting on September 2 at 7pm in the Youth Center.
