In my family, we can hardly speak about orphans without tears. My father was adopted as a baby. He frequently told us stories of how his parents welcomed him not just into their home but into their hearts. It was never merely a relocation or a legal transaction. It was the joy of being chosen, of receiving a family, a name, and a place where he belonged forever. Even in his later years, recalling that gift still moves him to tears of tender gratitude.
That is the kind of tenderness behind Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel: “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:18) He is going away, but not abandoning us. Instead, he sends us the Advocate, the Holy Spirit — his own Spirit, shared with the Father — who dwells in us. Through the Spirit, Christ is present in us, and we are present in him. His Spirit gives us a home and a family.
We deepen this knowledge in the sacraments, in prayer, and in the daily life of the Church. The Spirit is the bond of belonging, the power that makes us God’s sons and daughters, not spiritual orphans. And this is not a one-time event. There is always a deeper outpouring of the Spirit available to us, a fresh appropriation of the promise that we are never abandoned.
If only we could be as grateful as my dad is for his adoption, realizing that we have been adopted by God Himself. In Christ, we are never left as orphans.
— 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 we may continue to reach out to people in great need, as Philip did in Samaria, and respond enthusiastically to those in need of the Spirit, as Peter and John did in the first century, let us pray to the Lord.
B. That the world may come to know the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of truth, who remains in us and guides us to salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
C. For children living in poverty or want, in abusive or traumatic situations, or who have lost one or both parents, let us pray to the Lord.
D. For mothers and all those who have taken upon that role, that they may always find blessing in those they have cared for and nurtured, let us pray to the Lord.
E. That, as we heard in the second reading, we may kindly and gently explain to anyone who asks us for a reason for our hope, 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
Next weekend, we have our second collection for the Cardinal McIntyre Fund. This fund is to help the “neediest of the needy,” those for whom no other resources exist. Provision of food, shelter, one-time assistance to families in crises. We thank you for your generosity.
The St. Vincent de Paul truck will be in the school parking lot next Sunday, May 17, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or until their truck is filled with your donations. Due to limited storage space, we ask that you not leave your donations at the parish office. We appreciate your generosity.
