Recently I received a note from a teenager I met years ago. He wrote, “Dear Father Muir, you probably do not remember me, but I wanted to thank you for your inspiring and humorous homilies at the parish. They helped me appreciate the beauty of Catholicism, which I have now embraced in a personal way.” That small note moved me more than he probably imagined. I had no idea my words had taken root in him. I was simply sowing seeds — week by week, Mass by Mass. Someone else — his parents, a youth minister, or God Himself — was doing the deeper work. Now this young man is joyfully reaping a harvest of faith.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus offers living water to a Samaritan woman whose life had been full of searching and disappointment. By the end of their encounter, she becomes a bold and joyful evangelist. Then Jesus turns to his disciples and says something easily overlooked: “One sows and another reaps” (John 4:37). He is helping them — and us — understand how evangelization works. Often, the one who sows the seeds of faith is not the one who sees the fruit.
This Lent, ask yourself: Are you in a sowing phase or a reaping phase? If you are sowing — raising children, praying for someone, mentoring — be patient. Your work matters. If you are reaping — seeing someone come alive in faith — be grateful. You are standing on sacred ground, tilled and watered by others.
Lenten challenge: Thank someone who once sowed faith into your life. And keep sowing, even when the harvest is unseen.
— 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 always may be a source of life-giving water to those who thirst for a spiritual home, let us pray to the Lord.
B. That access to the precious resource of clean water may be seen as a fundamental and universal human right, so that its prevalence may be ever expanded, let us pray to the Lord.
C. For women religious, that they may be blessed and strengthened in their ministries so that God’s grace may flow through them like water, let us pray to the Lord.
D. For those preparing for the Easter sacraments, particularly those in our midst, that the living waters of Christ may become a spring welling up to eternal life, let us pray to the Lord.
E. That those whose spiritual lives are dry and parched might be refreshed by the life-giving waters they received in baptism, 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
Today we'll have a second collection to support the Church in Central and Eastern Europe. Communism in this region fell more than 30 years ago, but the Church still struggles to rebuild after decades of oppressive rule. Your support of this collection funds grants for vital pastoral ministries throughout the region.
Due to our first reconciliations of our religious education students, there will be no confessions on Mondays in March.
Next Saturday, the Parish will host a presentation on the art and history of the crucifix and cross in the Catholic Tradition. The presentation will take place in the Cenacle at 9am and will be hosted by Dr. Victoria Brennan, professor at St. Johns seminary.
The Parish will host a financial presentation on income protection on March 21 at 12pm in the Parish Center.
The Parish is selling Lenten reflection books that offer simple yet enriching reflections for each day of Lent. These can be purchased in the Parish Center for $2 each.
