MEMORIAL OF SAINT JOSEPH THE WORKER, SPOUSE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY AND SAINT PEREGRINE LAZIOSI, RELIGIOUS: FEAST DAY ~ MAY 1ST 2026

FRIDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF EASTER | YEAR A | MAY 1, 2026 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/friday-of-the-fourth-week-of-easter-year-a-may-1-2026/

SAINTS OF THE DAY | MAY 1, 2026 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-may-1st/

MEMORIAL OF SAINT JOSEPH THE WORKER, SPOUSE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY AND SAINT PEREGRINE LAZIOSI, RELIGIOUS

History of the Saints | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | May 1, 2026 | “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/catholic-daily-mass-may-1-2026/

DAILY PRAYERS: St. Michael the Archangel Prayer; Regina Caeli Prayer; and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy Prayer | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/st-michael-the-archangel-prayer-angelus-prayer-and-the-chaplet-of-divine-mercy-prayer/

Pope Leo XIV’s Historic Apostolic Journey to Africa | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/live-updates-pope-leo-xivs-historic-apostolic-journey-to-africa/

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Greetings and blessings, beloved family.

Alleluia! I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father except through me. Welcome to Friday, May 1, 2026. As we cross the threshold into this new month of May, we lift our eyes to the Father’s house with hearts full of hope. Thank You, Lord, for the gift of this new month and for the grace of the one just passed. We entrust the days of May to Your divine providence, asking for Your blessing upon our work, our families, and our journey of faith. In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks words of profound comfort to hearts that are easily troubled. He reveals Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, promising that He is personally preparing a place for each of us in His Father’s house. In the First Reading, Paul continues his powerful testimony in Antioch, proclaiming that while men may condemn and bury, God raises up. He shows that the resurrection of Jesus is the fulfillment of every promise made since the beginning of time. Today we also honor Saint Joseph the Worker, whose feast marks this first day of May. As the foster father of Jesus and a humble carpenter, he teaches us that our daily labor is a way to participate in God’s creative work. We are also joined by Saint Peregrine Laziosi, the Wonder-Worker and patron of those battling cancer, who reminds us that the Life Christ offers includes healing and restoration. Like the Psalmist, let us rejoice in the King God has set upon Zion, trusting that no matter how troubled the world becomes, the Way to the Father remains open. Amen. 🙏🏽

BIBLE READINGS FOR TODAY’S HOLY MASS:

Fourth Week of Easter | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Today’s Bible Readings: Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter | May 1, 2026
Reading I: Acts 13:26–33
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 2:6–7, 8–9, 10–11ab
Gospel: John 14:1–6

Gospel Reading ~ John 14:1–6

“I am the way and the truth and the life.”

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way.” Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

In the Gospel, Jesus addresses the universal human condition: the troubled heart. Faced with the uncertainty of the future and the departure of their Master, the disciples are anxious. Jesus offers the only lasting remedy—faith. This reflection centers on the destination and the roadmap. The destination is the Father’s house, a place of belonging and many dwelling places where there is room for everyone. The roadmap is not a set of directions, but a Person. When Thomas asks “how can we know the way?”, Jesus gives the definitive answer: “I am the way and the truth and the life.” He doesn’t just show the way; He is the way. To follow Him is to be on the right path; to know Him is to possess the truth; to abide in Him is to have life.

Jesus promises that He is not leaving to abandon us, but to prepare for our homecoming. His return is a guarantee: “I will come back again and take you to myself.” This provides an anchor for our souls. No matter how confusing or painful our current sojourn on earth may be, the I AM is at work ensuring our place in eternity. We are not tourists in this life; we are pilgrims headed toward a Father who is waiting for us.

The First Reading reinforces this message through Paul’s preaching. Paul highlights the contrast between human failure and divine victory. The leaders in Jerusalem failed to recognize Jesus and condemned Him, but in doing so, they unwittingly fulfilled the Scriptures. Even the tree of the cross and the tomb were not the end. But God raised him from the dead. Paul explains that the Resurrection is the fulfillment of the Second Psalm: “You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.” This confirms that Jesus is not just a teacher, but the Divine Son whose life breaks the power of death. We serve a King who was buried but could not be held by the earth.

The Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 2) celebrates this triumph: You are my Son; this day I have begotten you. It speaks of God setting up His King on the holy mountain. Despite the shattering of nations or the rulers of the earth taking warning, the authority of the Son is absolute. We are invited to serve the LORD with fear and, more importantly, to rejoice before him. The Psalm reminds us that the ends of the earth are His possession, meaning there is no corner of our lives, or our world, that is outside His sovereign care.

As we go through this Friday, let us examine the troubles of our hearts. Reflect today: Are you trying to find your own way through a difficult situation, or are you leaning on the One who is the Way? Are you distracted by the tomb of a failed hope, or are you looking for the God who raises? This is the day to take heart. Trust that your dwelling place is being prepared by the King who has already conquered the grave.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, You are the Way that leads us home. We thank You for the peace You give to our troubled hearts and for the promise of a place in Your Father’s house. Forgive us for our doubts and for the times we have tried to navigate life without You. Strengthen our faith, that we may walk in Your truth and live by Your life every day. As we begin this new month, take us by the hand and lead us closer to the Father. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽

SAINTS OF THE DAY | MAY 1ST:

Link to Saints of the Day with Daily Reflections| May 1st https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com

Direct link to the detailed history of Saint Joseph the Worker, and Saint Peregrine Lazios | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-may-1st/

SAINT JOSEPH THE WORKER, SPOUSE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: Saint Joseph (1st c.) was the silent guardian of the Word Incarnate, chosen by God to protect and provide for the Holy Family through his labor as a carpenter. This feast, instituted by Pope Pius XII in 1955, emphasizes that human work is a participation in God’s creative action and a path to holiness. As a just man who listened in silence to the Living God, Joseph models for all laborers the dignity of work and the importance of putting duty above natural inclination. He reminds us that even the most humble task, when done with purity of intention, becomes a way to the Father.

PRAYER: Lord God, You have created all things and imposed on man the necessity of work. Grant that, following Saint Joseph’s example and under his protection, we may accomplish the works You give us and obtain the rewards You promise. Amen. 🙏🏽

SAINT PEREGRINE LAZIOSI, RELIGIOUS: Saint Peregrine (1265–1345) was an Italian Servite who moved from a life of worldly violence to one of profound penance and service to the sick. Facing the amputation of a cancerous leg at the age of sixty, he crawled to the chapel and prayed before a crucifix, where he was instantaneously healed by the uplifted arm of God. His life proves that no heart is too troubled to find the Truth and no condition is too impossible for the Life of Christ to restore. He stands today as a beacon of hope for all those carrying the cross of life-threatening illness.

PRAYER: Saint Peregrine, you were cured instantaneously of cancer by God’s grace and unceasing prayer. In your gracious kindness, please ask the Lord to heal us also in body, mind, and soul, that we may imitate you in doing His work with renewed vigor and strength. Amen. 🙏🏽

Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Joseph the Worker, and Saint Peregrine Laziosi — pray for us. 🙏🏽

PRAYER INTENTION: FOR WORKERS, THE UNEMPLOYED, AND CANCER PATIENTS

As we enter this new month of May, let us offer our petitions through the intercession of the saints who walked the way of labor and the way of the Cross. Lord, we pray for all fathers and workers, especially those seeking employment or facing injustice; through the intercession of Saint Joseph the Worker (Patron Saint of laborers and employment), grant them safety, dignity, and fair compensation. May the Lord bless the work of our hands and provide for all those who struggle to support their families. We pray for the sick, particularly those suffering from cancer, AIDS, and other terminal diseases; through the intercession of Saint Peregrine Laziosi (Patron Saint of cancer patients and those with life-threatening illnesses), grant them divine healing, comfort, and strength. May they feel the presence of the One who prepares a place for them, and may their troubled hearts find peace in Your mercy. Finally, we pray for the Church, the Clergy, and for peace in our conflicted world; through the intercession of Saint Joseph (Patron Saint of the Universal Church), protect the family of God. We pray for the conversion of sinners, the repose of the souls in Purgatory, and for God’s deliverance from all impossible situations. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽

PRAYER FOR PEACE | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/a-prayer-for-peace/

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2026: FOR THE MONTH OF MAY:

(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MAY | MONTH OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: May is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God and our spiritual Mother. This month invites the faithful to draw closer to Mary through prayer, reflection, and imitation of her virtues especially her humility, obedience, purity, and unwavering faith. As the first and most perfect disciple of Christ, Mary leads us gently but firmly to her Son. Throughout Church history, May has been a time to honor Mary with special devotions such as the Rosary, May Crownings, Marian processions, and prayers like the Litany of Loreto. The Church teaches that Mary, assumed body and soul into Heaven, intercedes for us as Queen of Heaven and Mother of the Church. During this month, we are called to renew our relationship with her and seek her maternal care in our joys, sorrows, and needs. Mary said “yes” to God’s plan with total trust: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Her faithful surrender encourages us to say “yes” to God’s will in our own lives. As we meditate on the mysteries of the Rosary and contemplate her role in salvation history, we grow in our love for her and our desire to follow Christ more closely.

In this beautiful month of blooming flowers, may our hearts also blossom with deeper devotion to the Mother of our Savior. Let us bring her our prayers, our homes, and our lives, asking her to accompany us with her love and protection.

“O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”

Hail Mary, full of grace! Teach us to love Jesus as you loved Him. Cover us with your mantle of mercy, and help us to walk always in the light of your Son. Amen 🙏🏽

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/month.cfm?y=2026&m=4

PRAYER FOR THE DEAD
We pray for the repose of the gentle souls of our loved ones and souls of all the faithful departed. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏🏽

You are my Son; this day I have begotten you! We thank You, O Father, for the gift of this new month and for the example of Saint Joseph, who worked in the light of Your Son. We thank You for the hope found in Saint Peregrine, whose healing reminds us that You are truly the Lord of Life. As we go through this first day of May, do not let our hearts be troubled by the weariness of our labors or the shadows of our illnesses. Give us the grace to see our work as a way to serve You and our neighbors. When we feel shattered like an earthen dish, remind us that we are Your inheritance and that You are preparing a dwelling place for us where no sickness or sorrow can enter. “I am the way and the truth and the life.” Bless our hands and our hearts. May we follow the example of the silent Carpenter of Nazareth, performing every task for Jesus and through Mary, until we come to rejoice before You on Your holy mountain. May the Lord, the Rock and our Savior, bless our work and our rest today and throughout this month of May. Amen. 🙏🏽

Thanking God for His love and the gift of this glorious day, we offer Him a prayer of gratitude for the graces of the past month and entrust this month of May to His loving providence. We pray for God’s grace and mercy as we continue this season of Easter joy. May the Resurrection of Your Son help us to seek You in every moment of our lives. May the peace, hope, and steady guidance that flow from the empty tomb shape our steps, inform our decisions, and strengthen our resolve to live each day in the light of the Risen Christ. As we journey onward into this new month, may God bless our families and loved ones, and may His light continue to shine brightly in every home. Let us draw closer to God and be renewed through the joy of the Gospel and generosity to the poor. May God keep us all safe and well during these challenging times. Wishing us all a spiritually enriching, most blessed, and grace-filled Easter Season. Amen. 🙏🏽

Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Joseph the Worker, and Saint Peregrine Lazios ~ Pray for us 🙏🏾

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Jesus, I trust in you! Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us. Amen 🙏🏽

Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖

DEVOTIONAL RESOURCES

A Guide to Catholic Prayer & Faith Resources: Prayers, Devotions, Teachings,and the Liturgical Year | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/catholic-prayer-faith-resources/

Catholic Mission & Witness: Foundations, Media Features, Global Outreach and Podcast Interview | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/catholic-mission-witness-foundations-media-features-and-global-outreach/

Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/