St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Parish Grand Prairie, Texas
Gospel Meditations
February 1, 2026
4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Matthew 5:1-12a
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
1 de febrero de 2026
IV Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
Mateo 5:1-12a
Las lecturas de este domingo son tan fuertes en cuanto a la pobreza y la humildad, que parecen no concordar con la sociedad actual. Existen ciertas realidades en el mundo donde los pobres, los humildes y los inmigrantes no tienen cabida en los planes de los ricos y poderosos. Sin embargo, para consuelo ante esta situación, esto ya ocurría en tiempos del profeta Sofonías. Fijémonos en sus palabras: “Busquen al Señor ustedes, todos los humildes de la tierra, los que cumplen sus preceptos; practiquen la justicia y busquen la humildad; tal vez esto los proteja el día de la ira del Señor” (Sofonías 2:3). Son los pobres y los sencillos quienes siempre están buscando y confiando en Dios. Optar por la pobreza es un verdadero don del Espíritu Santo, que implica servir y trabajar por el Reino de Dios. La pobreza de espíritu debe penetrar el mundo con la ternura y la misericordia de Dios. Cada bautizado debe asumir la responsabilidad de hacer que esto suceda.
Las bienaventuranzas proclamadas por Jesús en el Evangelio de hoy son una enseñanza clave para la vida diaria. Al escuchar su Palabra, nos sentimos bienaventurados y también comprometidos a decir "sí", como María, a la voluntad del Padre. “Debemos buscar juntos cómo ser una Iglesia misionera, una Iglesia que construya puentes de diálogo, siempre abierta a recibir con los brazos abiertos a todos, a todos aquellos que necesitan nuestra caridad, nuestra presencia, el diálogo y el amor” (Papa León XIV). Esto nos hará felices como comunidad y como sociedad. ¡Felices al estilo de Jesús!
©LPi
PARISH ANNOUNCEMENTS
Important updates:
St. Michael follows GPISD protocols for safety during inclement weather. As such,
There will be no Daily Mass this evening 1/29
Faith Formation classes are cancelled for today 1/29
All meetings for 1/29 are cancelled.
The CRHP Men’s Retreat has been postponed to this weekend,
The CRHP Men’s Retreat has been postponed to this weekend,
1/31 & February 2/1
Safe Environment Classes for this Saturday (1/31) will continue as scheduled.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Blessing of Candles on Candlemas
On February 2nd the Church celebrates the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, also known as Candlemas. To join in this celebration and tradition, we will have a blessing of candles at all weekend Masses January 31 and February 1. We invite you to bring your devotional and prayer candles to be blessed.
Blessing of Throats
There will be a Blessing of Throats after the 6pm Communion Service on Tuesday, February 3rd for the Feast of St. Blaise.
First Eucharist Retreat
Parents of students receiving their First Holy Communion this Spring please note that the First Eucharist Retreat will be held on Saturday, February 7th, from 9am-3pm. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided. Don't forget to bring a water bottle.
Padres de los estudiantes que recibirán su Primera Comunión esta primavera, por favor tomen nota de que el Retiro de la Primera Eucaristía se llevará a cabo el sábado 7 de febrero, de 9:00am a 3:00pm. Se ofrecerá un desayuno ligero y almuerzo. No olviden traer una botella de agua.
Volunteers Needed for Masses- Audio & Visual Techs
Can you click a button or push a slider? The Tech Team needs you! Every Mass needs volunteers to run the slides or run the sound system. The person would need to arrive 30 - 45 minutes before Mass to setup the slides and the sound equipment for their Mass to not interfere with the Rosary; then put the sound equipment back into the basic setup after Mass. There is mandatory training for new and existing tech team, music directors and Sacristans especially those who serve the daily Masses on either Sunday, Feb 1 at 3:00pm or Thursday, Feb 5th at 6:45pm.
For questions please see our Music Director Lori Tassin after Mass or email her at musicandliturgy@stmichaelgptx.org
Parking on Campus
As a friendly reminder, we kindly ask everyone to please follow the posted parking signage on campus. In addition to handicapped-reserved spaces, there are also designated parking spots reserved for Auction/Festival winners as well as reserved spaces for clergy. Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us keep our parking areas organized and accessible for all.
Scouting for Food
Our Scouts will be participating in a Scouting for Food drive by going door to door in the community to collect food donations on Saturday, February 7. In addition, they will be collecting donations from our parish community at all Masses on Saturday, February 7 and Sunday, February 8, with a collection box available in the Gathering Space.
We invite parishioners to support this effort by bringing non-perishable food items to help those in need in our local community. Thank you for your generosity and for supporting our Scouts in this meaningful service.
Faith Formation Sacramental Interviews
All students who will be receiving Sacraments in the Spring of 2026 are required to complete a Sacramental Interview. These interviews are conducted to verify that each student has sufficient knowledge and readiness for the Sacrament they are preparing to receive.
Study Guides were distributed to students prior to Winter Break. Replacement copies may be requested by parents through the Faith Formation Department.
Please note the following interview schedules:
OCIA II Interviews
- Sunday Classes: January 25
- 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Confirmation II Interviews
- Wednesday & Thursday Classes: February 15
- 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Sunday Classes: February 22
- 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Eucharist II & Confirmation I (with First Eucharist) Interviews
- Wednesday & Thursday Classes: March 15
- 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Sunday Classes: March 22
- 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Important:
Students enrolled in Confirmation I who have not yet received their First Holy Communion are required to complete a Sacramental Interview.
If the time allotted to your child does not work for your family, you are welcome to request a specific time, preferably on a Wednesday or Thursday evening prior to or after regularly scheduled Faith Formation classes.
