The Third Sunday in Lent
From the Scripture
“Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices…” “Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them…”
For many modern Christians, the Bible is THE definitive word on the message and life of Jesus Christ. But even the Bible itself in the Gospel of St. John (21:25) says “there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”
Catholics should not and do not think of the Bible as the definitive Divine Revelation. In fact, THE definitive revelation of God to us as Human beings is the man, Jesus Christ, who IS the Word of God.
The teachings of Jesus are included in the Bible, but they’re also to be found in the writings of the earliest Saints who were, themselves, disciples of the first Apostles. Saints like Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp record teachings of Jesus and events from His life which are not recorded in the Bible. The Apostle’s Creed - which our Methodist brothers and sisters say instead of our own Nicean Creed isn’t found in the Bible, it’s found in the Didache, an early record of the teachings and liturgies of the Apostles which also includes teachings and events in the life of Jesus which aren’t found in the Gospel. Of course, there’s nothing troublesome about that at all! The Lord didn’t promise us a book with all the necessary details to get to Heaven - like some kind of user manual. Rather, He tells us that HE is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Also, those extra teachings and life events - which are interesting and useful - aren’t hiding some secret from us… They contribute to the integrity of the whole teaching which Jesus gives us through the testimony of the Gospel writers…
There is a fine line to walk in religion between the right worship of God and the idolizing of certain aspects of the worship of God. Some people obsess over the choreography of the Liturgy, others obsess over the Bible or the feelings of prayer… When it comes to the Bible, we have to remember that it’s a resource and a gift, not an end in itself.
Thoughts from Fr Ryan
This Tuesday is the Solemnity of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary. Believe it or not, we’re exactly nine months from Christmas Day!
The Feast Day is a blessed occasion. As Catholics, we don’t fast on feast days… Sundays aren’t penitential days - even if they happen during Lent… And solemnities aren’t penitential days… The only exception is if that day is preempted for some reason. If, for example, the Assumption or St. Joseph’s Day fell on Good Friday or Holy Saturday… But it doesn’t this year and so this Tuesday you can go to town on whatever you gave up Lent. If you gave up chocolate or Netflix, you can have it on Tuesday.
Now there’s a common misconception that eating what you gave up for Lent on Sundays or on a day like this Friday is “cheating.” But that’s just not the case. The purpose of fasting and penance in general is not just to deprive ourselves of something for some specific period of time. Rather, penance is about offering ourselves to the Lord in specific little ways. It’s about putting the Lord before ourselves.
That happens in relationships all the time… Every time a spouse hands over the remote control, he or she is doing a little relationship penance. Every time we sacrifice of ourselves for the good of someone else (which is the technical definition of love), we are mirroring the fasting and penance that we offer the Lord during Lent. In those human relationships, it’s the thought that counts. It may be that your spouse wants to watch the same show you do. It may be that your little sacrifice will turn out to bring more joy or pleasure than you expected or even planned. The fact that things work out better than planned doesn’t undermine the loving sacrifice at all!
This Tuesday works out just like that. We have a brief respite in the midst of our penance for some joy… And doesn’t that make the whole thing so much better? I’ll be honest, I’m planning on a steak dinner and it’s going to taste better because it’s completely above board and it’s on a Friday in Lent… That’s not cheating and it’s not outside the spirit of the season. Quite the opposite, I’m recognizing even more than usual that every good gift comes from the Lord! I’m all the more appreciative that God is good. And the next Day, when Lent is back on, I’ll recognize all the more how much I owe the Lord for His goodness to me.
In our modern world, fasting is hard to understand. We are so wealthy and well cared for that even something so minor as replacing meat with crawfish fettuccine is considered penitential. Truthfully, that wealth makes fasting all the more important. It reinforces our desperate need to realize and recognize our poverty of spirit. Wealth and comfort are dangers to the spiritual life. The more we can ignore what we lack spiritually with a life of comfort and recreation, the less we will grow spiritually and the more we will need to hide it from ourselves. Fasting undoes so much of that with such a minimal effort. There are few better spiritual tools that we have in this life. And Lent is the perfect time to make use of it.
Quotations from the Saints
“The Annunciation is the culminating moment of Mary’s faith in expectation of Christ, but it is also the starting point of her journey towards God’s will, a journey of faith, patience, and perseverance.” -- Pope St. John Paul II
“He chose the mother he had created; he created the mother he had chosen. Before she conceived in her womb, she conceived in her heart by faith.” -- St. Augustine
“The ‘yes’ spoken on the day of the Annunciation reaches full maturity on the day of the Cross, when the time comes for Mary to receive and beget as her children all those who become disciples.” “The Virgin Mary, being obedient to His word, received from an angel the glad tidings that she would bear God.” -- St. Irenaeus of Lyons
“The mystery of the Incarnation, celebrated today, reveals the extraordinary dignity of every human person, because the Word became flesh for us.” -- Pope St. John Paul II
“The Virgin did not merely pronounce her fiat; in every moment she fulfilled that firm and irrevocable decision.” -- St. Josemaría Escrivá
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Norman Stephen Ernst/family
- Sun 9:30a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon 9:00a In memory of Carol Folk LaHitte/P Lancaster
- Tue 9:00a Solemnity of Annunciation of the Lord - Phillip and Nettie Scurria
- Wed 9:00a NO MASS - Fr Ryan at Priests Meeting in Alexandria
- Thu 9:00a In memory of Madeline Howington (death anni)/family
- Fri 5:30p In memory of J C B “Chipper’’ Jumonville/family
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Darryl Ellerbee, Sr./family
- Sun 9:30a Pro Populo for the Living & Dead members of our Parish Family
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of Margo Corulla
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) | EMHC(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/22 5:30p | None Scheduled | P Wilks | C VAnderVieren |
| 3/23 9:30a | Thomas Meyers & Annie | M Lancaster | - |
| 3/29 5:30p | None Scheduled | A Keene | M Ernst |
| 3/30 9:30a | Ashlyn, Evelyn & Ashlynn | S Marsh | - |
Upcoming Events
- Confessions every Friday & Saturday from 5p until Mass and Sunday from 9a until Mass
- Sunday Morning Catechism in the Hall (with Coffee & Donuts) after the 9:00a Mass during the School Year unless otherwise indicated
- Pastoral Council meeting monthly on the third Wednesday at 6p unless otherwise indicated
- March 28 Lenten Devotions - Stations of the Cross 5:30 p.m.
- March 28 Lenten Soup Supper - following 5:30 p.m. Stations and Mass
- April 19 Easter Egg Hunt for our children and their guests … 10 a.m. at church
- March 31 - April 2 Fr Ryan Parish Mission at St Joseph Church, St Joseph, La
For Your Information:
FORMED.ORG… has an entire page of weekly featured videos that are worth checking out at https://watch.formed.org/this-week-on-formed. Remember to sign in using our parish’s zip code (71282) at https://signup.formed.org
ROSARY GROUP… a group of parishioners is meeting on Monday at 5:30 p.m. to pray the Rosary. Everyone is invited to join the group. If you need additional information, please contact the Coordinator, Louise Magoun, at 318-341-2403. LENT. The Season of Lent is meant to be penitential. It’s meant to be a time of deliberate and conscious discomfort in order to shake up our normal ruts and clarify our attention to the Lord and His Sacrifice for us and for our sins.
Catholics aged 18 and up are obliged to abstain from meat on every Friday in the Lenten season. If your doctor advises otherwise, feel free to check in with Fr Ryan.
Finally, all Catholics are expected to “give something up” for Lent. As good as it might be to “do something extra” such as attend Daily Mass, say an extra Rosary, etc, Lent isn’t about doing something extra - it’s about giving something up. It’s a penitential season, not merely a virtuous one. As such, every Catholic from about the age of 14 should choose a food or activity which they generally enjoy and from which they can medically abstain for the entirety of Lent. As with all penances in the Church, Sundays are the Lord’s Day and fasting is not allowed! And so whatever you give up, you CAN have on Sunday.
LENTEN DEVOTIONS… On the Fridays of Lent, Confession is available at 5:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross at 5:30 p.m. followed by Mass. On March 28, and April 11, we will have a simple meat-free Lenten potluck after Stations and Mass as we have done in years’ past. Fr Ryan will make a hearty soup.
EASTER EGG HUNT….on the church grounds on Saturday, April 19, at 10 a.m. Stephenie Marsh assisted by Mary Katherine Marsh will give leadership to the event so please check with her to offer your assistance. We will need hard-boiled eggs that are dyed or plastic eggs with treats so your help is appreciated.
MOMS GROUP-VICKSBURG- Join us Sunday March 23rd at 4 pm for a Blessing Party! A Blessing Party’s main purpose is to provide prayers and encouragement to pregnant moms and baby and be a time of community and spiritual motherhood as women gather to bless mom and the beautiful gift of life she is growing and bringing into the world. Meeting will be held at the Mason residence, see email for address. Contact vicksburgcatholicmomsgroup@gmail.com or Karla Mason, Brittany McFall, or Kathleen with any questions.
ST JOSEPH MISSION…Father Ryan will be giving a Mission at St Joseph Catholic Church in St. Joseph from Monday, March 31 through Wednesday, April 2, 2025. All are invited to attend if interested.
Stewardship The parable in today’s Gospel clearly warns that we, like the fig tree, will be judged by our fruit. While God mercifully provides us with time and opportunity, let us give witness to our faith with deeds of kindness and generosity!
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2022-23 | $ 2,111 |
| February Budget | $ 8,444 |
| February Collections | $ 14,190 |
| February Total Expenses | $ 10,915 |
| March Budget | $ 8,444 |
| March 16 Collection | $ 3,115 |
| March Collections To Date | $ 7,887 |
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Terry Hall (March 27), Cooper Wood Ellerbee(March 27), Dana Dukes (March 28), Teddy Oliver (March 28)
In Our Daily Prayers…
Please let us know of anyone who is ill or hospitalized and would like to receive a visit from Father. Also, help us keep our prayer list up to date by advising us of those who should be added or removed.
Our Pope, Francis; our Bishop, Robert Marshall; and our Diocesan leaders, our President, Governor, Mayor and national, state and local elected representatives
Our parishioners who are sick, shut-in, under full-time care and for those who care for them, and for those otherwise in need of our prayers: MaryKathryn & Nap Book, Connie & Dan Copes, Elizabeth Crothers, Leslye Ellerbee, Norman and Marie Ernst, Susan & Johnny Gilfoil, Margaret & Pat Gilfoil,Terry Farlow Hall, Sidney & Mary Jane Johnson, Frances & Bill Kennedy, Ed Mills, Susie Murphy, Bobby Reynolds, Mike & Sue Rome, Kenny and Betty Smith
Our friends and relatives who need our prayers: Ashley Alexander (Regan), Graham Allen (S Gilfoil), Pam Amacker (Gilfoil), Marie Farlow Bellard, Nap and Martha Book, Kay Boolos (S Gilfoil), Dick & Sue Boyd (S Gilfoil), Chris Breard (Gilfoil), Sarah Cannon (Gilfoil), Fran Castile (Keene), Caroline and Albert Christman, Jeannie & Donald Collins, Teresa Carney Condra, Jami Cook (Wilks), Gene Cox, Marla Evans Cummings, Carol Dipert (Rome), Mac Donaldson (Ellerbee), Wayne Edwards, Mike Farlow, Patty Farlow, Emily Fortenberry, Judy Fortenberry, April Franklin (Wilks), Fred and Cathy Fulton, Thom Gilfoil, Wyly Gilfoil (Gilfoil), LaVonne Givens, Charlotte Green, Theresa Gunter, Rita Hargrave, Arlice Evans Headley, Evie Hilburn (Lancaster), Charles Howington, Callie Halback Hyams, Will Irby (P Gilfoil), Diane Johnson, Carla Leese (S Gilfoil), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Caroline Marcello (Watts), Ruth McDonald (Copes), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Kiely McKellar (S Gilfoil), Mona Martin (MA Gilfoil), Boyce Miller, Randy Parker, John Neill, Bailey, Scott, and Tiffney Rome, Dianne Roper (Murphy), Janie Saxon (Lancaster), Debbie Kedrick Sims, Tommy Trichell, LeeAnn Rome Tranchina (Rome), Randy Watts, Jr.
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Preston Collins, Henry Ellerbee, Lilly Falgout, Jag Gilfoil, Bruen Johnson, Matilda Johnson, Caroline Marsh, EmmyLu March, Charlize Richardson, Blake Sullivan, Carter Sullivan, Walker Sullivan, Chandler Wood, Marsh Wood
