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First Sunday of Advent

December 1, 2019

From The Font

"As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.”

God is the fullness of truth and love and so it’s only reasonable that each time God does something which is ordered toward us, it should bear certain similarities to the other acts of God toward us. Just as any one of us has certain patterns of speech, ways of writing and aspects of our personalities which are utterly unique to us and those who know us recognize us by our speech or our signature or even the patterns of our choices.

So it is with Jesus Christ Who is the Same Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (Heb 13:8) and through Whom all things were made (Jn 1:3) in the beginning, now and in days to come. God has a kind of signature which He has revealed. It’s easy to see in the supernatural and the miraculous, but there are more subtle aspects as well.

The unifying factor in these aspects of the “Divine signature” is that the Lord is doing these things FOR our benefit and in such a way that we can comprehend. In this Gospel specifically, the Lord says “Stay awake. you do not know on which day your Lord will come.” One could easily ask why not? And the answer is spectacularly human… Why don’t we know the day or the hour when the Lord will return? Because rather than fall in love with the Lord, we would simply do whatever we must to gain what we would like…

In human love, we prioritize the good of the other before ourselves - and we become better individuals as we do so. We are changed by loving the other. When human love is cheapened, we do what we must to get what we want…

In loving God, we put God’s glorification, His Church and his commands above our own priorities and we become better individuals for it. And, interestingly, what we sacrifice for the Lord we usually end up receiving more abundantly than we would have otherwise. It is NOT knowing how to game the system that requires us to love the Lord and THAT is a great gift from God. It’s Him protecting us from a huge temptation and delivering us from evil designs.

Thoughts from Fr. Ryan

Advent has finally come! It’s my favorite season of the Church year. Despite the fact that we haven’t really celebrated Advent in a meaningful way in the US for a long time, I love it. Whereas the Holiday season is all about excess and nostalgia, Advent is much, much older and much, much more satisfying. It’s about anticipation. It’s about that delicious sense of not-just-yet.

Thankfully, I was a child long before the “one present on Christmas Eve” or one present early phenomenon. Partly, we just couldn’t afford that many presents. But, even moreso, my mother LOVES giving gifts. God Bless her, she just loves to watch people’s faces as they open gifts. And as children, we would wake up early on Christmas morning to stockings full of now-traditional items. My sisters had a minor fit one year when “Santa” neglected to purchase the right LifeSavers™ Christmas Book stocking stuffer. It was brutal. “Santa” made things right with a quick trip to Walgreens... I wish I could say this was decades ago, but everyone involved was over 30.

(As a side note, I wish I was better at receiving gifts as an adult! I don’t express much emotion when it comes to receiving presents. Sorry mom!)

At any rate, the waiting was both excruciating and it was thrilling. And while my childhood home looked like the tree aisle at Target, there was a strong sense of not-just-yet.

I think that’s what Advent is meant to be. During Mass, there are rules about flowers, music and decor. It’s a time for deliberate sobriety and somber waiting. Beyond Mass, though, it’s a time for longing. It’s a time for denying ourselves what we have every right to have. When this time of year is all celebration and no anticipation, the result is weariness. The human heart isn’t designed for celebration in that way.

Think about football. When LSU is playing Steven F. Austin in an exhibition game, tailgating isn’t exactly a celebration. It’s more just an excuse to do something we enjoy doing. But when LSU comes into a game that could go either way… When they’re ahead and then behind and then ahead again down to the last second… When there’s everything on the line and any mistake risks everything… Those kinds of victories are when real celebration happens.

There’s not a lot of doubt that Christmas is coming. But then again, there’s not a lot of doubt that LSU will play football twelve or thirteen times next year and the year after that. The celebration follows from genuine anticipation and from withholding the celebration for the proper moment. Any of us can buy beer and make sliders on any random day of the week, but when it’s a game week, we wait and we anticipate. Advent is meant to be that for Christmas. And the more we let Advent be Advent, the better Christmas is… And not just for us, but for our kids as well.

I love this time of year because it forces me to set aside the easy choices and to let the anticipation build. That’s important for all of us - but it’s especially if we’re going to experience Christmas as the climax rather than just the end of this holy day season.

Calendar of Events

  • Confessions every Fri & Sat from 5p until Mass at 5:30p and on Sun from 9a until 9:30a Mass
  • Pastoral Council meeting monthly on the third Tuesday after the 5:30p Mass
  • Sunday Morning Catechism in the Hall after the 9:30a Mass unless otherwise indicated
  • Dec 8 Christmas on the Bayou - crafts, parade, music program, fireworks
  • Dec10 Advent Retreat given by Father Dale Mead following 5:30 p.m. Mass
  • Dec 22 Birthday Party for Jesus following 9 a.m. Mass

For Your Information:

CHRISTMAS PARTY ON THE BAYOU RAFFLE...The Bar Cart consisting of holiday items, foods, and beverages which is being raffled with a drawing around December 15, is on display at Tensas State Bank.

ANGEL TREE... you have the opportunity to select Angels that you may want to purchase gifts for during the Christmas season. The remaining Angels can be found in the church foyer. Dana Dukes is giving leadership to our Angel Tree project again this year. If you have questions, please contact her or the church office.

CHRISTMAS ON THE BAYOU - DEC 8… Craftsmen and vendors will be at the Courthouse lawn from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.,the parade is scheduled for 4 p.m., and the Christmas Choir Concert is at 6 p.m. at First Baptist Church, followed by fireworks on the Bayou at 7:15 p.m. Father Ryan is the Narrator for the Choir Concert and choir members include Michael Lancaster, Mike Rome, MaryKathryn Book and Patty Watts. The Grand Marshall for this year’s parade is Mike Rome.

ADVENT MISSION … DECEMBER 10 … following 5:30 p.m. Mass. Father Dale Meade, St Mary Catholic Church, Winnsboro, will be our presenter.

FLOWERS FOR CHRISTMAS...envelopes can be found at the entrance of Church

PRAYER FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A NEW BISHOP...Praise to you, Lord our God, our eternal shepherd and guide. In your faithfulness, grant to the Diocese of Alexandria a new bishop whose watchful care will serve to continue the good work of his predecessors. In your Love, give us a shepherd who will lead us in being Christ’s heart of mercy, voice of hope,and hands of justice. Help him to fill our minds and hearts with the truth of the Gospel, the power of the sacraments, and the desire to build up your holy Church. We ask this through Jesus Christ,your Son our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen

Our Return to the Lord

  • Weekly Budget FY 2019-20 $2,111
  • October Budget $8,444
  • October Income $8,556
  • October Expenses $8,475
  • November Budget $8,444
  • Collection November 23/24 $1,389
  • November Income to Date $8,340

Stewardship “At an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come,” says today’s Gospel. Good stewards know that they are accountable to God for all they have and are and strive to in readiness for His coming.

Mass Schedule & Intentions for the Coming Week

  • Sat 5:30p In memory of Becky Lancaster/S Placke
  • Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased members of our Parish
  • Mon-Thu NO MASS (Fr Ryan at Diocesan Function)
  • Fri 5:30p In memory of Michael King/Humphries
  • Sat 5:30p In memory of Sarah Phillips/Hodge
  • Sun 9:00a 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

  • 11/30 5:30p
    • Lector: MA Gilfoil
    • EMHCs: L Magoun & M Rome
  • 12/1 9:00a
    • Servers: W Sullivan, M Wood, C Ellerbee
    • Lector: A Oliver
    • EMHCs: B Smith & K Collins
  • 12/7 5:30p
    • Lector: A Farlow
    • EMHCs: P & M Gilfoil
  • 12/8 9:00a
    • Servers: C Marsh, H Ellerbee, K Ellerbee
    • Lector: B Sullivan
    • EMHCs: N & M Ernst
  • 12/14 5:30p
    • Lector: P Wilks
    • EMHCs: B Wilks & MA Gilfoil
  • 12/15 9:00a
    • Servers: C Sullivan,C Wood, MK Marsh
    • Lector: W Sullivan & Henry Ellerbee
    • EMHCs: B Smith & K Collins

Let us Rejoice in the Lord!

Happy Birthday Lance Marsh (Nov 30), Nick and Chris Hall (Dec 7),

In Our Daily Prayers…

Our Holy Father Pope Francis and Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI; Archbishop Aymond and our Diocesan leaders, our President, Governor, Mayor and national, state and local elected representatives

Our parishioners who are sick, shut-in, or otherwise in need of our prayers: Terri Brown, Pat Bullard, Connie Copes, Elizabeth Crothers, Susan Gilfoil, Josephine Hodge, C.W. and Alyce Keene, Bill Kennedy, Dale & Louise Magoun, Ed Mills, Kathleen Mills, Sue & Mike Rome, Delia Trichell and Don Wood

Those under full-time care: Frances Kennedy, Sue Scurria (Texas), Jim Farrell of Vicksburg, Margaret Fortenberry of Tensas, Sharon Hansen of Gonzales, Consuelo Marsh of Lake Providence, Jean Cantrell, Marie Cedotal

Our friends and relatives who need our prayers: Lee Adams (Smith), Ashley Weimer Alexander (Regan), Pam Amacker (Gilfoil), Jenna Faye Allen (Florence), Marie Farlow Bellard, Hattie Brown (Lancaster), Jerry Bullard, Colton Bullock (Farlow), Richard Chappuis (Johnson), Karen Cobb, Jami Cook (Wilks), Carol Dipert (Rome), Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, Melinda and son, Will, Fewell (Farlow), David Fortenberry, Meg Gaumnitz (Copes), Thom Gilfoil, Charlotte Green, Kathy Garley Hanlon (Gilfoil), Cooper Harris (R Wood), Bo Holloway, Diane Johnson (Johnson), Terry Lynn Jones (Howington), Ben Lenhart (G Marsh), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Michelle McGuire (Gilfoil), Tobie McKowen (Wilks), Keith Melancon (Regan), Tucker Melancon (Johnson), Lindsay Mills, Debbie Pettis (Rome), Sam and Betty Phillips (Hodge), Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Debbie Prine (Wilks), Lee and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Linda Sanchez (Wilks), Walter Scott, Andy Sevier, Beverly Sibile (Gilfoil), Theresa Thom (Rome), Elaine and James Trimble (Rome), Adam Triplett (Reynolds), Teresa Vidrine (Wilks), Conner and Hudson Wood (nephews of Bart)

Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Norman Ernst, Anna Ginn, Josh Hall, Chris Hall (USMC), Matt Hall (USArmy), Nick Hall, Emmy Lu Marsh, Maddie Oliver, Bailey Rome, Blake Sullivan, Brice Wood

Those Catholics residing at Christian Acres, Louisiana Transitional Center for Women, and our local Detention Centers and for their families and loved ones.

PLEASE LET US KNOW OF ANYONE WHO IS ILL OR HOSPITALIZED OR WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE A VISIT. PLEASE HELP US TO UP-DATE OUR PRAYER LIST BY ADVISING US OF ANYONE WHO SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE PRAYER LIST.