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Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

January 19, 2020

From The Font

"I did not know him...""

Before Christmas, we heard about John who leapt in His mother’s womb when Mary - with Jesus in her womb - arrived to stay with Elizabeth her cousin. That means that John the Baptist and Jesus were cousins… And yet in our Gospel this week, John says twice “I did not know him…”

This is one of those moments where even a lot of study and a wide knowledge of language can’t make up for simply living at the time when John was speaking. It’s complicated, but suffice it to say that the verb “to know” can mean a lot of things with enough hand gestures and context.

John almost certainly means that while he knows who Jesus is and he knows that Jesus was special, he didn’t realize how special… Remember, news travels among families in the ancient world and if Elizabeth and Zechariah were related to Joseph and Mary, they would’ve heard about the birth, the wise men, Anna and Simeon in the temple, the flight to Egypt and, later on, the whole thing in temple where Jesus schooled the high priests. Likewise, Joseph and Mary would’ve heard about all the oddities surrounding the birth of John.

In many ways, John would’ve been keeping an eye of Jesus from a distance. Still, the events of the Baptism were so dramatic, that even John wasn’t prepared for them and so he is taken aback and says “Behold the Lamb of God.”

John who “knows” Jesus and “knows about” Jesus and maybe thinks he “knows who” Jesus is and yet he has an attitude of humility and expectation that’s good for us to imitate. We, too, “know” Jesus and we “know about” Him and we “know who” He is… But with all that info, we still have much, much to learn if we want to “know” Jesus as deeply as He wants us to know Him. The Lord Jesus is not so much a question to be answered as He is a mystery to be considered and meditated upon. All of us know that 2+2=4, but very few us can explain in a deep way why that mathematical truth is so. We know in a certain sense, but there’s much more to learn.

Thoughts from Fr. Ryan

This Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I’m a big fan of MLK. He was a fine pastor. He was a pretty decent writer and philosopher. I hear he made some mistakes and even failed in virtue from time to time… I can’t be surprised - all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We don’t really remember him for any of that. His ideas weren’t fresh and new. As a thinker, he stood on the shoulders of pioneers in civil rights and he turned to the Bible for most of his great inspiration and much of his sense of language.

The real reasons we remember and celebrate Martin Luther King Jr is his preaching and, ultimately, his assassination.

The man was an incredible preacher. I don’t just say public speaker - but preacher. An orator has a set of skills and techniques, all of which a preacher needs. But a preacher also has to have a certain openness to the Holy Spirit and a kind of Bob-Ross courage to move the sermon in an unexpected direction without any real sense of the point in doing so.

MLK’s most famous speech is undoubtedly his “I have a dream speech.” What few people know is that the “I have a dream speech” looked very different on paper. In fact, the most famous line in that speech was preceded by long minutes of hackneyed mental images and ideas. People were getting bored and he saw it. And then, he found his hook and gave one of the greatest short sermons in world history.

Dr. King’s gift wasn’t what he expected it to be. He wanted to be a good pastor and he wanted to leave the world a better place for his kids. Sadly - or maybe blessedly - he became an icon not for his lifetime of study but for a few iconic moments.

Some folks would dismiss him and the entire Civil Rights era as a closed chapter of history… And there’s merit to parts of that argument. The Civil Rights era is indeed over. Modern racial debates have little to do with genuine rights and much to do with faux moral outrage and power brokering.

Racial equality today in the US bears little or no resemblance to Dr. King’s designs and would probably disgust the man who hoped for a day when men would be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. On the other hand, the Civil Rights Era continues to inform not only the unrelenting clamor of the political left, it also recalls the genuine humanity of those who faced real persecution. I’m not thinking of the silly woke generations who believe that anyone who says something mean is oppressing them. I say, let them be oppressed! No, I’m thinking of those like our donut shop owners from Cambodia who are fighting an uphill fight for their little boy. I’m thinking of families here in town who have become so accustomed to welfare that they don’t even consider pursuing work after high school. I’m thinking of people to whom we have the opportunity to show Christian charity in our day to day lives… Not those who believe they “deserve” help, but those who need it all the same.

Those are the folks I think about on MLK day. Those are the people I hope and pray get to share in Dr. King’s dream.

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 except Jun & Dec

  • Sunday Morning Catechism in the Hall after the 9:30a Mass unless otherwise indicated

  • Jan 21 Pastoral Council Meeting following 5:30 p.m. Mass

For Your Information:

PASTORAL COUNCIL..will hold its regular meeting on TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, at 6:00 p.m(after 5:30 p.m. Mass) in the Church Center. All members are requested to make a special effort to attend. Parishioners are encouraged to attend to contribute to the discussions.

CANDLES ON THE ALTAR OF SACRIFICE… Anyone wishing to provide candles for the altar in honor of their loved one or in prayer for some intention may do so simply by asking. A small donation is recommended, but not required. A list of dates is in the sacristy and a date can be reserved up to one year in advance.

FUND RAISING WITH GROCERY TICKETS... If you shop at Doug’s and do not already do so, you may want to save your grocery tickets and place them in the bag on the table at the entrance to church. The church will be given 1% of the total of combined purchases (excluding milk, cigarettes, and alcohol). Our thanks to the ANGEL who collects the tickets and prepares them to submit to Doug’s

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
  • December Budget $10,555
  • December Income $ 9,341
  • December Expenses $ 8,696
  • January Budget $ 8,444
  • Collection January 11/12 $ 1,339
  • January Income to Date $ 5,213

Stewardship Today’s responsorial Psalm is the theme song of the good steward: “Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.” May I, too, stand ready to offer myself and my gifts in the service of God.

NEXT WEEKEND SPECIAL COLLECTION (Jan 25/26)...for The Church in Latin America. Your gift supports many pastoral projects that benefit the faithful in Latin America and the Caribbean, including outreach to Venezuelan families affected by emigration.

Mass Schedule & Intentions for the Coming Week

  • Sat 5:30p In memory of Eva Reynolds/death anni/family
  • Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased members of our Parish
  • Mon NO MASS
  • Tue 5:30p In memory of Josephine and Billy Hodge
  • Wed 5:30p In memory of Marie Phillips MIchele/Harris
  • Thu 9:00a In memory of May DiTomasso Legacy Nursing Home
  • Fri 5:30p In memory of Becky Lancaster/Vedros
  • Sat 5:30p In memory of Margaret Magoun/Magoun
  • 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

  • 1/18 5:30p
    • Lector: A Farlow
    • EMHCs: MA Gilfoil & L Bullard
  • 1/19 9:00a
    • Servers: C Marsh, H Ellerbee, K Ellerbee
    • Lector: P Collins & M Wood
    • EMHCs: B Smith & K Collins
  • 1/25 5:30p
    • Lector: P Wilks
    • EMHCs: B Wilks & M Rome
  • 1/26 9:00a
    • Servers: W Sullivan, M Wood, C Ellerbee
    • Lector: A Oliver
    • EMHCs: N & M Ernst
  • 2/1 5:30p
    • Lector: MA Gilfoil
    • EMHCs: A Farlow & C VanderVieren
  • 2/2 9:00a
    • Servers: C Sullivan, C Wood, MKMarsh
    • Lector: D Ellerbee
    • EMHCs: B Smith & K Collins

Let us Rejoice in the Lord!

Happy Birthday Renee Wood (Jan 18), Mary Jane Johnson (Jan 22), Brice Wood (Jan 22), Pat Bullard (Jan 25)

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, C.W. and Alyce Keene, Bill Kennedy, Ed Mills, Kathleen Mills, Sue & Mike Rome, Delia Trichell and Don Wood

Those under full-time care: Frances Kennedy, 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.