Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
From The Font
...Going out around the eleventh hour...
It can be argued that the entire modern world is little more than a desperate attempt to cheat death. We spend a collective fortune to look and feel young all the time. We idealize and idolize the teen and young adult years. Whole industries exist to allow adults to dress and act like adolescents. The entire political message of one of our major political parties is little more than a child’s list of demands.
No matter how hard we try, though, death can only be postponed a little while and any moment, any hour may well be our eleventh hour, the last of our lives.
In today’s Gospel, the Lord reminds us that He is constantly going forth from His vineyard and inviting those who are standing around idly to get to work. He promises to pay them what’s fair and He makes good by showing them mercy rather than justice. But only those who are in the vineyard when the sun sets get paid.
The message is relatively clear and easy enough to understand. Today’s Gospel, though, is a reminder of how detrimental a bad translation of the Bible can be. Phrases that are still in our vocabulary like “the eleventh hour” go back to beautiful and poetic translations of the Bible. The phrase “usual daily wage” is long and unwieldy. The Greek is just the name of the coin “a denarius.” The King James Bible translates it as “a penny.”
Sadly, the New American Bible - which we are mandated to use at all Masses in the US - is one of the worst translations for readability, poetic beauty, or memorizing. I recommend the Revised Standard Version or the Douay-Rheims if you prefer something more like the King James. Both are poetic and lovely and that makes a genuine difference when it comes to prayer. It’s easy to memorize something beautiful and it’s hard to pray with something that’s ugly and wordy.
While the Bible is undoubtedly the Word of God, the specific words that God uses to speak to us depend upon our understanding, our knowledge of our Faith, the translation itself and our own prayerful disposition. Nothing can separate us from the Love of God, but a good Bible Translation can be of immeasurable help!
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
On the right side of the Church, you’ll surely notice a new, beautiful piece of art! The image, commissioned by us from Louisiana artist Norman Faucheaux, was provided by memorial bequests from the family and friends of Becky Lancaster and Dale Magoun.
The picture features St. Edward the Confessor, our patron, on an ornate throne. He’s holding the orb and scepter which represent worldly authority and in his right hand is a ring which is the primary iconographic feature of St. Edward.
The ring is part of a story in which Edward was traveling along and came across a beggar. The king had no money to give and so he gave the beggar his ring. Months later, two of Edward’s household were stranded in the Holy Land and they came upon an old man. He told them that he was, in fact, St. John the Evangelist sent to test Edward. St. John gave them the ring and charged the two men to return to England in haste because, in only six months’ time, Edward would be in Heaven.
To the left of the king, in a panel inset, is an image of our own Church, named after King Edward, and the scene of Edward carrying a beggar in need.
To the right of the king, in a panel inset, is an image of Westminster Abbey, which Edward built, and the scene of Edward giving the ring to the beggar who was actually St. John.
Above the left inset is a medallion of the Crowning of Jesus with the Crown of thorns.
Above the right inset is a medallion of Christ the King.
While King Edward was a good king, a loving father, a daily mass goer, and a great supporter of the Church and the poor, he wasn’t someone anyone thought would ever be a saint. His son oversaw the historic Battle of Hastings in which the Danish (Viking) line of English kings were cast out and the Saxon (French) kings of England began their long rule. Surely, the new kings and the bishops around them didn’t want to do anything to show too much favor to the old guy…
Edward is a saint today not because of what he did in life, but like St. Therese the Little Flower, because of what he did in death. Edward’s tomb is in Westminster Abbey. It was a place where a lot of people came to pray. It was iconic and beautiful. And as pilgrims arrived to see the architecture or to have a word with the new king, they asked the prayers of the saintly old king. And, wouldn’t you know it, miracles started to happen. Lots and lots of people started experiencing miraculous healings… And so it was that Edward’s tomb became the focus of the pilgrimages rather than the architecture or the big city. After years of this, the Pope took notice and declared the miracle-working King of England a saint. (The title “confessor” is just Church-speak for a saint who isn’t a priest, monk, nun or virgin.)
I’ll have more to say about our Patron as his feast approaches in early October. Until then, enjoy the painting and please pray for those in whose memory it was offered!
Upcoming Events
- Confessions every Friday & Saturday from 5p until Mass at 5:30p
- Sunday Morning Catechism in the Hall after the 9:00a Mass unless otherwise indicated
- Pastoral Council meeting monthly on the third Tuesday at 6p unless otherwise indicated
- Sept 20 - Youth Mass
For Your Information:
SUNDAY MORNING CATECHISM … Sunday Morning Catechism along with Coffee and Donuts on Sunday after the 9 a.m Mass. As has become our program, Fr. Ryan will present a short teaching using the projector which is correlated to a specific chapter in our workbooks. Workbooks for all ages will be available in the Hall, free of charge, to anyone who needs one throughout the year. Parents are strongly encouraged to attend these presentations as they will help you, as your child’s teacher, teach your children and, hopefully, increase your own knowledge and understanding of our Faith.
LECTOR SCHEDULE FOR FOURTH QUARTER 2020...The schedule for Lectors for the remainder of the year has been completed and emailed to those persons who are Lectors. If anyone would like a paper copy, there are copies on the table at the entrance of the church.
ALTAR SERVER SCHEDULE…..Father Ryan will resume an Altar Server Schedule for Sunday morning Mass beginning October 4 and we will be getting that out in the next few days. If you have a child who needs to have training to be an altar server, please call Father Ryan and arrange for that training.
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of R. L. Reynold(death)/Bullard
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon NO MASS
- Tue 9:00a In memory of Sue Scurria/Wilks
- Wed 9:00a In memory of Rosa Gremshell
- Thu 9:00a In memory of Josephine Hodge/Weaver
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Curley Mills/Mills-Thompson
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Vivian and Odo Cagnolatti/Copes
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning in memory of Pat Bullard by the Rome family
Lectors at Holy Mass
- 9/19 5:30p
- C VanderVieren
- 9/20 9:00a
- Youth
- 9/16 5:30p
- MA Gilfoil
- 9/27 9:00a
- J Howington
- 10/3 5:30p
- P Wilks
- 10/4 9:00a
- D Ellerbee
Our Return to the Lord
- Weekly Budget FY 2019-20 $2,111
- August Budget $10,555
- August Income $13,411
- August Expenses $8,406
- September Budget $8,444
- September 12/13 Collection $3,242
- September income to Date $6,417
Stewardship In today’s Gospel, the vineyard owner says, “I am free to do as I please with my money, am I not?” We are likewise free. Is generous return to the Lord in thanksgiving for His many blessings among the choices we have made?
SECOND COLLECTION FOR THE RETIRED PRIESTS FUND is one that is retained in our parish to offset the assessed amount that we pay each month. Please be generous with this collection this weekend.
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday “Bugs” Brown (Sept 23), Leslye Ellerbee (Sept 25), Bishop Johnson (Sept 26), Blake Sullivan (Sept 26)
Happy Anniversary Sue and Mike Rome (Sept 19)
In Our Daily Prayers…
PRAYER FOR HURRICANE SEASON...Our Father in Heaven through the intercession of our Lady of Prompt Succor, spare us during the Hurricane Season from all harm. Protect us and our homes from all disasters of nature. Our Lady of Prompt Succor, hasten to help us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
Our Holy Father Pope Francis and Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI; 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, or otherwise in need of our prayers: Libby Bullard, Connie and Dan Copes, Elizabeth Crothers, Mary Ernst, Susan Gilfoil, C.W. and Alyce Keene, Bill Kennedy, Cooter Marsh, Ed Mills, Kathleen Mills, Sue & Mike Rome, Delia Trichell, and Don Wood
Those under full-time care: Frances Kennedy, Carol Dunning, 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: Especially all of those impacted by Hurricane Laura, Lee Adams (Smith), Ashley Alexander (Regan), Jenna Faye Allen (Florence), Pam Amacker (Gilfoil), James Arceneaux (Book), Marie Farlow Bellard, Georgie Gilfoil Breard, Hattie Brown (Lancaster), Jerry Bullard, Stella & Fernando Calvo (Keene), Sara Cannon (Gilfoil), Karen Cobb, Truman and Diane Collins, Jami Cook (Wilks), Carol Dipert (Rome), Kim Dorbeck (Keene), Eli Edgecomb(Gilfoil), Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, Meg Gaumnitz (Copes), Thom Gilfoil, Charlotte Green, Kathy Garley Hanlon (Gilfoil), Rita Hargrave, Bo Holloway, Terry Lynn Jones (Howington), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), James H. Lossin (Keene), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Lee and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Linda Sanchez (Wilks), Theresa Thom (Rome), Meg Keene Thomas , Elaine and James Trimble (Rome), Teresa Vidrine (Wilks), Terri Wilson, Todd Windham
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Anna Ginn, Josh Hall, Chris Hall (USMC), Matt Hall (USArmy), Nick Hall, Emmy Lu Marsh, 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 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.