The Baptism of the Lord
From The Font
“On coming up out of the water… the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’”
It’s somewhat bizarre to go from the stories surrounding the Birth of Jesus straight to the beginning of His ministry… What about the infamous time Jesus was “lost” in the city and found in the Temple? What happened during those “hidden years?”
It turns out, though, that the key theological theme of the events surrounding the birth of Jesus is answering the question “WHO is Jesus?” Is He God? Is He Man? Why was He foretold? After all, the first words out of John the Baptists’ mouth are “One mightier than I is coming after me...”
If you read the first few chapters of Matthew or Luke, you know that right after the Baptism is the beginning of Jesus’ “ministry” - that is His work among the people. This story of His Baptism is actually more on-theme with the stories of His birth than it is with the stories of His ministry because today’s Gospel really hammers home the theological truth of the Most Holy Trinity! Jesus comes out of the water and the voice of the FATHER overlaps with the presence of the HOLY SPIRIT (in the form of a Dove) and the name given is SON. And so we have an incredibly clear and succinct expression of the Most Holy Trinity as a kind of exclamation point on the end of the stories first predicting and then telling of the birth of Jesus.
That makes the feast of the Baptism of Jesus - which separated in historical time - a perfect capstone to the season of Christmas. It ties in and fulfills the predictions and prophecies of the Old Testament. It sets the stage for something unprecedented and fundamentally new in the history of the world. And, it establishes the Sacramental foundation upon which Jesus would go on to build the religious practice of His Church.
The dogma of the Most Holy Trinity may seem esoteric and complicated, but it’s absolutely essential to our understanding of Who God is and, therefore, who we are! That’s why both of the great Festal Seasons (Christmas and Easter) end with feasts celebrating the Dogma of the Most Holy Trinity.
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
In the early Church, bishops were very, very local. A bishop would have had a Cathedral Church and maybe four or five rural churches to serve. And so, he was generally able to travel to the home of each Catholic family on a somewhat regular basis. Most bishops got into the habit of making their visits and blessing each home at the beginning of the year, around the time of Epiphany. As the Church grew in numbers, the bishop couldn’t do it himself. So bishops started sending priests out at this time of year to bless homes. As the Church continued to grow, even the priests couldn’t make it to everyone’s home near Epiphany and so two traditions arose. First, priests were instructed to bless water at Epiphany and to use that water to bless chalk. The faithful would then take that chalk to their homes and inscribe a blessing upon their doorposts. They were told to write the initials of the wise men (Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar) in the midst of the year. For example, for 2021:
MM + C + M + B + XXI
This inscription is designed to remind everyone who passes through the door of the true meaning of Epiphany which begins by realizing that the Lord made Himself known to us in a specific space and time. Also, the letters serve as shorthand for the Latin phrase Christus mansionem benedicat (“Lord, Bless this home”).
While many of us simply assume that we’re heading for heaven (a dangerous assumption), the truth is that God chose a specific people - the Jews. As such, only the Jews had any reason to believe that the resurrection of the dead would apply to them. When the Wise Men from the East recognized God’s design and they found the Christ child and were welcomed by Him… WOW! Symbolically, this is the sign in the scriptures that Jesus came not only to save the Jews (symbolized by the shepherds), but also to save gentiles (symbolized by the magi). It’s an incredibly important moment and so we, as the gentiles we are, mark our homes with the names of those gentiles who symbolize our admission into the promise of being chosen by God. Simply make the marking that you see here above the door (on the frame) with blessed Epiphany Chalk and add a prayer of your own choosing to thank God for His goodness to us.
I should add that this isn’t some kind of totem, taboo, magic or other wacky thing. This is kind of like making the sign of the cross with your house instead of your hand. It’s meant to convey a real blessing and then to remind us of God’s work in our lives. Beyond this blessing and marking, the chalk is not special and can’t be used to convey other blessings. You can’t, sadly, mark the cross on your misbehaving child or your broken TV...
I also encourage you to make sure everyone in your home understands the message of the chosenness of the Jews and the meaning of the gentile wise men so that when people ask what that writing is - we’re able to use it for a little evangelization. This is also an ideal time to invite your pastor over to your home for a yearly house blessing… and maybe a piece of pie.
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p For C.W. Keene/family
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon No Public Mass
- Tues 9:00a In memory of Louise Testa (birth)/Magoun
- Wed 9:00a In memory of Paul Voran, Jr.
- Thu 9:00a For Pat and A.P. Guizerix/family
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Josephine Hodge/Weaver
- Sat 9:00a Private Intentions of Father Ryan (Traditional Latin Mass)
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Eva Reynolds/Bullard
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of Margo Corulla
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1/9 5:30p | None Scheduled | P Wilks |
| 1/10 9:00a | Carter. Cooper, MaryKatherine | B Sullivan |
| 1/16 5:30p | None Scheduled | L Bullard |
| 1/17 9:00a | Preston, Marsh, Evelyn | D Ellerbee |
| 1/23 5:30p | None Scheduled | A Farlow |
| 1/24 9:00a | Caroline, Henry, Kathleen | Youth |
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
For Your Information:
ROSARY GROUP … a group of parishioners is meeting on Monday at 5:30 p.m. to pray the Rosary. Everyone is invited to join with the group. If you need additional information, please contact the Coordinator, Louise Magoun, at 318-341-2403.
ALTAR CANDLES… 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.
PASTORAL COUNCIL..will hold its regular meeting on TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2021 at 6:00 p.m in the Church Center. Appointed members of the Council: MaryAnne Gilfoil, Louise Magoun, Ginny Marsh, Beth Sullivan, Levi Washington, and Blanche Wilks. Appointed as Trustees by the Bishop are Michael Lancaster and Cathy VanderVieren. Appointed by the pastor to serve as Finance Council Chair is Darryl Ellerbee.All members are requested to make a special effort to attend. Parishioners are encouraged to attend and contribute to the discussions.
EMPOWERING GOD’S CHILDREN… parish volunteers must be VIRTUS trained and go online regularly at www.virtus.org for the latest training bulletins. Any questions or issues can be reported to the office. Printed resources are available on the table at the entrance to the Church.
- “Protecting our Children, Understanding and Preventing Child Sexual Abuse” includes Resources and Contact Numbers for reporting abuse.
- “Protecting God’s Children, Teaching Touching Safety Quick Reference Guide”
The Diocesan Policy for the Protection of Minors and The Diocesan Code of Pastoral Conduct for Priests, Deacons, Pastoral Ministers, Administrators, Staff, and Volunteers are available in the Safe Environment section of the diocesan website at DioceseAlex.org or a copy may be requested from the Safe Environment Office (318) 445-2401.
PLEDGE TO HEAL...If you or a family member has been abused or victimized by a representative of the Catholic church or a member of the clergy, please believe in the possibility for hope and help and healing. Dr. Lee Kneipp, Clinical Psychologist, Victim Assistance Coordinator, Diocese of Alexandria encourages those persons to come forward and speak out. Dr. Kneipp is establishing support groups in the central Louisiana area for victims and family members. The focus of these groups is to further emotional and spiritual healing as an adjunct to therapy, in an atmosphere of others who understand the pain, betrayal, and fear associated with abuse. Dr. Kneipp can be reached at 318-542-9805. All calls are confidential.
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.
ALTAR SOCIETY DUES PAYABLE FOR 2021…All ladies of the faith family of St. Edward are considered members of the Altar Society which is responsible for the needs of the altar such as candles, wine, hosts, altar cloths and linens and decorations. It is now time to pay your $10 dues for 2021 and there are envelopes at the entrance of the church for your convenience. You may return your envelope in the collection basket or to the church office.
Stewardship Today, we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord. The US Bishops’ pastoral letter on stewardship reminds us that Baptism gives all of His disciples a share in His priestly work and calls them “to offer up the world and all that is in it -- especially themselves--to the Lord of all.”
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2020-21 | $ 2,111 |
| December Budget | $ 8,444 |
| December Income | $18,109 |
| December Expenses | $9,405 |
| January Budget | $10,555 |
| January 2/3 collection | $1,525 |
| January income to Date | $1,525 |
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday CW Keene (Jan 9), Matilda Johnson (Jan 10), Pat Gilfoil (Jan 15), Renee Wood (Jan 18)
Happy Anniversary Alyssa and Teddy Oliver (Jan 10)
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 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: Harper Bedgood, Connie and Dan Copes, Elizabeth Crothers, Marie and Norman Ernst, Mary Ernst, Monique Florence, Margaret and Pat Gilfoil, Susan and Johnny 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, Carol Dunning, Sharon Hansen of Gonzales, Consuelo Marsh of Lake Providence, Marie Cedotal Our friends and relatives who need our prayers: Lee Adams (Smith), Ashley Alexander (Regan), Jenna Faye Allen (Florence), Pam Amacker (Gilfoil), James Arceneaux (Book), Todd Beene, Marie Farlow Bellard, Molly Corulla, Georgie Gilfoil Breard, Hattie Brown (Lancaster), Jerry Bullard, Stella & Fernando Calvo (Keene), Sara Cannon (Gilfoil), Karen and Rod Cobb, Truman and Diane Collins, Jami Cook (Wilks), Carol Dipert (Rome), Tommy Dunning, Eli Edgecomb(Gilfoil), Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, Thom Gilfoil, Charlotte Green, Kathy Garley Hanlon (Gilfoil), Rita Hargrave, Terry Lynn Jones (Howington), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Lee and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Linda Sanchez (Wilks), Theresa and Albert Thom (Rome), Meg Keene Thomas, Elaine and James Trimble (Rome), Teresa Vidrine (Wilks), Joe Yerger
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Anna Ginn, Josh Hall, Chris Hall (USMC), Matt Hall (USArmy), Nick Hall, Emmy Lu Marsh, Bailey Rome, 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.