Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
From The Font
“Praise the LORD, for he is good; sing praise to our God, for he is gracious; it is fitting to praise him.”
The psalms are all written as hymns which were used as part of both the more formal temple worship and the less formal synagogue worship. But unlike many of the hymns that are common today, the psalms were deeply spiritual poetry with a rich body of theological and human meaning.
Most of that meaning sneaks into the poetry by means of little phrases that you miss the first few times you sing it (or read it) and that you catch as time passes. This little phrase from Psalm 147 that is quoted here drops in, almost as an afterthought, that it is fitting to praise the Lord… What does that mean? Why is it fitting?
In modern usage, we might say it’s appropriate or right or just or correct or we might say that it’s the good thing to do… In moral terms, we would say it is right to praise God and wrong not to praise Him. That little phrase has a big impact because it reminds us why we praise God. We don’t pray and praise the Lord as payback because we are individually blessed. We don’t do it because we want something in return. We do it for the same reason we share with others and we don’t harm others and, deep within, we wish the world were fair… We do it because these things are right. They are good. They are moral. They are the way things are supposed to be.
God deserves praise because He is God. His “right” to praise is the truth from which we draw our own understanding about a parent’s “right” to respect and a child’s “right” to be loved. God’s nature is the standard by which all of our creation exists. All moral good, including the Justice from which all rights and duties flow, begins in God’s nature.
And so it is “fitting” to praise the Lord. It is right and just, as we say at Mass. And if we fail to praise Him rightly, the very rocks themselves would cry out as Jesus notes in the Gospels.
For each of us, that duty is both universal in our nature as human beings and personal in our Baptisms through which we are adopted sons and daughter of the Lord Most High. And so, may our praise right out both because God has blessed us but also because He is God.
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
February 10 is a big deal at the Monastery where I studied to be a priest. It’s the feast of St. Scholastica, the sister of St. Benedict of Nurcia. Her story is delightful!
St. Benedict lived in the late 400s and early 500s in central Italy. Basing his spiritual research on St. Basil, he wrote a simple rule of life that included everything from what prayers should be said every day to how much wine any one brother should drink at supper time. St. Benedict wasn’t the only one who wrote a rule and established an order of monks, but the Benedictines very quickly became THE religious order across Europe from the late 500s through to the 12 and 1300s. He was a big deal and there are lots of great stories about his life and his legacy.
His sister, Scholastica didn’t so much write a rule as adapt Benedict’s rule and found an order of women. The Benedictine Sisters were no less important or popular than the Brothers and some would argue that Scholastica was the greater saint during her lifetime.
The most famous story of these two critical saints is actually the story of their last meeting. Benedict, as the Abbot of his order, and Scholastica, as the Abbess of hers, used to meet regularly to discuss spiritual and administrative matters, but the Rule required them both to be back inside their own monasteries before dark. Scholastica, who had been told by the Lord that she would die soon, asked Benedict to stick around and chat through the night rather than going back to the monastery as per the rule… Benedict wanted to stay, but he wouldn’t be disobedient. So Scholastica asked the Lord to engineer a longer meeting. Suddenly, a terrible storm arose and the two siblings spent the entire night in prayer and conference. When the morning came, both headed back to their respective monasteries - which were next-door to each other. When Benedict got back to his room, he looked out the window and saw a white dove flying from the window of the Sister’s Monastery and before the messenger even arrived with the news of his sister’s death, he had told the brothers that she had died.
The story is famous for a lot of reasons. There are a slew of details and specifics that speak to those familiar with the Benedictine spiritual life. Moreso, though, all of us can relate to the desire simply to love and to be loved by one another. We can all relate to the prayer of St. Scholastica asking the Lord to engineer a moment from whatever Hallmark movie is playing just now. It’s a deeply human desire and one that certainly comes from the best original goodness of God rather than from our sinful and fallen nature.
All of us can and should ask the Lord for any- and everything that our hearts desire. If it’s good for us, the Lord will give us our desire. If it’s bad, God will protect us from it. For examples of the benefit of unanswered prayers, just consult Garth Brooks.
I think all of us would do well, though, to say a quick prayer to St. Scholastica asking her to help us keep up our hope and to pray fervently for all our heart’s desire. God is good and He wants to give us good things.
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Curley Mills/Mills-Thompson
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon No Public Mass
- Tues 9:00a In memory of Gus Gremshell
- Wed 9:00a In memory of Thomas Trichell/Tommy
- Thu 9:00a In memory of Josephine Hodge/G Cox
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Becky Lancaster/family
- Sat 9:00a Private Intentions of Father Ryan (Traditional Latin Mass)
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Pat Bullard/family
- 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 2/6 5:30p | None Scheduled | M Rome |
| 2/7 9:00a | Carter, Chandler, Mary Katherine | S Marsh |
| 2/13 5:30p | None Scheduled | M A Gilfoil |
| 2/14 9:00a | Preston, Marsh, Evelyn | A Oliver |
| 2/20 5:30p | None Scheduled | A Farlow |
| 2/21 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
- February 7 Blessing of Throats following Saturday Mass and following Sunday Mass
- February 14 Potluck Brunch following Sunday Mass
- February 17 Ash Wednesday -- a day of fasting and abstinence
- February 19 Quarterly Mass with Anointing of the Sick
For Your Information:
HEALING MASS… Every few months, our usual Friday evening Daily Mass will be offered especially for the sick parishioners of our parish and Father Ryan will offer the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick for those of advanced age or those suffering serious health conditions. Our next Healing Mass will be offered on February 19. Feel free to invite friends in need of healing to join with you.
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.
FIRST QUARTER SOCIAL … POTLUCK BRUNCH following Mass on Sunday, February 14, 2021. The First Quarter (Jan, Feb, March) group consists of Margo Corulla and Darryl and Abby Ellerbee (co-chairs), Norman and Marie Ernst, Katherine Ernst Bedgood, Brian Johnson, Sidney and Mary Jane Johnson, Robbie and Tori Kivett, Ed Mills, Kathleen Mills, Billy and Courtney Nadeau, Teddy and Alyssa Oliver, Mike and Sue Rome, Jason Trichell, Mary Trichell, Levi Washington
BLESSING OF THROATS…is ordinarily celebrated on February 3, the Feast of St Blaise, patron of all throat issues. We will have this blessing at the end of Masses this weekend (Feb 6 & 7).
SPECIAL STUDY GROUP… Mrs Charlotte Booth will sponsor a special six-week study group in preparation for the Solemn Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary according to the instruction of St. Louis de Montfort. The study group is intensive and only has room for 5-6 people. Those interested should speak to Mrs. Booth directly. The group will begin meeting on Ash Wednesday evening and the date of the Solemn Consecration will be March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation.
MEN’S PROGRAM… The Knights of Columbus in Vicksburg will sponsor the “Into the Breach” program directed toward men. The program is truly exceptional and is based on remarkable spiritual writing from Bp. Thomas Olmstead. This particular version of the program will meet via Zoom on Thursdays beginning after Ash Wednesday. The program is free and Fr. Ryan has materials for those interested. Questions can be addressed to Mr. Charles Hahn of the Vicksburg KCs.
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.
Stewardship Like St Paul in the second reading,the good steward can say, “I do all that I do for the sake of the Gospel in the hope of having a share in its blessings.”
Building Fund our monthly Building Fund will be taken this weekend.
Special Collection next weekend for our Diocesean Newspaper, The Church Today.
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 30/31 collection | $ 2,283 |
| January income to Date | $11,732 |
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Stephenie E. Marsh (Feb 6), Mike Rome (Feb 14), Kate Copes (Feb 15), Tim Harris (Feb 15)
Happy Anniversary Susie and Terry Murphy (Feb 13)
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, Charlotte Marsh and Lance and Stephenie, 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, 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.