Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
From The Font
“The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch which appears to be the sore of leprosy, he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest, or to one of the priests among his descendants. If the man is leprous and unclean, the priest shall declare him unclean by reason of the sore on his head.”
For most people in world history, health has been considered generally to be a function of the moral life. They have believed that the body is a good thing, created by God with His good intention. And while death comes to the flesh, the overall health of the body during that life has been generally tied to how well we live. Are we gluttons? Are we reckless? Do we engage in sexual depravity? Are we tied up with crime or filth?
Part of this is the paradox of the chicken and the egg - the virtues that people have naturally praised, as distinguished from the morality revealed by God in Scripture, are those virtues which have kept people healthy. Birds have learned which berries not to eat and we have learned which behaviors not to engage in...
Even so, the connection between health and morality isn’t just some Medieval religious superstition. Sexually transmitted diseases, as an easy example, are preventable by moral living… Obesity and addiction are preventable by moral living… Drug abuse and a great many psychological conditions don’t happen when the moral life is vigorously led.
The other side of that coin, though, which Jesus in today’s Gospel raises up, is that health of the body and health of the soul are not synonymous. They are deeply connected because the body and soul are deeply united. But they’re not identical. Some cases of Leprosy were surely caused by bad life choices and by not following the health-code aspects of the Law of Moses. But most were surely just a result of living before Purell!
The lesson to take away is that the moral life and the physical life ARE connected, but that they are not identical. Sin can and does damage the body and the soul, but sin isn’t the only thing that does damage.
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
To quote Facebook, Mardi Gras was cancelled and now, as predicted, Hell has frozen over!
It’s not 100% wrong!
Lent is a great gift to us as Catholics. Especially in light of the last year or so. Even this weekend’s Gospel helps to frame this Lent: Bad stuff in the world isn’t necessarily a direct result of sin or moral evil, but it should call us to reflect and pray.
The season of Lent is really about just being somber and self-flagellating. Acts of Penance like fasting aren’t meant to turn our eyes inward, they’re meant to turn our eyes outward from ourselves to the Lord and to our neighbors. The two aspects of Lent - penance and reflection - compliment each other. My looking inward and taking responsibility for my own sins, my own weakness, my own laziness, my own self-centeredness, etc, I can, in a sense, take possession of myself as I am. And then, in penance, I can offer myself, the good and the bad, to the Lord and to my neighbors.
That two-fold process is freeing because it means we don’t need to expend any energy convincing ourselves or the Lord of anything which isn’t already true and real. Am I lazy in prayer? Then I can admit that to the Lord and even to my neighbor and every sermon I hear about prayer then becomes an encouragement rather than a condemnation or an accusation. Also, the work of prayer becomes something that I can do for the Lord rather than being something that reminds me of my weakness or failure. If I have sinned, then I’m all too happy to admit it because I trust that God will forgive and that I can step forward in His love!
Lent also gives us an excuse, not that we need it, to start afresh. If you’re feeling embarrassed about having to say “Bless me Father, it’s been 5 years since my last confession,” Lent transforms that statement from an indictment to a proclamation… It makes us free to admit that I have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God and makes it all the more praiseworthy for us to get going.
One of the most moving things I’ve ever witnessed is when a newcomer at an AA meeting realizes that others there sympathize with their shame. “I missed my daughter’s birthday because I was drunk.” That kind of statement is cause for shame. But in a meeting, it becomes a cause for hope… “and because I missed that party, I realized that Alcohol was my master… It was my rock bottom and I started the program the next day!” Now, that cause for shame is a cause for thankfulness and hope.
I experience the same kind of thing in confession when the frame of mind changes from “I hate having to share my shame with a priest” to “I failed, but God is so much bigger than my failure.”
Lent is our chance to experience that shift in perspective every year and, as we were robbed of most of Lent last year, we need it now more than ever. Let’s make this Lent a real gift to ourselves and to the Lord!
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Pat Bullard/family
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon No Public Mass
- Tues 9:00a In memory of May DiTommaso
- Wed 9:00a In memory of Paul Voran, Jr/Fr Ryan
- Thu 9:00a In memory of Sue Scurria/G Cox
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Marti Vienne/Fr Ryan
- Sat 9:00a Private Intentions of Father Ryan (Traditional Latin Mass)
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Father Ferre/Mills-Thompson
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of Blanche Wilks
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Carter and Walker |
| 2/27 5:30p | None Scheduled | P Wilks |
| 2/28 9:00a | Walker, Marsh, Cooper | B Sullivan |
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 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:
ASH WEDNESDAY - Mass for Ash Wednesday is scheduled for 9am and 5:30p. Ash Wednesday is NOT a Holy Day of Obligation, but tt IS a very, very good way to begin the Lenten season! The weather predictions are quite dire for this week with dangerous snow and ice predicted to be likely and abundant on Wednesday. Fr. Ryan is planning to offer Masses as usual, but please use both caution and prudence before leaving your home to attend. Either way, the obligation to fast and abstain from meat remains in effect on Ash Wednesday.
LENTEN DEVOTIONS As has become our usual plan, on each Friday in Lent, Fr. Ryan will hear confessions at 5pm and offer the Stations of the Cross at 5:30p followed by Holy Mass. We will have our special Lenten Suppers on Feb 19, Mar 5 and Mar 19 accompanied by a spiritual film. All are welcome to attend immediately following Stations and Mass.
FAST AND ABSTINENCE Lent is a season of penance. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of Fasting which means that adult Catholics should plan to abstain from meat and dishes made with meat and should limit their eating to a single meal for the day. If medical conditions or strenuous work require taking extra nourishment, those meals should be small in size and also free of meat. Each Friday of Lent is a day of Abstinence from meat, but not necessarily a day of fasting. Further, each adult Catholic should plan to undertake a personal penance to be kept for the forty days of Lent.
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.
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.
Stewardship In today’s second reading, St. Paul urges the Corinthians to “do all for the glory of God.” If we follow that advice in everything we do, we cannot help but be good stewards!
Special Collection… this weekend for our Diocesean Newspaper, The Church Today.
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2020-21 | $2,111 |
| January Budget | $10,555 |
| January Income | $11,817 |
| January Expenses | $9,252 |
| February Budget | $8,444 |
| February 6/7 collection | $4,323 |
| February income to Date | $4,323 |
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday 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, Mike Gibbs (Murphy), 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.