Second Sunday of Lent
From The Font
“Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.”
Human life is a sometimes-precarious balance of the social and the private. We need alone time and we need human contact. Even within that human contact, we need deep, intimate relationships and shallow, or if that word isn’t to your liking: casual, relationships.
Jesus models for us all of these kinds of relationships and needs. He, Himself, spends time alone with the Lord. But He also chooses an inner circle. He also has a broader circle of disciples outside the Apostles. Beyond that, the Gospels remind us that Jesus spent a lot of time with “the crowds.” In today’s Gospel, The Transfiguration, Jesus sub-divides His own inner circle to a special group of three: Peter, James, and John.
Peter was special because the Lord had chosen him to be the leader of the Apostles and the first Vicar of Christ, AKA “Pope.” James and John were brothers and they were among the first Apostles that Jesus called to follow Him. James would go on to be the first of the Apostles to be martyred. John, on the other hand, would be the only Apostle not to die a martyr’s death. John would live into the 90s AD and establish the theological foundations of the early Church.
Jesus’ pattern of close friendship is worth considering and praying within our own lives regardless of our circumstances. It’s a pattern worthy of imitation for each of us!
It’s also a pattern that helps us to think about our place among the Lord’s friends. It’s easy to think about where we might like to be in the hierarchy of the Church. Jesus didn’t love Matthew less than He loved John or Julio or Nazareth (who isn’t mentioned in the Bible and probably didn’t exist). He loved them differently because He created them differently. Each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made but none of us is identically made. That’s why we need varying circles of friends to draw out the differing parts of ourselves and it's why the Lord gives many gifts from the one Spirit who is in all and above all. The Lord calls us to intimacy with Him not as others have found it, but as He made us specifically to enjoy it and to discover it!
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
On a whim, I ordered and installed a personal weather station at the rectory. It’s nothing special or particularly involved. I don’t know much about the weather and I’m not especially interested in knowing what the Dewpoint is to within a tenth of a degree Celsius… Still, I like gadgets and the model I bought allows me to share our data publicly with anyone who happens to be interested.
If you’d like to view the data, you can do so at (http://bit.ly/stedwardweather)[http://bit.ly/stedwardweather] or you can find us on your WeatherUnderground app at StationID KLATALLU10.
Admittedly, there’s not a strong spiritual angle here and I can’t pretend that watching an ice storm through my window wasn’t the ultimate reason I ordered this weather station. Still, as I sat here amid the ice, I did have some deeper spiritual thoughts. I thought about the prevailing sense of power that we have in the modern world and just how easily Mother Nature can remind us that we’re not as strong as we think we are. I thought about how much we rely upon water and electricity and even the internet not just as extensions of our lives but as essential parts of our lives. I thought about how much we tend to think we know and how easily the Lord and the weather can make fools of us. I expect a lot of us had some similar thoughts during what the Monroe weatherman said would be a warmer than average week.
The other reason I’m choosing the share the link to my little weather station (and don’t fret, y’all didn’t buy this thing, I did!) is that I believe there is a genuine sense of connection with the parish that comes from being able to know what’s happening there. Sure, most of us don’t care that the relative barometric pressure in 30.05 inhg and rising… But some of us do. We got 0.04” of rain this morning and the max wind gust today so far is 4.5mph.
One of the most unexpected aspects of the modern world is the sense of human disconnection that has come alongside the ability to talk to anyone, anywhere at any time. Everyone who built that technology expected it to bring people closer together, not father apart. At the same time, people who choose to can be deliberate in using the social aspect of technology to be more connected and not less.
Personally, I got rid of my Twitter account and I don’t post anything on FaceBook anymore except LiveStreams. At the same time, I spend more time texting, calling and video-chatting with friends than I did before. I have several friends who are excited to check in on the weather at my place. It’s not turning the world upside down, but it’s one more little piece of the equation of feeling connected with others.
The other, bigger part of that equation is prayer… It’s praying for and praying with others. I had time during the ice storm to do a good bit of that as well, as I hope all of us did. I’m going to resist comparing the Fruit of the Holy Spirit - which is THE genuine way of gauging one’s spiritual life - to my cool new weather station and just invite anyone interested to go to the link and see.
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Sally Higdon/Magoun
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon No Public Mass - Fr Ryan in Texas
- Tues 9:00a No Public Mass - Fr Ryan in Texas
- Wed 9:00a No Public Mass - Fr Ryan in Texas
- Thu 9:00a No Public Mass - Fr Ryan in Texas
- 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 Philip and Nettie Scurria/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 the Wilks family.
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2/27 5:30p | None Scheduled | P Wilks |
| 2/28 9:00a | Walker, Marsh, Cooper | B Sullivan |
| 3/6 5:30p | None Scheduled | L Bullard |
| 3/7 9:00a | Carter, Chandler, MaryKatherine | D Ellerbee |
| 3/13 5:30p | None Scheduled | MA Gilfoil |
| 3/14 9:00a | Preston, Marsh, Evelyn | J Howington |
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
- March 5 Lenten Supper following Friday Devotions
- March 6 9am Parish Cleanup Workday
- March 8-10 Parish Mission - Fr. Louis Sklar
- March 21 Parish Mardi Gras St Joseph Social
For Your Information:
PARISH CLEANUP WORK DAY: SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 9AM… After the Ice Storm, we need some help cleaning up several large limbs and lots of smaller debris from around the Rectory, the Church and the new property. Power tools are helpful, but anyone able to help out is welcome. If you’re unable to lift lumber, please consider coming to the hall to help out with refreshments and chitchat. We do have a 9am First Saturday Traditional Latin Mass that morning which you’re certainly welcome to attend as well. THANK YOU in advance for your help!
PARISH MISSION - Fr Louis Sklar - Mar 8-10, 6pm - Fr Sklar is well-known to many of us. He and Fr. Ryan will trade parishes for the most of the week, March 8-10. Masses will be offered according to the usual schedule with an additional talk each evening at 6pm in the Parish Hall. All are encouraged to attend!
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 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.
THE MARDI GRAS PARISH SOCIAL HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED… Obviously, we can’t have a Mardi Gras party after Ash Wednesday, so we’ve rescheduled our Spring Social to coincide with the Solemnity of St. Joseph. All are welcome to attend a potluck social on Sunday, March 21, after the 9am Mass. The leadership for the event will be the Spring Social committee and Ms. Louise Magoun will help to implement the St. Joseph theme. We hope to see you there!
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.
MASS INTENTION REQUESTS… If you would like to have a Mass or Masses offered for a Special Intention (in Memory, in Honor, a birthday, anniversary, etc) you should contact the Church Office with the date you would like as well as the Intention. The usual Mass stipend offering is $5 per Mass. What a nice gift to give to the person who “has everything”!!!
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.
FUNDRAISING 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
Stewardship Abraham was prepared to sacrifice this only son, Isaac. St. Paul reminds us that God Himself “did not spare his own Son.” Are my gifts to the Lord--of my resources, of my time, or myself--also sacrificial?
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 20/21 collection | $ 2,031 |
| February income to Date | $ 6,942 |
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.