Third Sunday of Lent | St. Edward Catholic Church, Tallulah

From The Font

“I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God”

Our modern Western Culture is (and has been for about 250 years) very polarized. Just about every idea, concept, action, or choice tends to be moralized strongly. The system of morality may change, but we naturally associate choices with morality. As such, we struggle more than most historical cultures with ideas like God being jealous.

Part of the question is what does that mean. Jealousy is a strong feeling with two essential components. First, it requires envious desire for the feelings of satisfaction that someone has as a result of getting something they want. We don’t have to want what they want to be jealous, we have to want what they feel at getting what they want. Second, jealousy requires that we feel some negative emotion toward the person who feels satisfied. Generally, jealous people do not feel satisfied themselves and so they long for the satisfaction that others feel. Obviously, the nuances of jealousy change culture to culture. Still, it’s hard for us to think about the Lord being jealous…

That said, the other part of the question is why would God use such morally confusing language? That question is easier to answer. We have to remember that much of the Old Testament was written for relatively simple nomadic people who didn’t really have time to sit and think on philosophy… God calls Himself Jealous because it’s a feeling the Chosen People could relate to.

When we’re reading Scripture, we want to remember that God is speaking to all peoples at all times, but that those words were written in a specific context of which we need some understanding in order to contextualize them for our own lives. One of the most amazing parts of reading scripture again and again is bringing new understanding and life-experience to the Bible. God calling Himself jealous means more when I, myself, have felt strong jealousy. Sure - that’s a potential sin for you and me, but it’s also the kind of word that communicates strong feelings and passion. If God were speaking to us now, He would use different ideas, but the strength of the love would be the same...

Thoughts from Fr. Ryan

This past week, I was able to visit my parents in Houston. My grandfather, Leon, will be 97 next month and my parents are trying to figure out how to provide for his safety while also accommodating his desire to live on his own. It’s not easy! My grandfather is a smart, self-sufficient man who has been his own provider for most of his life. When he got back from WW2, he went back to work on the railroad the following week. He didn’t give up his welding business until he was in his 80s and only gave up his drivers’ license and his big red pickup last year.

This past week, he explained to me and my parents, at some length, the right way to cook three gallons of beef soup to bring to the Church social and he proudly told us that his last batch went over so well, one of the church ladies tried to convince him not to make another batch so as no to steal her thunder… I can’t make any comment as to the veracity of his story, but he’s a tough guy. The problem is that he can’t really hear well any more and, in the last year, Macular Degeneration has taken most of his eyesight. He can’t see the clock to know when to take his medications…

My time with him gave me a lot of food for thought about self-sufficiency and the American ideal of pulling myself up by my own bootstraps. There’s some good introspection for every Christian in rejecting the idea of self-sufficiency as an absolutely good virtue. Christianity is not a faith of self-sufficiency, it’s a faith of total dependency. Who is good but God alone after all? While our careers and our work and our family-lives may benefit from a strong work ethic and a sense of self-sufficiency and ambition, our faith-lives don’t have a place for then. Our spiritual lives require something more child-like. We are entirely dependent on the Lord. And, it has been said by great saints, the Lord allows our bodies to deteriorate in order to remind us, little by little, that the only thing we really have in this life is the Lord.

My grandfather sings himself to sleep most nights because he couldn’t read his Bible and he couldn’t hear even very loud audiobooks or hymns that I played for him. In the twilight of his life, this very self-sufficient man has been reduced to a very dependent man in order to prepare him for judgement and eternity… There’s an incredible gift in that.

I am as committed as any good southerner to the ‘Merica of self-determinance, self-sufficiency, and giving back to those who are unable to do for themselves! Still, this past week was a visceral reminder that those virtues aren’t listed in the Bible for good reason. They can be good things, but they are limited by the simple fact that God is the giver of all good gifts and that no man can save himself or make any offering acceptable to the Lord. Only Jesus can save us. Only Jesus can sanctify us. Only Jesus can satisfy us. Only Jesus can reveal us to ourselves and give us peace in this life and in the life to come. Without Jesus we are nothing and without total dependence upon Jesus on His terms and not on our own terms, can we receive what He has to offer.

Mass Intentions for the Coming Week

Sat 5:30p In memory of Philip and Nettie Scurria/family
Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
Mon 5:30p Mission … In memory of Racer Holstead/family
Tues 5:30p Mission … For healing for Marti Vienne
Wed 5:30p Mission … In memory of Alan Horton
Thu 9:00a In memory of Gus Gremshell
Fri 5:30p For the special intentions of A.P. and Pat Guizenix/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)
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	D Ellerbee
3/20 5:30p	None Scheduled	A Farlow
3/21 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
March 8-10 Parish Mission - Fr. Louis Sklar - 5:30 p.m. Mass followed by a talk in the Church Hall
March 21 Parish Mardi Gras St Joseph Social...First Quarter Potluck following Sunday Mass
April 3 Easter Egg Hunt on Church Hall grounds … more info to follow… Stephenie Marsh will give leadership to the effort.

For Your Information:

ORDINATION OF THOMAS KENNEDY...on Saturday, May 22 at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Alexandria. Many of you will remember Thomas as he spent a summer with us while a Seminarian at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans.

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 at 5:30 p.m. followed by a 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 9 a.m. Mass. The leadership for the event will be the Spring Social committee and 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.

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.

EASTER EGG HUNT … will be on Saturday, April 3, 2021 on the grounds of the church hall. Stephenie Marsh will give leadership to the event. If you would like to help, let her know. All can contribute hard-boiled, dyed eggs or plastic eggs with treats. Please avoid anything with peanut butter as we have some very allergic children in our group of youngsters!

Stewardship "You shall not covet” is perhaps a difficult commandment to keep in our consumer society. But, as Christian stewards, we know that we are the recipients and caretakers of God’s many gifts. May this understanding that ALL is gift help us be less resentful of the gifts of others.

SECOND COLLECTION MONTHLY BUILDING FUND this weekend.

Next weekend...CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES collection to provide food to the hungry, support displaced refugees, and bring Christ’s love and mercy to vulnerable people...

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 27/28 collection	$2,180
February income to Date	$9,122

Let us Rejoice in the Lord!

Happy Birthday Levi Washington (March 10), Bobby Reynolds (March 12), Abby Ellerbee (March 12)

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.