Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
From The Font
“Who do people say that I am?”
On the surface, this famous question would seem to be superficial and to reveal something akin to immaturity in Jesus… Until we recall that Jesus is always concerned with revealing His true Divine nature and with revealing the Father to us. And so when Jesus asks who the people say that He is, He is doing so to help the Apostles come to a realization.
He wants them to call to mind their own guesses and assumptions as well as the thoughts and ideas of the people they’ve encountered along the way over the past few years.
The Apostles are shockingly short of things to say. They mention some of the Prophets, official and unofficial, but they don’t have anything groundbreaking or anything that reveals deep consideration or deep prayer. It’s only Peter who steps out of the crowd with an original thought. After much prayer and consideration, Peter is able to identify Jesus as the Christ. Immediately, Jesus praises Peter and reminds the entire college of Apostles that Jesus’ Divine Nature has been revealed to them by the Father…
This event surely parallels the climax of the Bread of Life Narrative in which Jesus reminds the crowd twice that they can only come to believe in His Eucharistic teaching if the Father grants it to them and then Peter concludes with his admission: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of Everlasting Life!”
Whereas we usually ask questions in order to gain knowledge, Jesus already knows all there is to know. So when Jesus asks a question in Scripture, we need to give it special attention… We want to ask 1) what the question is, 2) what the answer is, 3) who is being asked, 4) what the context around the question is, 5) what similar questions are posed by Jesus elsewhere in Scripture, and 6) why - to the best of our understanding - is Jesus asking the question. There’s great depth in some of the simplest questions in Scripture. For practice, apply these six queries to Jesus’ protest of Mary in John’s story of the Wedding Feast at Cana: Woman, what concern is that of me?!?
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
In the Church, each month has a featured devotion and September’s featured devotion is Our Lady of Sorrows, often called “Mater Dolorosa” after the Latin title. The feast follows the day after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross which was put on the Calendar to honor and celebrate the Cross of Christ and to commemorate the finding of the true cross by St. Helena in the 4th century.
The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows commemorates the Way of the Cross from the Blessed Virgin Mary’s point of view. While Jesus suffered unjustly judged, being scourged, carrying the Cross, and ultimately dying upon it, His poor mother experienced sadness that few of us could comprehend.
Of course, Mary was warned to ready herself for this all the way back at Jesus’ presentation in the Temple. After his circumcision, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph encountered two prophets on their way out of the temple: Simeon and Anna. Simeon prophesied about Jesus’ future works and then, in an easy to overlook line, he turns to Mary and says “a sword will pierce your heart as well.”
Christianity is a religion for the worship of Jesus Christ. Jesus tells us that a human being who loves God rightly will naturally - without any other effort or intent - love his neighbor and, in fact, his enemy. The right worship of God, then, includes a certain veneration (not worship…) of those whose lives show forth the glory of God. We, for example, naturally venerate someone like Mother Theresa because she was so selfless and holy and the love of God just bubbled up out of her...
The same logic applies to the veneration of Mary. Her sorrow doesn’t even begin to compare to the suffering of Jesus, but that doesn’t mean her sorrow doesn’t move us!
The Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows is a potent reminder that there is an essential role for suffering in the Christian life. Our modern world worships the golden calf of positivity and tells us that we must avoid suffering at all costs no matter what. Our world tells us that all death, all sorrow, all negativity, etc, is simply bad. But our religion is the worship of a God-man who explicitly chose to suffer and to die and Who instructs us to do the same: “Unless you take up your cross and follow me, you cannot inherit eternal life.”
Friends, suffering is not bad or evil in and of itself. We praise suffering in athletes and in students and in soldiers and in the self-sacrifice of good parents. We despise those who selfishly refuse to suffer along with us by, for example, patiently waiting in line or acting with good manners in public. Many of us invest good money to sit in the frigid cold of a duck blind or to lie under the punishing sun on a sandy beach. We know that some suffering has value and worth.
The Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows reminds us that there are other, far more important, kinds of suffering that deserve even greater respect, appreciation, and attention from us. Her sorrows and her sufferings were intended by God from the moment she said yes to the Holy Spirit at the Annunciation. That only seems bad if we forget that it is all as naught compared to the glory she experiences now in Heaven.
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Beverly Lancaster/family
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon No Mass
- Tue 9:00a In memory of R.L. Reynolds (death anni)/Bullard
- Wed 9:00a In memory of John C.B. “Skeezix” Jumonville(birth)/family
- Thurs 9:00a In memory of Gus Gremshell
- Fri 5:30p In memory of A.J.S. “Jackie Jumonville (birth)/family
- 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 Blanche & Skeeter Wilks
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 9/11 5:30p | None Scheduled | C VanderVieren |
| 9/12 9:00a | Henry and MaryKatherine | M Lancaster |
| 9/18 5:30p | None Scheduled | A Farlow |
| 9/19 9:00a | Chandler, Kathleen, & Maura | Youth |
| 9/25 5:30p | None Scheduled | MA Gilfoil |
| 9/26 9:00a | Preston and Evelyn | K Collins |
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
- Sept 12 SUNDAY MORNING CATECHISM in Hall after 9:00 a.m. Mass.
- Sept 21 Parish Council Meeting – Parish Hall – 6 p.m.
- Sept 22 Wednesday Night Catechism – Parish Hall – 6 p.m.
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.
WEDNESDAY MORNING CATECHISM… Most Wednesday Mornings after the 9am morning Mass, Fr. Ryan live streams a 25-30 minute talk on some catechetical topic of interest. Beginning this month, Fr. Ryan has begun an extended series of these talks, each of which will provide an introduction to a book of the Bible. Father will speak about the author, the date of writing, the historical context, some of the highlights and themes, and whatever specific issues of Biblical Scholarship which may be helpful to know before reading it. He will generally address the books of the Bible in order and some books which are very similar to one another (for example, 1st and 2nd Kings) will be treated together. Father is presently working to build a new parish Website on which he will be able to list each of these videos in an easy-to-watch format. All are encouraged to watch live on Wednesday mornings around 9:30a or to find them on our parish Facebook Page.
CONGRATULATIONS…. Our parishioners, Terry and Susie Murphy, welcomed granddaughters, JUDITH CAMILLE “Millie” MURRY and MADELINE KAY “Maddie” MURRAY on Friday, September 4, 2021. Proud parents are Cameron and Katie Murphy Murray, Monroe, La.
PASTORAL COUNCIL…PASTORAL COUNCIL..will hold its regular meeting on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, at 6:00 p.m in the Church Center. Appointed members of the Council: MaryKathryn Book, Kendra Collins, MaryAnne Gilfoil, Louise Magoun, Levi Washington, and Blanche Wilks. Appointed as Trustees by the Bishop are Michel 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.
WEDNESDAY EVENING CATECHISM... SEPTEMBER 22, 2021 in the Church Hall at 6 p.m. This month’s topic is “St. Francis of Assisi, Padre Pio, and all those crazy mystics with their supernatural gifts”. Father will answer questions after each talk. Guests are welcome!
INFIRM PRIESTS COLLECTION… On the weekend of September 18/19, our second collection will be for the INFIRM PRIESTS of our Diocese. This collection, which is UNASSESSED (untaxed) by the Diocese, remains in our parish to offset the monthly assessment that we pay to that diocesean fund. You are encouraged to be generous as this replenishes our own accounts.
PRAYER FOR HURRICANE SEASON...Our Father in Heaven through the intercession of our Lady of Prompt Succor, spare us during the Hurricane Season from all harm. Protect us and our homes from all disasters of nature. Our Lady of Prompt Succor, hasten to help us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
Stewardship
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2020-21 | $ 2,111 |
| August Budget | $ 8,444 |
| August Income | $ 9,611 |
| August Expenses | not yet available |
| September Budget | $ 8,444 |
| September 4/5 Collection | $ 1,924 |
| September To Date | $ 1,924 |
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Lori Sullivan (Sept 11), Dan Copes (Sept 12), Bruin Johnson (Sept 18)
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, Mary Ernst, Monique Florence, 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
Our friends and relatives who need our prayers: Lee Adams (Smith), Ashley Alexander (Regan), Kathryn Wood Allsopp (D Wood), Jenna Faye Allen (Florence), Pam Amacker (Gilfoil), James Arceneaux (Book), Marie Farlow Bellard, Molly Corulla, Sara Cannon (Gilfoil), 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, Sharon Jackson (Wilks), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Cameron and Katie Murphy Murray, Caryn Oliver, Sue Perrilloux (D Wood), Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Frances Robinson (Wilks), Lee and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Theresa and Albert Thom (Rome), Meg Keene Thomas, Elaine and James Trimble (Rome), Teresa Vidrine (Wilks), George and Katie Magoun Williams, Joe Yerger
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Calli Ezell, Chris Hall (USMC), Nick Hall, Emmy Lu Marsh, Maddie Oliver, Bailey Rome, Carter Sullivan, Walker Sullivan, Brice Wood, Marsh Wood
Those Catholics residing at Christian Acres, Louisiana Transitional Center for Women, and our local Detention Centers and for their families and loved ones.