Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
From The Font
"Are you the King of the Jews?"
Kingship for the Jews is quite different from the kingship of the other Eastern cultures of what we call the Middle East and barely even the same idea of the “modern” kingships of Louis XIV of France or Queen Elizabeth.
Jewish Kings were appointed by God and anointed for their work by prophets or chief priests. The King was meant to be a moral icon for his people and to be the “vicar” (one who “stands in the place of”) for the people as a whole. He certainly had some political and economic responsibilities and he had a lot of military authority, but the king wasn’t what we think of as kings now.
In the specific time in which Jesus is asked by Pilate if He is king of the Jews, the kingship of Israel was even less because of the Roman occupation. The king of the Jews at the time of the Romans did little more than function as a propaganda machine for Rome. The Romans had a word for it, but in the vernacular, we call it a “puppet regime.” King Herod lived rich and fat and proclaimed as law whatever Caesar’s governor told him to say. That was it.
When Jesus was asked by Pilate if He is king of the Jews, He demurred. Jesus was born into the royal line of David and Jesus was the moral icon for His people and He really was the vicar for the entire Chosen People. And so in all the ways that really matter, He was the King of the Jews.
On the other hand, Jesus was not the puppet king and He was not coming to establish a new military regime against the Roman occupiers as many expected or hoped of the Messiah.
Jesus was a true king and yet not the kind of king that the Jews expected or wanted. That tension was true of most of what Jesus said and did. As a teacher (“Rabbi”) and as a preacher (Prophet), Jesus recalled the original plan of God in scripture and in Human Nature and He decried the twisting of each in the practice of Judaism that had become the norm. It only makes sense, then, that the same would be true of His real identity as the true King of the Jews.
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
We usually call today’s feast by it’s short-form name: “Christ the King.” As Americans, though, we have a distaste for kingship and royalty. The full title of the feast is “Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.” That also has the potential to raise hackles for us as Americans because it doesn’t leave much room for the multiculturalism that is close to all our hearts.
While the woke nonsense and the idol of diversity that is espoused by our media is just foolishness, the American ideal of the Melting Pot is an icon of our strength. When we, as American Catholics, though, celebrate Jesus as King of the Universe, we celebrate the truth that Jesus is Lord of all… He’s Lord of Catholics and Baptists and Muslims and Buddhists and atheists and even those who make a religion of their politics. We’re celebrating that His truth is absolute across the entire universe.
Some years ago, I preached a sermon and I mentioned that the Hindu deities aren’t real… There is no Shiva and Vishnu just as there is no Hermes and Zeus and no Thor and Odin… I was accosted after Mass by a well-meaning lady who called me a bigot for imposing my beliefs on others and loudly explained how she had Hindu friends and loved to worship with them. I asked if she was Catholic… She was, so I offered to hear her confession because she was in a state of mortal sin for worshipping false idols. She stormed off. Hopefully, the Lord turned her heart!
We all have friends who believe wrongly. “All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God!” All of us human beings are fragile! That doesn’t give us license to invent our own truths - that’s just me inventing my own religion. And, of course, a lot of us do that too!
As Christians, we believe that Jesus told the truth (the Virtue of Faith). Part of the truth that Jesus told is that there is one Lord, one God. God, and God alone, exists eternally as three Divine Persons (Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit) and that all that exists is their creation. Period. End of sentence! And so the Muslim concept of God is false. The most common Pentecostal notion of God is wrong. The common idea among Baptists that salvation can be gained by answering an altar call is no more real than reality TV.
That doesn’t mean that we as Catholics should walk around wagging a finger and pretending that we don’t sin! It doesn’t mean we can help anyone by beating them up or calling them out… There is a place for sharing the truth of Christianity with those who have a faulty worldview… There is a real moral duty for all of us (not just priests) to believe that loving others means sharing the whole truth of Christianity (which is the Catholic Faith) with them. But the practical strategies of evangelization are secondary to the reality of what we believe in Faith about Jesus.
Jesus is the King of the Universe. He is Lord of all. There is no way to believe what we believe and also to make room for someone else’s concept of God or gods. And while that can be uncomfortable for us as Americans, it’s an essential and absolutely mandatory part of our beliefs as Christians and as Catholics.
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Payton Trichell/Rome
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon NO MASS
- Tue: 9:00a In memory of Louise Testa/Magoun
- Wed 9:00a In memory of Gus Gremshell
- Thu NO MASS
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Becky Lancaster/family
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Father Fere and Elizabeth 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 Margo Corulla
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 11/20 5:30p | None Scheduled | A Farlow |
| 11/21 9:00a | Preston, Evelyn, Courtland | MaryKatherine & Caroline |
| 11/27 5:30p | None Scheduled | M Rome |
| 11/28 9:00a | Caroline, Cooper, Marsh | A Oliver |
| 12/4 5:30p | None Scheduled | P Wilks |
| 12/5 9:00a | Henry and MaryKatherine | S Marsh |
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
- Nov 21 Thanksgiving Potluck - Parish Hall - following 9:30 a.m. Mass
- Nov 25 NO MASS ON THANKSGIVING DAY
- Dec 5 “Christmas on the Bayou”....Arts and Crafts on Courthouse Square, Christmas Parade, Lighting of the Trees in the Bayou, Community Christmas Music program at First Baptist Church
For Your Information:
PLEASE NOTE…… NO MASS on Thanksgiving Day.
ROSARY GROUP… a group of parishioners is meeting on Monday at 5:30 p.m. to pray the Rosary. Everyone is invited to join the group. If you need additional information, please contact the Coordinator, Louise Magoun, at 318-341-2403.
MAUSOLEUM COMMITTEE… appointed to serve as the committee working under the leadership of Michael Lancaster, Chairperson, with regard to development of the Mausoleum on our property are Sidney Johnson, Louise Magoun, and Mike Rome.
RENOVATION TO THE CHURCH… after First Communion and Confirmation are over in May 2022, the Pastoral Council has voted to replace the ceiling in the Church. During the repair time, Mass will be held in the Church Hall. Appointed to serve on the committee for renovation are MaryKathryn Book, Norman Ernst, Buda Evans, MaryAnne Gilfoil, Jamie Howington, C.W. Keene, Michael Lancaster, Cathy VanderVieren, and, ex-officio, Darryl Ellerbee, Finance Council Chairman. The group will determine what the needs are, what action should take place, develop specifications, put out for bid and determine a contractor, and supervise the construction. If you have thoughts, please share with the Committee and/or Father Ryan.
FOURTH QUARTER SOCIAL … This weekend on Sunday, November 21 in the Church Hall following 9:30 a.m. Mass, we will have a Potluck Brunch to celebrate the Thanksgiving season. All faith family members as well as family and friends are encouraged to participate in this event!
PRAYER FOR HURRICANE SEASON… Our Father in Heaven through the intercession of our Lady of Prompt Succor, spare us from all harm during this Hurricane Season. Protect us and our homes from all disasters of nature. Amen. Our Lady of Prompt Succor, hasten to our help!
Stewardship Today’s second reading reminds us that the sacrifice of Christ frees us from sin and makes us a royal nation of priests in the service of God. How am I using my gifts to serve God and others?
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2020-21 | $ 2,111 |
| October Budget | $ 8,444 |
| October Income | $ 9,666 |
| October Expenses | $ 8,612 |
| November Budget | $ 8,444 |
| November 13/14 collection | $ 1,964 |
| November To Date | $ 5,265 |
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Libby Bullard (Nov 20), Darryl Ellerbee (Nov 22), Monique Florence (Nov 25)
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: Connie and Dan Copes, Elizabeth Crothers, Leslye Ellerbee, 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
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, April Franklin (Wilks), Thom Gilfoil, Charlotte Green, Kathy Garley Hanlon (Gilfoil), Rita Hargrave, Carroll Holmes and family (Keene), Lyn and Calvin Lisonbee (Keene), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Mona Martin-Mills (M Gilfoil), Caryn Oliver, Sue Perrilloux (D Wood), Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Frances Robinson (Wilks), John and Martha Rogan, Bailey, Lee, and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Theresa and Albert Thom (Rome), Meg Keene Thomas, Lucy Thomason (gr-dau of Bentley Curry)(Book), Elaine and James Trimble (Rome), Joe Yerger
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Calli Ezell, Chris Hall (USMC), Nick Hall, Emmy Lu Marsh, Maddie Oliver, Carter Sullivan, Walker Sullivan, Brice Wood, Marsh Wood