First Sunday of Advent
From The Font
“In those days, in that time, I will raise up for David a just shoot; he shall do what is right and just in the land.”
The Prophet Jeremiah was active from about 627BC - 586BC. It was a time of incredible and horrific upheaval. The ancient Assyrian empire - the most powerful in the ancient world for 2000 years! - was destroyed and replaced by the Babylonian Empire. The Jews were made vassals of Egypt and then, when they revolted, they were made vassals of Babylon. It was a time when the Jews were questioning their identity and their faith in God’s power. In many ways, our own time mirrors that era.
Jeremiah’s prophecy isn’t full of flowery poems and promises of a better tomorrow. The Lord spoke hard words through Jeremiah that demanded a lot from the Jews. He told them that they would have to suffer much for their faith in their particular moment in history and that many of their fellow religionists would abandon the Lord for false Gods.
In our own age, the Blessed Virgin Mary has appeared frequently to give us the same message. It’s just easier to go with the flow of history than it is the stand with the Lord Jesus against the Lord of this World as Satan is poetically called.
We can and should ask ourselves “why now” and “why us?” Wouldn’t a “good and loving God just make history all neat and orderly…?” Of course, we’d have a hard time defining the words “good” and “loving” as they relate to God. Our Lord is the perfection of goodness and love! But He is also the perfection of mercy and justice and truth. We tend to understand the traits of God in our own favor even as Jesus teaches us that our salvation is contingent upon taking up our crosses and following Him in a voluntary, sacrificial death!
This world is messy because Human nature is messy. We are made to wait for the shoot of David because the restorative justice of God’s mercy is only effective in our souls when we are shaken out of the notion of our own divinity and our sense of entitlement. God is God and I am not! It’s a lesson everyone must learn and it’s a lesson God has been teaching us, over and over again, since the days of Adam and Eve.
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
I don’t know if you notice, but I always begin my prayers with thanksgiving. Whether it’s a prayer at a city event or at the pastoral council or in my chair in the morning, I start with a word of thanks to God for where we are, what we have, and the circumstances in which we find ourselves.
One of the few places where psychology and spirituality agree 100% is the value and necessity of an ongoing disposition of thankfulness. And while we can look on certain aspects of our lives and circumstances as fundamentally bad, even those things work for our good as we love the Lord. Health problems, financial problems, family problems, long-held psychological wounds, even a lack of something we believe is necessary are all conditions that we find in the lives of the greatest saints. Physical suffering unites us to the Lord on His cross. Unsurety about the future and concern about how to pay the bills causes us to depend upon the Lord all the more. Even hunger and going without unites us to the suffering of Jesus. Wounded relationships and echoes of the past are opportunities to give ourselves and our loved ones to the Lord and leave behind the Hallmark perception of the world that can be so damaging to our happiness and holiness.
It’s providential that our holiday season begins with a feast of thanksgiving. It can and should set the tone of our entire preparation for Christmas. It’s also providential that immediately after the pie gets eaten, the great enemy of our souls in this era rears its ugly head. Black Friday and the materialism of our time provides a constant opportunity to reject the idea that stuff of any sort will make us happy. Every ad, every poster, every sale and discount can remind us - if we let it - of how desperately unsatisfying stuff really is. After all, didn’t we just spend a fortune on back to school stuff. And now we’re neck-deep in holiday stuff. In less than a month, it’ll be carnivale and we’ll need stuff for that. Then there’s spring break stuff… Summer stuff… Vacation stuff… And then we’re back to school and we’re going to need even more stuff.
Despite their proximity, there’s a chasm between the feast of thanksgiving and the riot of black friday. Both of them seem connected by a sense of deliberate and socially acceptable excess… But the feast of food - which nourishes - and the feast of spending - which only temporarily satiates - couldn’t be more different! Materialism is a dangerous drug that is constantly wearing down our moral defenses. Stuff just can’t make us happy. Thanksgiving is a kind of annual insulation against it, but as Christians, we need to make an ongoing and deliberate effort to give thanks to God for each aspect of our lives - whether others would perceive it as a “good” or “bad”, “positive” or “negative.” Giving thanks to God for all things sanctifies us and provides a moral clarity that materialism destroys.
I do hope everyone had a lovely thanksgiving and that you’re all ready to dig into the spiritual goldmine that is Advent. We have to buy our gifts, but we don’t have to let that shopping consume us or rob us of the joy and peace that comes from a habit and a disposition of giving thanks.
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Father Fere and Elizabeth D’Cruz/Mills-Thompson
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon NO MASS
- Tue 9:00a In memory of Josephine Hodge/Weaver
- Wed 9:00a In memory of May DiTomasso
- Thu 9:00a In memory of Patsy Tryon/Mills-Thompson
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Becky Lancaster/family
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Payton Trichell/Rome
- 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 11/27 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 |
| 12/11 5:30p | None Scheduled | MK Book |
| 12/12 9:00a | Chandler, Kathleen, Maura | M Lancaster |
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
- Dec 3 First Friday Devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus - 5:30 p.m.
- Dec 4 First Saturday Devotions to our Blessed Mother - Mass and Holy Hour - 9 a.m.Dec 3
- 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
- Dec 8 Feast of the Immaculate Conception - a Holy Day of Obligation - Vigil Mass at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 7, and Mass of the day at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, December 8.
- Dec 19 Birthday Party for Jesus following Sunday Mass
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 the group. If you need additional information, please contact the Coordinator, Louise Magoun, at 318-341-2403.
ANGEL TREE…Please stop in the Church Hall following Masses this weekend and select an Angel for whom you would like to provide a gift during this Christmas season. There are several families with children as well as some special needs adults for whom we will be providing this season.
FIRST FRIDAY…DECEMBER 3 ...Holy Hour and Mass....5:30 p.m. ...make a special devotion to the Sacred Heart and attend first Friday devotions for nine consecutive months.
FIRST SATURDAY …DECEMBER 4 … Mass and Holy Hour … 9 a.m…. Our Lady of Fatima called for special devotions to be offered on the first Saturday of each month. Father Ryan offers Mass on the first Saturday of each month in the Church. All are welcomed and encouraged to attend.
CHRISTMAS ON THE BAYOU … DECEMBER 5 … Arts and Crafts on Courthouse Square, Christmas Parade, Lighting of the Trees in the Bayou, Community Christmas Music program at First Baptist Church. All are invited to join in these activities.
FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION… DECEMBER 8… a Holy Day of Obligation. Vigil Mass at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 7, and Mass of the day at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, December 8. Please look at your calendars and plan for your family accordingly. Should you miss either of those Masses, you can join the St. Theresa Faith Family in Delhi on Wednesday at 6 p.m. to fulfill your obligation to attend Mass.
BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR JESUS… DECEMBER 19 … will be held in the Church Hall on Sunday following the Sunday Mass. Kendra Collins will be giving leadership to the event; and, if you can assist her in any way, please contact Kendra, Father Ryan, or the Church Office.
SAINTS ALIVE … ANGELS AT WORK…our Fourth Quarter Social to celebrate Thanksgiving was held last Sunday and was a great success! Thanks to the committee who planned lovely decorations and to everyone who contributed delicious food!
Stewardship Be on guard,” Jesus warns in today’s Gospel, “lest your spirits become bloated with indulgence.” Let us heed His warning and follow the advice of St. Paul, conducting ourselves in a way pleasing to God, overflowing with love for one another.
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 20/21 collection | $ 1,655 |
| November To Date | $ 6,920 |
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Sherry Lynn Harris (Nov 29), Frances Kennedy (Nov 29), Delia Trichell (Nov 29), Lance Marsh (Nov 30)
Happy Anniversary Dana and Randy Dukes (Dec 3)
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