The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
From The Font
“Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy”
It’s hard not to read these words in the voice of Linus from A Charlie Brown Christmas. Actor Christopher Shea was seven years old when he read the Gospel narrative. He died, sadly, in 2010 at the young age of 52, but his reading remains perhaps the most recognizable vocalization of the nativity story.
It’s worth remembering that most of the books of the Bible, with a handful of exceptions, began their lives as sermons. And that all the books of the Bible were read by the few and heard by the many. St. Paul in his Letter to the Romans raises exactly this point: “But how are men to call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?” (Rom 10:14)
Often, one of the best tricks that we can use to change our perspective on the Bible or on some passage is to read that passage aloud. Robin Williams in his seminal performance in Dead Poets’ Society reminds us that poetry isn’t meant to be read, it’s meant to be heard.
Christmas, after all, is consciously a reminder that our religion is sacramental. Our Faith is incarnational. That means that it’s meant to engage the whole of ourselves: body, soul, mind, and free will. When we engage with a passage of Scripture by reading it silently, we miss out on the rhythm and the poetry of the text. Even the passage I quote above has so much dynamism that is missed in a silent reading. Just take the phrase “for behold.” It has basically no meaning in a silent reading. But when read aloud, that phrase demands a long, deliberate pause in order to let the invitation for attention to settle and rouse us. It’s a profound phrase and one that calls to mind both a mystical vision and a side-show kind of huckster enthusiasm. Even the sentence itself uses the word “proclaim” which implies a public speech in which the speaker is deeply and emotionally engaged.
As we celebrate Christmas, let’s remember that we’re celebrating the bodily coming of the Lord and, in that, the fusing together for us of the spiritual with the worldly. We’re celebrating the sacramentalizing of this world.
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
Merry Christmas!!
I’m excited to be heading to see my parents and my sisters this Sunday. It’s been probably eight or ten years since we’ve all been together during the holidays in one place, even if it will be a brief visit. There’s a lot that can come from a sense of home that serves as potent medicine for the anxieties of the world. And that’s no small thing in the world in which we live.
Since the chaos of COVID began in March 2019 and the dramatic worsening of the situation in 2020, a shocking number of people have approached me to talk about stress and anxiety. Marriages are struggling. Individuals are showing symptoms of depression and paranoia and even some frenetic kinds of mania. And it’s not just here in Tallulah, it’s everywhere. The clinical cases of prolonged anxiety along with associated conditions are up by hundreds of percent. It’s a full-blown mental health epidemic. And to make matters worse, there’s still so much stigma around mental illness of any sort in our world and in our area in particular.
Thankfully, many of the treatments are things that we do well and that are freely available to us. We can and should spend time with others dwelling on the good rather than the bad. We can and should recount nostalgic stories and events. We can and should isolate ourselves from hysteria or paranoia - like the kind that comes from 24h news channels. We can and should pay attention to what we eat, what we watch, what we read and what we dwell on. And we can and should set aside time for prayer and for quiet mental rest.
As a pastor, my primary responsibility is spiritual. But as I harp on all the time, the incarnational nature of our Faith recognizes that the body and soul aren’t separate from the mind and the heart. And so an emotional issue is going to affect the spiritual parts of us just as much as a physical issue is going to affect the mental parts of us.
To that end, when I get back from some much needed family time, I’m going to be hosting a monthly workshop on mental and emotional health. It will be on the first Tuesday of every month in 2022. It will be in the parish hall from 6p-8p. It will be free and, while it’s certainly going to be Catholic in worldview, it’s going to be a workshop for Christians rather than a specifically Catholic religious kind of thing. I certainly want to encourage any and everyone to come and to invite friends and neighbors who may benefit from it. I’ve lined up doctors, nurses, social workers, priests, and others to give most of the talks. The first session on Jan 4 will be given by me, but most of the rest will be outside speakers.
The reality is that many of us are struggling to deal with stress and anxiety and all of us could use help - spiritually, emotionally, physically - in making good decisions and avoiding bad ones. It’s a somewhat unique moment in our lifetimes and the virtue of humility calls for us to be honest with ourselves in deciding whether we’re one of those people. I know I am.
If anyone has any questions about these workshops, please feel free to give me a call. I hope to see lots of y’all there. Until then…
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Eva Reynolds/Bullard
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon-Fri NO MASS
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Payton Trichell/D Fortenberry
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of Cathy VanderVieren
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 12/25 5:30p | None Scheduled | B Sullivan |
| 12/26 9:00a | Chandler, Kathleen, Maura | A Keene |
| 1/1 5:30p | None Scheduled | L Bullard |
| 1/2 9:00a | Preston, Evelyn, Courtland | A Keene |
| 1/8 5:30p | None Scheduled | M Rome |
| 1/9 9:00a | Caroline, Cooper | A Oliver |
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 24,25,26 Christmas Eve, Christmas Day & Vigil for Sunday & Sunday… Two obligations for Mass attendance due to Christmas falling on Saturday….see elsewhere in bulletin for schedule.
- Jan 1 New Year’s Day … NOT a Holy Day of Obligation
- Jan 8 Saturday - following 5:30 p.m. Mass - Burning of the Greens and Soup Supper. See notes elsewhere.
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.
POINSETTIAS AND CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS…There are envelopes on the table at the entrance of church which you can use to make donations “ in memory of…” or “in honor of…” family and friends and contribute to the poinsettias and decorations for the Advent and Christmas season. You can drop your envelope (or check with a notation that it is for flowers) in the collection basket or give it to Father Ryan or leave it at the office.
2022 CALENDARS…can be found at the entrance of church and you are invited to take at least one so that you share with your family the significant days in the life of the church. Feel free to take more than one calendar and take one to your office location as well.
2022 STEWARDSHIP ENVELOPE SETS…are on a table at the entrance of church. If you do not see a box with your name and would like to have a set of envelopes, please advise Father Ryan or the Church Office.
CHRISTMAS EVE, CHRISTMAS DAY, VIGIL OF SUNDAY, AND SUNDAY MASS…this year as Christmas falls on Saturday, we have an obligation to attend Mass at least twice in a 39 hour time frame.
For Christmas, Mass will be offered at St. Edward Mass Intention
- Christmas Eve (Friday) 6 p.m. Lector: MA Gilfoil Paul VanderVieren
- Christmas Day (Saturday) 9 a.m. Lector: A Keene Priest’s Intention
- Christmas Day (Saturday) 11 a.m. Lector: Volunteer Joseph Testa
For Sunday (Dec 26), Mass will be offered at St Edward
- Saturday 5:30 p.m. Lector: B Sullivan Eva Reynolds
- Sunday 9:00 a.m. Lector: A Keene Faith Family
BURNING OF THE GREENS…will occur following the 5:30 p.m. Mass and will be on the grounds of the Church Hall on January 8, 2022, the Saturday following the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6). Please bring your live greenery left from Christmas as we use it to begin our Carnivale season leading up to Mardi Gras. Also, bring an appetite for Queen’s Soup as we will have supper following. More info to follow!
SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD…January 1 is NOT a Holy Day of Obligation this year as it falls on Saturday and the precept to attend Mass is lifted (dispensed) (and the same would be true if the date fell on a Monday).
NO WEEKDAY MASS for the coming week as Father Ryan will be away until Saturday, Jan 1.
Stewardship Rejoice! The Word became flesh and dwells among us! Oh, come, let us adore him! The weekend Masses are of the Feast of the Holy Family… the first reading provides a challenging guideline for the good stewardship of our family relationships. How do I measure up?
SECOND COLLECTION The Christmas Second Collection is to support Church Vocations.
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2020-21 | $ 2,111 |
| November Budget | $ 8,444 |
| November Income | $ 9,408 |
| November Expenses | $ 8,896 |
| December Budget | $ 8,444 |
| December 18/19 collection | $ 4,114 |
| December To Date | $ 9,094 |
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Robbie Kivett (Dec 25), Thomas Myers Hamilton (Dec 25, 2013), Emmy Lou Marsh (Dec 27), Emory Dukes (Dec 30)
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), Graham Allen (S Gilfoil), Kathryn Wood Allsopp (D Wood), Jenna Faye Allen (Florence), Pam Amacker (Gilfoil), James Arceneaux (Book), Marie Farlow Bellard, Ruthie Coenen (Wilks), Molly Corulla, Sara Cannon (Gilfoil), Truman and Diane Collins, Jami Cook (Wilks), Amelia Florence Cowart and her family (Florence), Carol Dipert (Rome), Mac Donaldson (Ellerbee), Tommy Dunning, Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, April Franklin (Wilks), Cogan Fulton (Ellerbee), 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 (MA 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), Saldana Family (Book), 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