Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
From The Font
“When this which is corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility…”
Corinth, in the time of Jesus, was akin to NYC, Paris, and Rome. It was a gigantic city in terms of population with a hugely diverse cultural mix and it was a hub for trade, wealth, education, and cutting edge science and philosophy. And so St. Paul’s letters to the Corinthians are not the folk wisdom we’re used to in the parables of Jesus… Instead, they’re sophisticated and nuanced arguments written for a relatively educated and critical audience.
Two of the worst prejudices in our modern world are against philosophy and anything old. Modern people tend to think that everything that’s not modern might as well be from the days of the cavemen. And modern people tend to think that philosophy is just long, boring books written by those old, useless people who didn’t have Facebook or Danielle Steele.
In reality, philosophy is probably the single most-important science (and it is a science) that we have as humans. We’re caught up in it every single day of our lives - even here in rural Louisiana. The study of Philosophy is like becoming psychic in that it allows us to understand the origins of the way that people think and, then, it allows us to predict behavior as well. The tyrannical actions of Trudeau in Canada were predicted by philosophers years ago because the man is a card carrying Marxist. Understanding that philosophy makes understanding his actions quite simple.
Philosophy, too, prevents us from deluding ourselves into thinking that our generation has some secret wisdom that everyone else before us failed to obtain and it makes clear that technology isn’t the paragon of wisdom or happiness that it tends to be treated as.
In Christianity, philosophy is essential. In fact, it’s so essential that priests have to get a degree in philosophy before even starting serious study of religion.
Surely, some of the books of the Bible which are more grounded in philosophy (Sirach, Wisdom, Corinthians, etc) can be much, much harder to read! But that doesn’t make them less important or less valuable - it may even make them all the the more essential.
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
Happy Mardi Gras!
The medieval French “Feast of Fools” and the various Western European traditions associated with the time before Lent have all blended into one to give us Carnivale - lit. “Farewell to Meat” - which culminates in the last few days before Ash Wednesday in Dimanche Gras (“Fat Sunday”), Lundi Gras (“Fat Monday”), and, of course, Mardi Gras (“Fat Tuesday”).
There are two dramatic differences in our Mardi Gras now versus years’ past. One has to do with Lent itself and the other with the advent of refrigeration.
Prior to the 1970s, Lent was hard. Catholics were obliged to abstain from meat and to eat only a single meal Monday through Saturday for all of Lent. One meal, no meat for 40 days. And that was a time when people were leaner, food variety was less, and there were no processed foods to keep you feeling full. It was real penance. Nowadays, that fasting is reduced to only two days and, sadly, very few Catholics respect Good Friday as a day of fasting. The long and short of that fasting, though, was the real need to fatten oneself up for Lent! With that kind of diet, you can easily lose 20 pounds during Lent… So Carnivale and “Fat” week was literally preparation for Lent!
The other big difference is refrigeration. Prior to the mid-1900s, food preservation was quite limited. People who lived distant from grocery stores - which was a lot of people around the world - needed to use up the preserved meat in their pantries that would likely go bad during the long meatless fast of Lent. And so the Carnivale - the farewell to meat - was a time to eat up all the delicious, high fat foods in the pantry.
There’s also a real psychological component. In days of old, people were much better equipped mentally and emotionally to dealing with fasting, penance, and to going without… Nowadays, we’re genuinely upset when our preferred brand of disposable paper product is out of stock… It’s hard for most of us to be hungry and not do something about it. Emotionally, we will do better with Lent if we indulge a bit before and then tell ourselves that my penance is not forever, it’s just for six weeks and then there’s another feast with more indulgence. It’s easier to put something off for a fixed time than it is to give it up indefinitely. And it is much easier to do that if I can tell myself that I’m refreshing the memory to store up for the lean days ahead.
Of course, Lent nowadays isn’t that hard. We have two days of fasting (Ash Wednesday and Good Friday), seven days of abstaining from meat (Ash Wednesday and each Friday of Lent), and zero Holy Days of Obligation. We’re asked to give up one food item or activity as a penance - which is not that hard. And we’re asked to be conscious of and attentive to our spiritual lives by prayer - which is something we should be doing anyway. As such, Mardi Gras doesn’t have the same value or purpose that it did in years’ past. Still, that doesn’t mean it has no value and no purpose.
Mardi Gras is a part of our shared culture and a treasured time for family and fun. I hope everyone has a good time!
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Sally Testa Higdon/Magoun
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon NO MASS
- Tue 9:00a In memory of deceased members of Regan, Adams, and Weimer families/Regan
- Wed 9:00a In memory of Gus Gremshell
- Thu 9:00a In memory of Thomas Trichell/family
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Racer Holstead (death)/family
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Payton Trichell/P Gilfoil
- 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 2/26 5:30p | None Scheduled | A Farlow |
| 2/27 9:00a | Preston, Courtland, Evelyn | A Oliver |
| 3/5 5:30p | None Scheduled | P Wilks |
| 3/6 9:00a | Caroline, Cooper, Maura | S Marsh |
| 3/12 5:30p | None Scheduled | MB Book |
| 3/13 9:00a | Henry & Mary Katherine | C Guizerix |
Upcoming Events
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Confessions every Friday & Saturday from 5p until Mass at 5:30p
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Sunday Morning Catechism in the Hall after the 9:00a Mass unless otherwise indicated
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Pastoral Council meeting monthly on the third Tuesday at 6p unless otherwise indicated
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Feb 27 First Quarter Social to celebrate Mardi Gras following Sunday Mass
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March 1 Session #3 Dealing with Stress and Anxiety - 6 p.m. - Church Hall
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March 2 Ash Wednesday - Ashes will be distributed after 9 a.m. Mass (or 6 p.m. in Delhi)
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March 4 Way of the Cross Lenten devotion followed by Mass - 5:30 p.m. (also 1st Friday)
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March 11 (Mar 25 and Apr 8), Lenten education opportunity - see notes on last page
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March 14 Town Hall Meeting for a “State of St. Edward report - 6 p.m. Church Hall. All parishioners are encouraged to attend and participate
For Your Information:
WORKSHOP on DEALING WITH STRESS AND ANXIETY AS A CHRISTIAN is scheduled for this Tuesday at 6p in the Parish Hall. This month, Dr. Mimi Pham Enriquez will be speaking about the physical and psychological processes of stress and just what anxiety can do to us. Her presentation should help us to understand the real dangers of stress, especially unidentified stress, and give us some concrete ways to address it! All are welcome to attend and encouraged to invite friends who may be in need of help dealing with their own stress and anxiety.
ASH WEDNESDAY is this week. It is not a Holy Day of Obligation, but it is an excellent way to begin your Lenten season. Father Ryan will offer Mass at St. Edward at 9a as usual with the distribution of Ashes. Fr. Ryan will also distribute Ashes and offer Mass in Delhi at 6p in the evening. Remember that whether you attend Mass or not, Ash Wednesday is a day of OBLIGATORY FASTING and ABSTINENCE from meat. All Catholics over the age of 18 are obliged to eat only a single meatless meal on Ash Wednesday. If additional sustenance is needed in order to keep one’s strength or to take medicine, as many as two smaller meals may be eaten. The meals should be penitential rather than indulgent and snacking between meals is strictly forbidden.
LENT is upon us! All Catholics 18 and older are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday (see above) and Good Friday. All Catholics 14 and older are obliged to abstain from meat on Fridays of Lent. Further, all Catholics should plan some penance (not just doing something extra) as a way of uniting ourselves with Our Lord’s death on the cross. Lent is a time for sober self-reflection, for prayer, for fasting, for works of mercy, and for redoubling our efforts to grow in the knowledge and love of God. To that end, St. Edward will offer a shared Way of the Cross on Friday evenings at 5:30p followed by Mass. On Mar 11, Mar 25 and Apr 8, immediately following the evening Mass, Fr. Ryan will host a meatless potluck (in which he will provide a hearty soup) and show a religious film. All are certainly welcome to attend.
TOWN HALL MEETING for a “State of St. Edward” report. Monday, March 14, 2022 - 6 p.m. Church Hall. All parishioners are welcome and encouraged to attend and participate! Fr. Ryan will be giving a report on our parish finances as well as several small and not-so-small projects that we’ll be working on over the summer. All are encouraged to attend. The meeting will include an open Q&A for Fr. Ryan.
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2020-21 | $ 2,111 |
| January Budget | $ 10,555 |
| January Income | $ 13,438 |
| January Expenses | $ 9,811 |
| February Budget | $ 8,444 |
| February 19/20 collection | $ 1,415 |
| February Income To Date | $ 6,232 |
Stewardship As we approach Ash Wednesday and the emphasis on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we are given the opportunity to take a closer look at our stewardship. It is a time to reassess how we are using the gifts God has entrusted to us and to resolve anew to use our time and resources in the service of His Kingdom.
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 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, 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), Judy and Danny Beard (Keene), Marie Farlow Bellard, Emily Chancellor (C Copes), Ruthie Coenen (Wilks), Molly Corulla, Truman and Diane Collins, Jami Cook (Wilks), Don Deweese, Carol Dipert (Rome), Mac Donaldson (Ellerbee), Ashley and Chuck Edwards (Keene), Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, Patty Farlow, April Franklin (Wilks), Thom Gilfoil, Charlotte Green, Kathy Garley Hanlon (Gilfoil), Rita Hargrave, Melissa Jennings (Gilfoil & 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), Bailey, Lee, and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Albert Thom (Rome), Meg Keene Thomas, Lucy Thomason (gr-dau of Bentley Curry)(Book), Elaine Trimble (Rome), Joe Yerger
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Callie Ezell, Chris Hall (USMC), Nick Hall, Emmy Lu Marsh, Maddie Oliver Bridges, Carter Sullivan, Walker Sullivan, Brice Wood, Marsh Wood