Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time | St. Edward Catholic Church, Tallulah

From The Font

“Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”

The Jewish culture was deeply litigious. I don’t mean that they had frivolous lawsuits. Rather, the Jews took just about every serious dispute to court. They laid out the facts and the judge ruled. So.. If my older brother were entitled to the entire inheritance - which was typical in the ancient world, a younger brother may go to court to ask for anything from an allowance to a portion of the inheritance.

The judges, themselves, were held in very high esteem and were understood to act as representatives of God Himself who is the Just Judge. The story of Susanna in Daniel 13 was so contentious because it depicts corrupt judges - something which was unthinkable and horrific in Jewish culture.

I want to add that the Book of Judges and the Time of the Judges are a totally different thing. I want to further add that this kind of judging (legal affairs) has nothing to do with Jesus preaching against judging (Judge not, lest you be judged) in the Sermon on the Mount. This is one of those problems that arises when you

have to translate from one language to another. The Jews had a series of warlord-like governors called “Judges” that are the subject of the Book of Judges. And the Lord preaches against individuals judging the quality of each other’s moral decisions and intentions. But the legal system remained an important part of Jewish life until the end of the Jewish kingdom and independent culture.

There’s not a practical spiritual lesson to be learned from the Jewish legal culture, but it is necessary to understand just how important and common the courts were in daily life. Even something as small as an unfair scale at the fish market could land someone in court the same afternoon that they sold three-quarters of a pound of mullet for the price of a pound…

It’s also valuable to remember that when we read scripture, we’re reading a translation of an idea that was specific to an eastern culture from 2000 years ago. The meanings of words may not align with modern modern usages. And so when I get confused by a verse, I always make sure to stop and consider that.

Thoughts from Fr. Ryan

With the arrival of August, we’re officially into Back to School season!

In my childhood home, back to school was a lot like New Years… We made resolutions about taking school and family obligations more seriously this school year… My mom repeated, like a mantra, the phrase “It’s time to get back into the routine.”

This time really does afford the same opportunity that New Years does. It gives us a moment to look ahead at the next twelve months which are, at the same time, familiar, even predictable and full of unknown potential.

Much of our lives are like that. We know what’s likely to happen in the coming months. There’s the usual school stuff, the usual friends stuff, and the usual athletic stuff. If math was a hard subject last year, it’s probably going to be hard this year. We already have a good sense of how the football team is going to measure up. We know which cheerleaders and basketball players and likely to excel beyond their peers.

At the same time, there are limitless possibilities. Who could’ve predicted that the shortest fifth grader would have grow two and half inches and suddenly become a basketball phenom? Who could’ve guessed that the kid who struggled with arithmetic (as I did) would suddenly become the best algebra and geometry student in their year? Who could’ve even dared to dream that the hopeless immature junior high kids that drove the whole school crazy would be a different person this year?

We know what work is like. We know what Church is like. We can predict what August and November and next April are going to be like in our jobs and in our Churches as well. But that doesn’t mean that the Holy Spirit can’t make those predictable times an adventure. And it doesn’t mean that you or I can’t choose to take the mundane and make it extraordinary.

The last few years have been incredibly hard on all of us! But, hopefully, they also transformed the way we think about the predictable and the unpredictable aspects of our lives.

Hopefully, the coming year will be a great deal more ordinary and normal than the last few have been. But my mom’s wisdom bears repeating. For all it’s predictability, this time of year is an opportunity for some new school year’s resolutions! It’s an opportunity to reevaluate our routines, habits, and family patterns.

Perhaps this year is a good time for the family to pray together in the evening. Perhaps this year is the year that we go to confession more often. Maybe this is the year that we decide to read through the Bible or a spiritual book.

Beyond faith, maybe this is the year to reinstill reading for fun in the lives of children and parents alike. Maybe this is the year that we’re going to reduce our screen time or share a family meal more often.

However you and yours choose to get back to school, all of us here at St. Edward are praying it’s a blessed, safe, and game changing year in the lives of all our school-aged families!

Mass Intentions for the Coming Week

ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of Blanche and Skeeter Wilks

Assistants at Holy Mass

Date	Servers	Lector(s)
7/30 5:30p	None Scheduled	C VanderVieren
7/31 9:00a	Henry and MaryKatherine	J Howingston
8/6 5:30p	None Scheduled	C VanderVieren
8/7 9:00a	Chandler, Maura, AnneMarie	C Guizerix
8/13 5:30p	None Scheduled	P Wilks
8/14 9:00a	Preston, Cortland, Evelyn	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
August 2 STRESS Workshop – Parish Hall – 6 p.m.
August 5 First Friday Devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus - 5:30 p.m.
August 6 First Saturday Devotions to our Blessed Mother - Mass and Holy Hour - 9 a.m.
August 15 The Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Mother is NOT a holy day of obligation this year
August 16 Pastoral Council Meeting – 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 the group. If you need additional information, please contact the Coordinator, Louise Magoun, at 318-341-2403.

FIRST FRIDAY…AUGUST 5 ...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 …AUGUST 6 … 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. All are welcomed and encouraged to attend.

GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY…MIKE and SUE ROME will celebrate their Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary this month. The Rosary group and the Saturday night Mass group are organizing a Potluck Supper to be held after Mass on Saturday, August 20, 2022 in the Church Hall to celebrate with Mike and Sue. Everyone is invited to join in the occasion!

PRAYER FOR HURRICANE SEASON… O God, Master of this passing world, hear the humble voices of your children. The Sea of Galilee obeyed your order and returned to its former quietude; you are still the Master of land and sea. We live in the shadow of a danger over which we have no control. The Gulf, like a provoked and angry giant, can awake from its seeming lethargy, overstep its conventional boundaries, invade our land and spread chaos and disaster. During this hurricane season, we turn to You, O loving Father. Spare us from past tragedies whose memories are still so vivid and whose wounds seem to refuse to heal with the passing of time. O Virgin, Star of the Sea, Our Beloved Mother, we ask you to plead with your Son in our behalf so that spared from the calamities common to this area and animated with a true spirit of gratitude, we will walk in the footsteps of your Divine Son to reach the heavenly Jerusalem where a stormless eternity awaits us. Amen (Fr. Al Volpe, Cameron Parish, LA, originally dedicated to the victims of Hurricane Audrey in 1957)

Our Return to the Lord


Weekly Budget FY 2020-21	$2,111
June Budget	$8,444
June Income	$9,048
June Expenses	$9,641
July Budget	$10,555
July 23/24 Collection	$1,130
July Income To Date	$7,476

Stewardship Seeing Jesus transfigured made Peter want to do something to mark the event. But the Voice from the cloud said clearly that the first task of those who recognize Jesus as Lord is to listen to Jesus–and then act!

Let us Rejoice in the Lord!

Happy Birthday Edmond Copes (July 30, 2015), Louise Magoun (Aug 2), Philip Scurria (Aug 6)

Happy Anniversary Renee and Robert Wood (July 30), Blanche and Skeeter Wilks (August 1), Margaret and Pat Gilfoil

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, Marie, Norman, and Mary Ernst, Susan and Johnny Gilfoil, Jamie and Cindy Howingston, C.W. and Alyce Keene, Bill Kennedy, Ed Mills, Kathleen Mills, Terry and Susie Murphy, Sug Regan, 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, Sarah Cannon (Gilfoil), Ruthie Coenen (Wilks), Kevin and AnnaBeth Collins (Book), Truman and Diane Collins, Jami Cook (Wilks), Susan Ward Daigle (Gilfoil & Keene), Don Deweese, Carol Dipert (Rome), Mac Donaldson (Ellerbee), Ashley and Chuck Edwards (Keene), Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, Patty Farlow, Monique Florence, April Franklin (Wilks), Thom Gilfoil, Charlotte Green, Rita Hargrave, Evie Hilburn (Lancaster), John and Carlyle Ashly Hoogland, Melissa Jennings (Gilfoil & Keene), Dee Jones (Keene), Lyn and Calvin Lisonbee (Keene), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Caroline Marcello (Watts), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Mona Martin (MA Gilfoil), Caryn Oliver, Sue Perrilloux (D Wood), Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Frances Robinson (Wilks), Bailey, Scott and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Albert Thom (Rome), Janice Spencer and family (Wilks), Meg Keene Thomas, Lucy Thomason (gr-dau of Bentley Curry)(Book), Gabby Trejos (Wilks), Paul Wayne and LeeAnn Rome Tranchina (Rome), Elaine Trimble (Rome), Joe Yerger

Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Callie Ezell, Lilly Falgout, Chris Hall (USMC), Nick Hall, Bruen Johnson, Caroline Marsh, Emmy Lu Marsh, Maddie Oliver Bridges, Blake Sullivan, Carter Sullivan, Walker Sullivan, Brice Wood, Marsh Wood.