Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
As with the feast of the Assumption on Saturday, Jesus in today’s Gospel draws the line between the natural and the supernatural person within each of us. In the natural sense, this Canaanite woman wants that to which she is not entitled - namely the healing of Jesus. This is exactly like the scripture for the Assumption when the Virgin Mary appears and wants to speak with Jesus. In both cases, Jesus gives them a hard time in the natural sense. He says, “who are my mother and my brothers?” Here, He reminds her twice that the Canaanites are heretics.
In both cases, though, Jesus ends the story by moving beyond the natural to the supernatural. On the assumption, Jesus says, “Rather, Blessed are those who hear the word of God and Keep it.” Here, He says, “O woman, Great is your faith! Let it be done as you wish.”
As Christians, we’re not free to remain on the purely natural level. Christ commands us to interact with one another on both the natural and the supernatural level. That’s how something like hospitality can be considered a truly Christian virtue!
On the natural level, we are called to the Corporal Works of Mercy: To feed the hungry; To give drink to the thirsty; To clothe the naked; To harbor the harborless; To visit the sick; To ransom the captive; and To bury the dead.
We can do this by giving to organizations dedicated to these works of mercy. We can do it by helping those people we encounter in the course of life. We can do it when God gives us the opportunity.
We have to be careful NOT to dismiss these worldly works as unimportant. Remember that in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus says that judgment for heaven is based upon when we see “Him” hungry and gave him food, thirsty and gave him drink, in prison and visited him…
But neither can we feel like giving $100 to some charity covers our bases. Beyond the corporal works of mercy (ordered to the natural person), we have the spiritual works of mercy (ordered to the supernatural person in each of us).
The Spiritual Works of Mercy are: To instruct the ignorant; To counsel the doubtful; To admonish sinners; To bear wrongs patiently; To forgive offenses willingly; To comfort the afflicted; To pray for the living and the dead.
These are the hard ones. It’s easy enough to pray for the living and the dead. It’s not too hard to comfort the afflicted. But it takes real humility to bear wrongs patiently and to forgive offenses willingly. It may also take some study and meditation to instruct the ignorant and to counsel the doubtful.
But the one that takes real courage nowadays is to admonish sinners. It’s hard to call someone out on their sin and to find a way to convince them to leave that sin behind. It’s hard because our world has a faulty notion of judgement. It’s hard because our world has convinced itself that truth, salvation, and real love don’t matter. It’s hard because we value being accepted and being perceived as broad-minded and avoiding conflict too much.
In fact, we value being accepted, being broad-minded and avoiding conflict even over love! Authentic love desires the good - both natural and supernatural - of the other even more than the relationship itself.
What’s more - no one should ever merely be broad-mindedly “tolerated.” No one should ever be reduced to the group of which they are a part. No one should ever be dismissed as not being “worth” my suffering for their good.
Jesus isn’t vague on sin. He’s very clear and nothing has changed since that fateful Good Friday 2000 years ago. Sin leads to damnation. Period. The Church freely forgives sin for the repentant. And the Church charges all of us - clergy and laity - to admonish the sinner that they might discover the freedom of Jesus Christ.
I have no right to cast personal judgements upon the natural person. None of us do! But I have a Christian duty and an obligation in love to share the teachings of Jesus Christ (the easy ones and the hard ones) with every single person I love.
Upcoming Events
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Confessions every Fri & Sat ~5p until Mass and Sunday ~9a until Mass
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Sunday Morning Catechism (with Coffee & Donuts) after the 9:30a Mass unless otherwise indicated
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Pastoral Council meeting monthly on the third Wednesday at 6p unless otherwise indicated
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August 23 Sunday Morning Catechism (along with Donuts and Coffee in the Hall) begins following the 9:30a Mass
For Your Information:
SUNDAY MORNING CATECHISM will resume on Sunday, August 23, following the 9:30a Mass in the Hall. Although the program talks are prepared for parents of our children, anyone is welcome to attend and have lots of their own questions answered! Carbohydrates and coffee are provided!!!
TALK ABOUT SPAIN As we have a number of folks who will be traveling on pilgrimage to Spain this fall, Fr Ryan has organized talks around the geographic regions on the tour. The final talk is on Wed, Aug 26 at 6p in the Hall and is open to anyone.
ROSARY GROUP meets on Monday at 5:30p for prayer and supper. Everyone is welcome. Contact Louise Magoun (318-341-2403), coordinator for more information.
FORMED.ORG has weekly features at https://watch.formed.org/this-week-on-formed. Remember to sign in using our parish’s zip code (71282) at https://signup.formed.org
MAUSOLEUM construction is expected to begin in the next two months. If you have any questions or you know of anyone else interested in making a purchase, please encourage them to call the church office for additional information.
POTLUCK BRUNCH following 9:30a Mass on Sunday, August 16. All are invited to join in. Third Quarter (July, Aug, Sept) Social Committee: Shannon & Bart Wood and Betty & Kenny Smith, co-chairs, MaryKathryn Book, Kendra & Dave Collins, Connie & Dan Copes, Dana & Randy Dukes, Kaci & Norman Ernst, Lance & Stephenie Marsh, Peggy & Phil Scurria, Beth & Chip Sullivan
PASTORAL COUNCIL MEETING will be held on Wednesday, August 19 at 6p in the Church Hall. Members of the Council are: Kathleen Ellerbee, Norman Ernst, Elizabeth Naya, Mike Rome. Trustees are Michael Lancaster and Cathy VanderVieren. Our finance chairman is Darryl Ellerbee. All members are requested to make a special effort to attend. All parishioners are encouraged to attend and contribute to the discussions.
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Payton and Donald Trichell/family
- Sun 8:00a (Traditional Latin Mass) PRO POPULO for the living & deceased members of our parish
- Sun 9:30a In memory of deceased members of the Roy and Johnson families
- Mon NO MASS
- Tues 9:00a For a special intention of the Guizerix family
- Wed 9:00a In memory of Thomas Trichell (death anni)/B Hayes
- Thu 9:00a (Legacy Nursing Home) In memory of Rosa & Gus Gremshell & May DiTomasso
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Bryan Stamey/family
- Sat 5:30p In memory ofFred Wyly/Magoun
- Sun 8:00a (Traditional Latin Mass) PRO POPULO for the living & deceased members of our parish
- Sun 9:30a In memory of Lillie “MaMe” Jumonville/family
Altar Candles this week are burning this week in memory of Becky, Beverly, and Edgar Lancaster
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Acolytes | Lector | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/15 | 5:30p | - | M Rome |
| 8/16 | 9:30a | Cooper & Courtland | Youth |
| 8/22 | 5:30p | - | A Dawson |
| 8/23 | 9:30a | Annie, Thomas Meyers, and Katelyn | K Collins |
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2025-2026 | $ 2,500 |
|---|---|
| July Budget | $ 10,000 |
| July Collections | $ 10,920 |
| July Expenses | $ 10,378 |
| August Budget | $ 12,500 |
| August 9 Collection | $ 3,842 |
| August to Date | $ 8,784 |
STEWARDSHIP In today’s second reading, St Paul tells the Romans, “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.” To what is God calling me today? What gifts are mine to share?
Community Celebrations
Happy Birthday to Elizabeth Crothers (Aug 21)
Happy Anniversary to Shannon and Bart Wood (Aug 15)
In Our Daily Prayers…
For our Pope, Leo XIV, our 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, under full-time care and for those who care for them, and for those otherwise in need of our prayers: MaryKathryn & Nap Book, Chris, Susan, and David Cagnolatti, Connie & Dan Copes, Elizabeth Crothers, Leslye Ellerbee, Ann Claire Fordice and her children, Susan & Johnny Gilfoil, Margaret & Pat Gilfoil,Terry Farlow Hall, Sidney & Mary Jane Johnson, Frances & Bill Kennedy, Ed Mills, Susie Murphy, Bobby Reynolds, Phillip and Peggy Scurria, Sug Regan, Mike & Sue Rome, Lori Sullivan, Mary Trichell
Our friends and relatives who need our prayers: Ashley Alexander (Regan), Graham Allen (S Gilfoil), Marie Farlow Bellard, Martha Book, Kay Boolos (S Gilfoil), Chris Breard (Gilfoil), Gayle Brown (Dukes and Oliver), Albert Christman, Jeannie & Donald Collins, Jami Cook (Wilks), Gene Cox, Carol Dipert (Rome), Mac Donaldson (Ellerbee), Mike Farlow, Patty Farlow, Judy Fortenberry, Donna Fulton (Ellerbee), Fred and Cathy Fulton, Morgan, Alex, and Palmer Gilfoil, Thom Gilfoil, Wyly Gilfoil (Gilfoil), LaVonne Givens, Charlotte Green, Rita Hargrave, Evie Hilburn (Lancaster), Patricia Lively (Wilks), Charles Howington, Jimmy Hopson(Wilks), Will Irby (P Gilfoil), Diane Johnson, Andrew and Chelsea Keene-Lewis, Carla Leese (S Gilfoil), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Caroline Marcello (Watts), Mona Martin (MA Gilfoil), Jessica McCoy (Reynolds), the family of Lee McCoy (Reynolds), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Kiely McKellar (S Gilfoil), Boyce Miller, Mike Morelli, Randy Parker, Betty Petersen, David Peterson, Quintin Purvis, John Neill, Curt and Brianne Rome, Bailey, Scott, and Tiffney Rome, Debbie Kedrick Sims, LeeAnn Rome Tranchina (Rome), Randy Watts, Jr., Victor Zaleta, Zelika Aguilar
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Preston Collins, Henry Ellerbee, Lilly Falgout, Jag Gilfoil, Matilda Johnson, Caroline Marsh, EmmyLu Marsh, Charlize Richardson, Will Richardson, Chandler Wood
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.