The 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time
From The Font
“He first found his own brother Simon and told him, ‘We have found the Messiah’"
The Jewish people had been vaguely waiting on a Messiah since the kingly line of David had collapsed. After the Babylonian Exile, that wait had been slightly more urgent. In the mid-60s BC, though, a Jewish warrior named Judas Maccabee led a rebellion against the Roman Empire in Israel which is remembered in what we call Hanukkah. MANY people thought that Judas Maccabee would be their Messiah. And most religious Jews expected the Messiah to be a warrior rebel as Judas had been.
At the time Jesus was born, the Romans were still oppressing the Jews and there were dozens of potential Messiahs preaching a kind of military-religious version of Judaism. And so we can expect that lots of brothers in Israel had similar conversations to the one we see in the Gospel today... It’s actually quite significant in the Gospel where Jesus is traded for Barabbas who is called a “revolutionary.” Barabbas was actually the kind of military messiah the people were expecting.
That makes it all the more significant when Jesus’ Gospel points to a spiritual religion rather than a military one. The idea of a military religion can seem downright insane to us now, but we don’t have to look too hard to see that many religions are militant even today. Islam and Hinduism both claim to be religions of peace, but both are based upon warrior gods who demand that their followers destroy, or at least subdue, non-adherents. The empire next door to ancient Israel during the Assyrian and Babylonian eras also worshiped militaristic destroyer God (Ashur, etc) which gave the Jews reason to expect that their own God would be a warrior protector.
We know in hindsight that the spiritual is more powerful and more important than the physical because we know about Heaven and eternity. But we have to keep in mind when we read the scripture, that the Apostles did not know any of that at the beginning. Jesus was far from what they expected and yet everyone who met Him knew immediately that He was the real deal. Which is why, as Christians, we have to keep our prayer game strong! Encountering Jesus is the only way to stay above the fray of this life!
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
After a much shorter than average Advent and Christmas, we’re back in Ordinary Time already. Carnivale has begun but in the back of our minds, we’re already anticipating Lent and Easter.
Partly, we’re anticipating them because the stores are putting out decorations, but our modern world is obsessed with “what’s next?!?” It’s, honestly, a dangerous way of living… It’s akin to the habit a lot of us have of taking video with our phones rather than actually living in a moment… When our attention is over-focused on the past and the future, we miss the present. That’s not to say that recording video or anticipating something is bad or even problematic.. But the more attention we give to what was and what could be, the less we are able to enjoy and appreciate what is. Modern scientists theorize that the massive increase in depression which plagues our nation is strongly associated with the inability to appreciate or enjoy the present.
Social Media has made it infinitely worse! Our kids and some of us adults as well have gotten in the habit of posting to social media about some event and then constantly checking the metrics of the post… Do people like it? How many? What are the comments? And by the end of the event, those metrics are what we’ve really cared about. Maybe the concert or the meal or the football game gave us an emotional high or a boost of dopamine, but the metrics were the takeaway.
Even the simple act of taking our phones out of our pockets and putting them on the table during supper creates a destructive psychological effect. Scientists have demonstrated that just seeing our
phones spurs distracted thoughts and reduces the pleasure of conversation and real human interaction.
And, of course, the constant availability of digital distraction also robs us of those moments of quiet which naturally arise in the course of our lives. How many of us take those 3-5 minute gaps in our days that we have while the trail passes or while we’re in line at the store to waste time on the phone? Maybe it’s a game or a quick check on the news or the weather. That’s fine, but those gaps are actually really important for our mental health! Those moments are when our brain surfaces nagging thoughts or quirky realizations or memories that our subconscious is trying to process. Those gaps are the time our brain uses to be amused at a memory transitioning from short-term to long-term memory. Those gaps are where we appreciate the little joys in life or whine to ourselves about little annoyances. Without those momentary thoughts, our minds deteriorate and we can build up massive wells of anxiety, stress, undifferentiated emotional insecurity, and all sorts of things that pills can’t really cure.
The simplest and best solution for mental health is very alike the simplest and best solution for physical health. For our bodies, we should eat real, nutritious food in reasonable amounts and do functional exercises - easy enough. For mental health, we should feel our feelings, think our thoughts, and confront whatever anxieties or concerns arise in our minds. Distractions have their value and their place, but the American obsession with constant distraction is bad news.
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Payton Trichell/family
- Sun 9:30a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon 5:30p No Mass
- Tue 9:00a In memory of Rosa and Gus Gremshell and May DiTomasso
- Wed 9:00a In memory of Mary (Nanny) Ernst/Lancaster
- Thu 9:00a In memory of Eva Reynolds/Bullard
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Mary Agnes York/P Gilfoil
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Delia and Thomas Trichell/T Trichell
- Sun 9:30a Populo for the Living Deceased Members of our Parish
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of Anna May Farlow by Angel Farlow
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) | EMHCs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/13 5:30p | None Scheduled | P Wilks | None Scheduled |
| 1/14 9:30a | Mary Katherine and Courtland | C Guizerrix | None Scheduled |
| 1/20 5:30p | None Scheduled | MK Book | Mike Rome |
| 1/21 9:30a | Cooper and Maura | Youth | None Scheduled |
| 1/27 5:30p | None Scheduled | L Bullard | Norman Ernst |
| 1/28 9:30a | Kathleen and Evelyn | J Howington | None Scheduled |
Stewardship In today’s first reading, we hear Samuel respond eagerly, ””Here I am!” each time the Lord calls him. May we, too, be listening for the call of God in our lives and be ready to say like the Psalmist, “Here am I, Lord, I come to do your will.”
SECOND COLLECTION this weekend is to support the monthly, Diocesean newspaper “The Church Today.”
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2022-23 | $ 2,111 |
| December Budget | $ 10,555 |
| December income | $ 15,294 |
| December Expenses | $ TBD |
| January Budget | $ 8,444 |
| January 7 collection | $ 1,869 |
| January Income To Date | $ 1,869 |
Upcoming Events
- Confessions every Friday & Saturday from 5p until Mass and on Sunday from 9a until Mass
- Sunday Catechism with Coffee and Donuts after Mass unless otherwise indicated
Wednesday Morning Catechism about 9:30 a.m in Church and on Facebook and YouTube
Jan 16 Pastoral Council meeting on WED, JANUARY 17, 2024 at 6 p.m. Church Hall
- Feb 11 First Quarter Social — Mardi Gras potluck brunch – 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.
PILGRIMAGE!... Fr Ryan is leading a Pilgrimage to Assisi and Rome in Italy in September of 2024. More information is available at HolyTravels.org/FrHumphriesItaly . Please pass the word around!
FORMED.ORG… FORMED has an entire page of weekly featured videos that are worth checking out at https://watch.formed.org/this-week-on-formed. Remember to sign in using our parish’s zip code (71282) at http://signup.formed.org
2024 STEWARDSHIP ENVELOPES… If there is someone who did not sign up for envelopes but would like to have them, we have more sets available. If you take a box, you should be sure to sign up on the sheet with the boxes of envelopes so that we will be able to post your offerings to the appropriate account.
2024 FLOWER CALENDAR is on the bulletin board at the entrance of the church. Please consider special events in your life or that of your family and consider putting flowers on the altar at least once this year for one of those events. If each family provides flowers for just one week, we would have fresh flowers for the entire year. Just pencil your name or intention in on the calendar and the church office will call to remind you of the date.
FIRST QUARTER SOCIAL …. Mark your calendars to join in on Sunday, February 11, in the Church Hall following Mass for Potluck Brunch. The First Quarter (Jan, Feb, March) committee to decorate and clean up consists of Margo Corulla and Darryl and Abby Ellerbee (co-chairs), Norman and Marie Ernst, Katherine Ernst, Brian Johnson, Sidney and Mary Jane Johnson, Robbie and Tori Kivett, Ed Mills, Billy and Courtney Nadeau, Teddy and Alyssa Oliver, Mike and Sue Rome, Jason Trichell, Mary Trichell, Levi Washington
HOLY COMMUNION FROM THE CHALICE... After a month or so on hold due to flu and rsv, we’ll return to offering Holy Communion from the Chalice on the weekend of January 20. Of course, if you’re feeling ill or someone in your household is ill, we ask that you refrain from receiving from the chalice as a courtesy to other parishioners. Remember that both species of Holy Communion are fully and completely the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus.
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Pat Gilfoil (Jan 15), Paul Naya (Jan 18), Renee Wood (Jan 18)
Happy Anniversary Kaci and Norman Ernst (Jan 21)
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 Pope Francis; 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: MaryKathryn and Nap Book, Connie and Dan Copes, Elizabeth Crothers, Leslye Ellerbee, Susan and Johnny Gilfoil, Margaret and Pat Gilfoil, Terry Farlow Hall, C.W. and Alyce Keene, Bill Kennedy, Hannah Wood McCarty, Ed Mills, Terry and Susie Murphy, Bobby Reynolds, Sue & Mike Rome
Those under full-time care: Frances Kennedy
Our friends and relatives who need our prayers: Lee Adams (Smith), Ashley Alexander (Regan), Graham Allen (S Gilfoil), Kathryn Wood Allsopp (D Wood), Pam Amacker (Gilfoil), James Arceneaux (Book), Marie Farlow Bellard, Tommy Bickham (C Copes), Chris Breard (Gilfoil), Willetta and Mac Cagnolatti, Sarah Cannon (Gilfoil), Fran Castile (Keene), Jeannie and Donald Collins, Jami Cook (Wilks), Bobbe and Gene Cox, Marla Evans Cummings, Susan Ward Daigle (Gilfoil & Keene), Carol Dipert (Rome), Mac Donaldson (Ellerbee), Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, Patty Farlow, Monique Florence, Jimmy Fordham (Gustafson & Fordice), Judy Fortenberry, April Franklin (Wilks), Thom Gilfoil, Wyly Gilfoil (Gilfoil), Charlotte Green, Rita Hargrave, Ralph Harris (Gilfoil), Arlice Evans Headley, Evie Hilburn (Lancaster), Charles Howington, Will Irby (P Gilfoil), Diane Johnson, Dee Jones (Keene), Calvin “Beans” and Lynn Lisonbee, LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Caroline Marcello (Watts), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Kiely McKellar (S Gilfoil), Mona Martin (MA Gilfoil), Cindy Mathieu (Wilks), Boyce Miller, Vickie Morelli (Ernst), John Neill, Caryn Oliver, Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Bailey, Scott and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Janie Saxon (Lancaster), Walter and Vivian Scott, Debbie Kedrick Sims, Tommy Trichell, LeeAnn Rome Tranchina (Rome), Mary Claire Warner and her parents, MaryBeth and Steve
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Preston Collins, Henry Ellerbee, Callie Ezell, Lilly Falgout, Jag Gilfoil, Chris Hall (USMC), Nick Hall, Bruen Johnson, Matilda Johnson, Caroline Marsh, Emmy Lu Marsh, Blake Sullivan, Carter Sullivan, Walker Sullivan, Marsh Wood
