The 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time
From The Font
“My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?”
Most of us have an innate sense of justice and fairness. We struggle when we are confronted with unfairness and injustice. But the Lord is clear that we can’t come to Him on our own terms. What we think is fair and just and what God thinks of those things may be miles apart, especially when it comes to ourselves.
And so the Lord tells us that we must come to Him on His terms. We may get from life what seems like a raw deal! We may struggle with loss and ill health and financial insecurity and many other things besides while someone else may live what seems like a charmed life! Even more difficult is looking to someone who has done great evil and repented and is now on even footing with you or I who have tried to be good Christians from our youth!
And yet the Lord says to us: “Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?”
It’s a harder saying than it may seem at first glance! Of course, we all know that none of us can see what’s happening in the heart of someone else. From our perspective, we might see a charmed life while, on the inside, the other person may be lonely, afraid, or burdened by things we can’t even describe.
One of the most interesting examples of this is beauty. Stunningly beautiful people - men and women alike - often struggle with insecurity. The rest of us hear that with suspicion... How could this fashion model or that movie star be insecure? The answer they often give is that no one wants to know who they are beneath the skin - they are an object to everyone and so they feel like no one wants to know them for who they are... Is beauty a burden then? It may well be. But even moreso, all of us struggle and none of us can fully know what others of us struggle with. And so it is that we have to trust the Lord - who alone knows us as we are - to give us just the right cross to carry. We have to trust that the Lord is doing what needs to be done to make Heaven a real possibility for me and for you and for anyone else who really wants it. And that means being content with the daily wage the Lord offers us rather than obsessing about what someone else’s.
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
I found out this week that a beloved mentor from my youth, my Scoutmaster Mr Emille Oestricher AKA Mr O, is entering the last days of his life on this Earth. And while I’m surely sad to lose his unique wit and perspective on the world, I find myself even sadder to think about his legacy...
Mr O poured himself into Scouting from his early days as a parent. He was personally responsible, on a national level, for making Philmont Scout Ranch the phenomenon it is. He made Troop 6 into a juggernaut of excellence. He personally changed the lives of so many young men (and their fathers) through his belief in the human principles of Boy Scouting. Those who knew him in his prime will never forget his leadership both in the troop and in their personal lives! Those personal connections will last!
But from the perspective of legacy, poor Mr O has little to show for his efforts. Troop 6 is doing ok. But the Boy Scouts of America are a disaster, an embarrassment... They drank the woke KoolAid and have become a dull, lifeless shell of what they were. Philmont Scout Ranch has lost so much of what made it special as well. Now, boys (and girls) are rushed through it like an amusement park. Everything that BSA touches nowadays turns to muck. It’s a tragedy that strikes at the heart of every boy who endured the man-making vicisitudes of scouting.
Seen from the broad perspective of history, even local history, Mr. O’s life-long efforts, investments, and hard work will come to very little. And that’s sad, because he did good work. But that’s true of every one of our efforts. The recent release of the Oppenheimer movie reinforced the reality that even the man who built the Atomic Bomb isn’t remembered by anyone other than specialists...
We can extend the comparison to the Church as well... Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI will be remembered as two of the most important Popes in world history - but look at the gross disrespect shown them by Church leaders today.
When we think of legacy and impact, we have to think NOT of our effect on history, but of our effect on PEOPLE. For all but the very, very few of us who are on the world stage, the Lord’s call to us is a call to holiness in a locality... We are called to be saints for the Love of God and to reveal the Lord to those around us. We are meant to be a living icon of God’s truth to the people we meet: family, friends, co-workers, customers, people we meet randomly in the store... Our real legacy in eternity is going to be how many people encountered us in this life and felt a little closer to the Lord because of it... That’s the legacy that matters. Most of us have no idea who wrote the Hymns that we sing during Benediction on First Sunday... Most of us have no idea who translates the official Latin Texts of the Mass into English (it’s actually a priest of our Diocese!!)... The legacy of those people isn’t that you or I know their names - their legacy will be how many are in heaven because of their witness.
Mr O, who hasn’t yet died as of my writing this, was an incredible scoutmaster, but he was also a devoted, faithful, and evangelical Catholic. I expect his legacy will be substantial!
Please, in charity, pray for him and his family.
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of In memory of Lee Rome/Kev Collins
- Sun 9:30a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon No Mass
- Tue 9:00a In memory of Kathleen MIlls/D Ervin
- Wed 9:00a In memory of John C.B. “Skeezix” Jumonville/family
- Thu 9:00a (Legacy Nursing & Rehab) In memory of Rosa and Gus Gremshell and May DiTomasso
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Kathleen Mills/Massey
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Mary Ernst/Magoun
- Sun 9:30a Populo for the Living Deceased Members of our Parish
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of Blanche and Skeeter Wilks
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lectors | EMHCs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/23 5:30p | None Scheduled | P Wilks | MA Gilfoil |
| 9/24 9:30a | MaryKatherine & Courtland | A Keene | None Scheduled |
| 9/30 5:30p | None Scheduled | C VanderVieren | M Ernst |
| 10/1 9:30a | Cooper & Maura | B Sullivan | None Scheduled |
| 10/7 5:30p | None Scheduled | P Wilks | L Magoun |
| 10/8 9:30a | Kathleen & Evelyn | K Collins | None Scheduled |
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
Pastoral Council meeting monthly on the third Wednesday at 6p
September 17 Sunday Catechism following the 9:30 a. m. Mass
- October 4 Blessings of Pets at 5:15 p.m. in the church parking lot
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
VICKSBURG CATHOLIC MOMS GROUP…Calling all moms! Join Vicksburg's Catholic Mother’s Group on Wednesday September 27th 6 pm in St. Paul's Glynn Hall as we discuss God's providence in "A Remarkable Visit with a Bishop." We'll be looking to St. Teresa of Avila. This is a great opportunity to go deeper in your faith life and connect with other incredible Catholic moms. Have questions? Contact vicksburgcatholicmomsgroup@gmail.com
CHOIR FOR CHRISTMAS ON THE BAYOU… This year’s music program for the December festival is “The King is Here.” The performance is scheduled for December 3 at First Baptist Church followed by the fireworks program on the bayou. Practice has begun and will be at 4 p.m. each Sunday afternoon. If you would like to join in to make a joyful noise, please do so!
Stewardship Good stewards follow the advice of St. Paul and conduct themselves–by wise use of their time and talents–in a way worthy of the Gospel of Christ.
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2022-23 | $ 2,111 |
| August Budget | $ 8,444 |
| August income | $ 9,372 |
| August Expenses | $ 12,273 |
| September Budget | $ 8,444 |
| September 16-17 Collection | $ 1,522 |
| September Income To Date | $ 5,162 |
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday "Bugs” Brown (Sept 23), Leslye Ellerbee (Sept 25), Bishop Johnson (Sept 26, 2008), Blake Sullivan (Sept 26), Levi Hamilton (Sept 30, 2018), Susie Murphy (Oct 1)
Happy Anniversary Isabell and Sylvester Hernandez (Sept 23, 1967), Peggy and Phillip Scurria (Sept 23, 1978)
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: 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, Carol Dunning, Keith Capdepon
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), 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), Don Deweese, Carol Dipert (Rome), Mac Donaldson (Ellerbee), Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, Patty Farlow, Monique Florence, Judy Fortenberry, April Franklin (Wilks), Thom Gilfoil, Wyly Gilfoil (Gilfoil), Charlotte Green, Rita Hargrave, Arlice Evans Headley, Evie Hilburn (Lancaster), Charles Howington, Will Irby (P Gilfoil), Dee Jones (Keene), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Caroline Marcello (Watts), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Kiely McKellar (S Gilfoil), Mona Martin (MA Gilfoil), Cindy Mathieu (Wilks), Boyce Miller, John Neill, Caryn Oliver, Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Bailey, Scott and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Janie Saxon (Lancaster), George and Ann Shepherd, Debbie Kedrick Sims, Tommy Trichell, LeeAnn Rome Tranchina (Rome), Mary Claire Warner and her parents , MaryBeth and Steve
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Preston Collins, 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
PRAYERS FOR OUR FARMERS! O God, Source and Giver of all things, Who manifests Your infinite majesty, power and goodness in the earth about us, we giveYou honor and glory. For the sun and rain, for the manifold fruits of our fields,for the increase of our herds and flocks we thank You. For the enrichment of our souls with divine grace, we are grateful. Supreme Lord of the harvest, graciously accept us and the fruits of our toil, in union with Christ Your Son, as atonement for our sins, for the growth of Your Church, for peace and charity in our homes, for salvation to all. Amen.
