The 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
From The Font
“The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.”
The Psalms were the hymnal of the Jewish Temple. Because most people weren’t literate and because songs are easier to memorize than prose, the psalms were also the main way in which ordinary Jews learned theology.
The Law is at the center of the Jewish religion and so it makes sense that the Law would also be a common subject in the psalms. In fact, about a quarter of the psalms are about the Law. For us as Christians, this seems odd. For Christians, Jesus, Himself, is the center of our Faith. The Bible is helpful. The moral rules Jesus taught are helpful. But the center of what we believe is the person of Jesus Christ. For the Jews, their faith wasn’t about the person of God, but about the covenant God had made with them. A covenant is a contract. All the way back at the time of Abraham, God made a covenant with the Jews that if they worshiped Him, He would protect them and bless them. God reconfirmed that covenant when Moses came down the mountain with the Ten Commandments. And so, for the Jews, their faith was all about obedience to the law of God and, by extension, to the promises that God made to them in return for their obedience. And so it makes sense that “the precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.”
When Jesus spoke about the Law, He directly taught that the Old Covenant would not be ended or abandoned. Rather, the fulfillment of the promise of God would not be about good weather or protection from enemies. The real promise of God was a whole new plane of existence (The New Jerusalem, AKA Heaven) where true joy would be found. And access to that New Jerusalem could come only through Jesus Himself. The law, while good, was not enough to get you into Heaven. Faith in Jesus would be the new way of gaining access to the promises of the New Covenant in the Blood of the Son of God.
This was, of course, a big obstacle for the Jews to understand. It can seem odd for us that they would be so obsessed with the Law, but if we understand just how important the Law was to them, it becomes a little clearer.
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
With the feast of St. Francis of Assisi and the blessing of pets coming up this week, I want to take a moment to be clear about a question that gets much more attention than it really should: will my pet go to Heaven? The very short answer is yes...
But it requires specific context. The study of existence is called metaphysics. Within that field, we say that some things exist “conditionally” meaning that they exist only because something else exists.
As a quick experiment: imagine an LSU-themed unicorn... purple and gold and a bright shiny horn. Easy enough. That unicorn exists in the mind of everyone reading this. But it doesn’t exist anywhere else. If all of those who read this were to forget that image and/or die, the LSU unicorn would no longer exist. BUT if one of us keeps thinking about it or writes it down or has a great memory, then that unicorn continues to exist.
This “contingent” kind of existence is different from my existence (which is not contingent upon the memory of human beings). So, too, my cat has an existence separate from me and my mind.
All of us, cats, people, purple unicorns, etc depend upon the mind of God! None of us exist without His constant creation. So everything which exists depends upon God (is “contingent”) in a different sort of way.
When it comes to eternity, only human beings can exist in Heaven or Hell. When my cat dies, she’s dead. That’s it. But she persists in my memory. If (please God!) I go to Heaven, all my memories will go with me. The LSU unicorn, my cat, my great uncle Ed, my childhood imaginary friend... all of them.
Here and now, memory is “less” than real experience. A memory is hazier, less sensory, “less real” than the original experience itself. But in Heaven, knowledge (and memory) is not limited by the body. There is no meaningful distinction between memory and new experience.
So if I want to experience my beloved pet or my beloved relative, my memories of them will be as real as the experiences themselves.
And so, we can say that our pets will be with us in Heaven. But we need to understand that they will have a “contingent” existence. We shouldn’t say that they are in Heaven on their own. They exist as part of us.
Honestly, this can be confusing. No one wants to begin an answer to a question by saying “let me start with a complicated philosophy lecture.” For better or worse, a lot of important answers do start that way. If you want to know about the Church’s real teaching on capital punishment, war, gender, contraception, or the male-only priesthood, I can’t give you an answer without some serious foundational understanding of human nature and the way that society arises from that nature and the purpose for which God created us. None of that fits into a 350 word article in the parish bulletin! Still, it’s good for us to scratch the surface of some of these harder-to- understand topics because they remind us of how much more there is to know.
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Terry Murphy/Curtis
- Sun 9:30a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon-Thu NO MASS
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Lee and Irvin Rome/LeBeau
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Pat Bullard, Patrick Thomas, and Eva and R.L. Reynolds/family
- Sun 9:30a Pro Populo for the Living & Dead members of our Parish Family
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of Blanche and Prentiss Wilks
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) | EMHCs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/28 5:30p | None Scheduled | A Farlow | M Rome |
| 9/29 9:30a | Cooper & Maura | J Howington | - |
| 10/5 5:30p | None Scheduled | MA Gilfoil | C Vandervieren |
| 10/6 9:30a | Kathleen & Evelyn | M Lancaster | - |
| 10/12 5:30p | None Scheduled | M Rome | M Ernst |
| 10/13 9:30a | Annie & Thomas Meyers | S Marsh | - |
Stewardship St. James warns in today’s second reading that those who hoard their wealth and live only for themselves will be condemned. But in the Gospel, Jesus assures us that all who give of themselves for His sake will be rewarded.
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2023-2024 | $ 2,111 |
| August Budget | $ 8,444 |
| August Income | $ 11,285 |
| August Expenses | $ 11,553 |
| Sept Budget | $ 10,555 |
| Sept 22 Collection | $ 1,528 |
| Sept Income To Date | $ 13,974 |
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
Oct 4 Blessing of Pets… 5:15 pm… Church Parking Lot
Oct 4 First Friday devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus - 5:30 p.m.
Oct 5 First Saturday Devotions to our Blessed Mother-Mass and Holy Hour– 9 a.m .
Oct 5-6 First Sunday Benediction following Mass
Oct 12/13 Feast day of St Edward the Confessor
Oct 12 Potluck Supper following SATURDAY Mass… all are invited to participate in the Feast Day celebrations
For Your Information:
THE SHREVEPORT MARTYRS are five priests who willingly died of Yellow Fever in Shreveport in the 1870s. In the last ten years, their cause for canonization has been advanced and now we’re pleased to announce that EWTN will be airing a well-made documentary on them EWTN entitled “THE FIVE PRESTS” on Tuesday, October 8 at 9:30 am. The film took top awards at the Cannes World Film Festival for independent Filmmakers, the New York Film Awards, the Los Angeles Film Awards, the Europe Film Festival, and the Christian Film Festival, among nearly three dozen others. For more information on the film or the priests, you can visit shreveportmartyrs.org.
FIRST FRIDAY ….OCTOBER 4 ...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 … OCTOBER 5… 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.
FIRST SUNDAY BENEDICTION…OCTOBER 6…. at the conclusion of weekend Masses as part of our larger program to improve Eucharistic Devotion and to understand what a gift we have in the Most Holy Eucharist.
THE WORD AMONG US…. for October. You will want to pick up your copy at the entrance of church for your daily meditation.
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.
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
SPECIAL COLLECTION… October 6…. Next week we will take up a collection for Catholic Charities of Central Louisiana. Catholic Charities of Central Louisiana has helped hundreds of people in need by providing Mental Health Services, Disaster Response, and Basic Needs Assistance. Their efforts have impacted hundreds of individuals and families across the four deaneries of the diocese. Interns and volunteers give their time and talent; however, this work requires funds to address the physical needs of residents. The Sunday, Oct. 6, second collection is for Catholic Charities; thank you for blessing them with the means to bring the corporal works of mercy to our communities.
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Levi Hamilton (Sept 30), Susie Murphy (Oct 1), Katelyn Naya (Oct 2)
Happy Anniversary Mariza and Enrique Paz (Oct 2), Sharyn and William Marsh (Oct 5)
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; 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, Connie & Dan Copes, Elizabeth Crothers, Leslye Ellerbee, Susan & Johnny Gilfoil, Margaret & Pat Gilfoil, Terry Farlow Hall, C.W. & Alyce Keene, Frances & Bill Kennedy, Hannah McCarty, Ed Mills, Susie Murphy, Bobby Reynolds, Mike & Sue Rome
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), Marie Farlow Bellard, Tommy Bickham (C Copes), Kay Boolos (S Gilfoil), Dick & Sue Boyd (S Gilfoil), Chris Breard (Gilfoil), David Cagnolatti, Willetta and Mac Cagnolatti, Sarah Cannon (Gilfoil), Fran Castile (Keene), Jeannie & Donald Collins, Teresa Carney Condra, Jami Cook (Wilks), Bobbe & Gene Cox, Marla Evans Cummings, 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), LaVonne Givens, Charlotte Green, Theresa Gunter, Rita Hargrave, Ralph Harris (Gilfoil), Arlice Evans Headley, Evie Hilburn (Lancaster), Charles Howington, Will Irby (P Gilfoil), Diane Johnson, Chelsea Keene & Andrew Lewis, Carla Leese (S Gilfoil), Lynn Lisonbee, LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Caroline Marcello (Watts), James Albert Martin, Ruth McDonald (Copes), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Kiely McKellar (S Gilfoil), Mona Martin (MA Gilfoil), Boyce Miller, Vickie Morelli (Ernst), John Neill, Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Bailey, Scott and Tiffney Rome, Dianne Roper (Murphy), Janie Saxon (Lancaster), Debbie Kedrick Sims, Gannon Sims, Robbie Sims, Keri Post, Tommy Trichell, LeeAnn Rome Tranchina (Rome), Mary Claire Warner and her parents, MaryBeth and Steve, Randy Watts, Jr.
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Preston Collins, Henry Ellerbee, Callie Ezell, Lilly Falgout, Jag Gilfoil, Bruen Johnson, Matilda Johnson, Caroline Marsh, Charlize Richardson, Blake Sullivan, Carter Sullivan, Walker Sullivan, Chandler Wood, Marsh Wood
PRAYER FOR HURRICANE SEASON...Our Father in Heaven through the intercession of our Lady of Prompt Succor, spare us during the Hurricane Season from all harm. Protect us and our homes from all disasters of nature. Our Lady of Prompt Succor, hastened to help us... through Christ our Lord. Amen
