The Second Sunday of Advent
From The Font
“‘Comfort, give comfort to my people,’ says your God...” “A voice cries out: In the desert...”
For us, the desert is usually a bad thing. It’s hot, it’s dry, it’s likely to kill you, and honestly most of us have never been to one. For the Jews, the desert was a symbol of the absence of God and the absence of the community. It was a place of loneliness and isolation - which were symbols of death for most ancient people. The city was symbolic of the community as it was a place of relative safety and security.
When Isaiah talked about the voice crying out in the desert, it was in the context of the Jews being given back their homes, their community, and their temple. It was about being set free from captivity and so the lone voice in the desert was strongly associated with comfort and the end of long strife.
St. Mark, writing as a secretary for St. Paul, who was a master Rabbi, made this connection between Isaiah’s meaning and the more modern Jewish meaning easily. We have to make that connection more consciously. In quoting Isaiah, Mark wants us to be comforted and to realize that humanity’s version of the Babylonian Exile will come to an end with Jesus.
Most of us have heard of the Babylonian Exile, but most of us don’t know much about it. It’s REALLY important to understand if we want to understand the connection made here.
The Babylonian Exile followed a military defeat in 587 BC. In short, the Jews lost a fight with Babylon (modern Iraq) that they, themselves, picked. The Babylonians, being jerks, robbed the temple and burned it down. They rounded up basically everyone within the borders of Israel and marched them to Babylon where they were resettled. Some were enslaved, but most were just given small farms and told to make a life. After about 80 years, they were sent back to Israel. The Exile was THE event in Jewish history that put a chip on their shoulder and made them more or less libertarians.
St Mark, in today’s Gospel, is quietly referencing that whole event and surrounding emotional baggage as a metaphor for what Jesus is going to accomplish spiritually. It’s worth going back and re-reading Isaiah 40:1-10 to catch all the context that St Mark is implying.
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
Did you know that there is a patron saint of most nations? Some cities like Paris and New Orleans also have patrons. In the US, states with a Catholic background, like Louisiana, also have patrons. (Ours is Our Lady of Prompt Succor, feast on Jan 8). To my knowledge, the only continental patron saint is Our Lady of Guadalupe who is patroness of “the Americas” and whose feast is this Wednesday, Dec 10.
So we’re well covered with Marian patrons. We have a continental patron (Our Lady of Guadalupe), a national patron (Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, feast on Dec 8), and a state patron (Our Lady of Prompt Succor). Our diocesan patron saint is St. Francis Xavier, SJ (Feast Dec 3). Tallulah doesn’t have a patron saint formally established, and when that’s the case, the city informally adopts the patron of the “mother Church” or the oldest Catholic chapel to have been established there. For us, that’s St Agnes (Feast Jan 21). It’s interesting to me that all of these patrons squeeze their feast days into December and January for us - how thoughtful!
Patron saints are definitely one of the things about Catholicism which can be confusing... What do they do? Is it just a thing? And can anyone just appoint a patron? Can I just decide that St. John of the Cross is my patron? What about St Michael - he’s an angel, do the rules change?
Well.. the generic meaning of “saint” is anybody who is in Heaven... Easy enough. Specifically, we use “Saint” as title to describe someone who is 1. in Heaven, 2. left behind an example which is worthy of imitation or admiration, and 3. who has some association with miraculous intercession. So all saints canonized in the last 500 or so years have been canonized because they led a great life and work miracles.
And so any person, any organization, any city, any anything can adopt a patron saint. Generally, it should be one patron and, maybe, a secondary patron. And mostly, that’s because taking a patron means trying to imitate their virtuous life. We are asking for their prayers, but we’re not just asking for their prayers. We’re saying that we intend to model ourselves around their example. Of course, we can ask for the prayers of as many saints as we like provided that those prayers don’t detract from our worship of Jesus Christ. But we can’t really imitate the virtues of too many saints because every saint makes Faith practical in differing ways. If we tried to be as strong-willed as St Teresa of Avila and as meek as St Therese of Lisieux and as hardworking as Mother Teresa of Calcutta, we’d be as out of our minds as British Prime Minister Theresa May was. When we choose a personal patron for ourselves or our organization, we want to think about our natural gifts or the purpose of organization and choose a saint whose example we admire.
For me, that’s St. Paul and St Anthony of Padua. St Paul because he said what needed to be said even if he was punished for it. And St Anthony because he didn’t see his gifts as his, but as the Lord’s. Those two saints line up together nicely. Even if you’re not looking for a personal patron, it’s a good spiritual exercise to think about it...
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Dale Magoun/family
- Sun 9:30a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon No Mass
- Tue 9:00a In memory of Joseph and Louise Testa (anniversary)/Magoun
- Wed 9:00a In memory of Lee Rome/Lancaster
- Thu 9:00a In memory of Rosa and Gus Gremshell and May DiTomasso
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Lee and Irvin Rome and Mary and Carl Larpenter/Rome
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Pat Bullar, Patrick Thomas, and Eva and R.L. Reynolds/Bullard
- Sun 9:30a Populo for the Living Deceased Members of our Parish
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of MaryAnne Gilfoil
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lectors | EMHCs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/9 5:30p | None Scheduled | L Bullard | A Keene |
| 12/10 9:30a | Chandler and Annie | K Collins | None Scheduled |
| 12/16 5:30p | None Scheduled | A Farlow | N Ernst |
| 12/17 9:30a | MaryKatherine and Courtland | Youth | None Scheduled |
| 12/23 5:30p | None Scheduled | MA Gilfoil | A Keene |
| 12/24 9:30a | Cooper and Maura | B Sullivan | 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
Dec 17 Birthday Party for Jesus - Church Hall - following Sunday Mass
- Dec 17 Youth Mass
- Dec 17 Adult Christmas Party - Church 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.
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
BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR JESUS…DECEMBER 17…will be held in the Church Hall on Sunday following Mass. Kendra Collins is giving leadership to the event; and, if you can assist her in any way, please contact Kendra, Father Ryan, or the Church Office.
THE CHRISTMAS PARTY FOR ADULTS will return this year! Our date is Sunday evening, December 17 at 6 p.m. A bar will be provided but attendees are asked to bring appetizers or sweets. As in the past, you are free to invite folks from the community, but no one under 21 is allowed. Thanks in advance to all who will help us bring back this fun tradition!
CALENDARS…Our Catholic calendars for 2024 can be found on the table at the entrance of the church. We have enough copies available for families to have one for home and one for their office. All of the Holy Days of Obligation as well as other notations relating to special days of prayer are shown. Please take some copies for your use.
POINSETTIAS AND CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS ENVELOPES…there are envelopes on the table at the entrance of church which you can use to make donations “In Memory of…” or “In Honor of…” family and friends and contribute to the poinsettias and decorations for the Advent and Christmas season. You can drop your envelope (or check with a notation that it is for flowers) in the collection basket, give it to Father Ryan, or leave it at the office.
Stewardship John the Baptist’s call to repentance is echoed in the US bishops pastoral letter on stewardship: Christians must beg God for the grace of compassion, the grace to know who they are, to whom they belong, how they are to live–the grace to repent and change and grow, the grace to become good disciples and stewards.”
SECOND COLLECTION…this weekend is for the Retirement Fund for Religious. Please give to those sisters and brothers who have given a lifetime.
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2022-23 | $ 2,111 |
| November Budget | $ 8,444 |
| November income | $ 8,917 |
| November Expenses | $ 11,704 |
| December Budget | $ 10,555 |
| December 2 Collection | $ 2,055 |
| December Income To Date | $ 2,055 |
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Norman Ernst (Dec 12), Ashlyn Naya (Dec 12), Katherine Ernst Bedgood (Dec 14), Johnny Gilfoil (Dec 15), Peggy Scurria (Dec 16)
Happy Anniversary Nap and MaryKathryn Book (Dec 14)
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), 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), 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
