First Sunday of Advent
From The Font
“Brothers: You know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.”
Despite the mockery of sitcoms this time of year, the prophecies of the Old Testament are shockingly accurate when it comes to Jesus. Beginning with Moses and through Isaiah, Daniel, and Haggai, prophetic predictions about the Messiah are spot on. Given that we have the Old Testament, the New Testament, and two millennia of brilliant saintly Christians, we have no excuse not to know the time.
Every generation has good reason - historically and spiritually - to consider itself the end of days… In our day, we have the prophecies of Our Lady at LaSalette, Lourdes, Fatimá, etc to add to that. Even so, there’s only so much that any one of us can do with that. It’s an essential part of the life of the Church and the clergy have specific responsibilities in regard to the end of days, but for us as individual Christians, the more important “time” which “you know” is that all of us are making our way toward our own moment of judgment with the King of Universe…
As such, “it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed…” How are we preparing? What are we doing?
St. Paul explores this theme passionately throughout his letters. While it seems like Paul expected the universal end of days to come in his lifetime, his writing applies to us just as clearly and effectively with the benefit of years of spiritual insight from the saints.
All of us would do well to take the time in this new year to read the Gospels and the Letters of St. Paul and perhaps some other spiritual writings as a concrete and intentional way of preparing ourselves. It’s a tragic irony that we have access to more writings about Jesus, Salvation and Heaven than any human generations before us and yet we’re so overwhelmed with options that most of us are frozen and unsure of what to pick or choose. The devil is always keen to trip us up and he can use excess good to our detriment just as he can use lack of it.
Make an early new years’ resolution this week to give the Lord something extra this year!
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
Advent is a bizarre season in our nation. I was talking about the holiday season with a friend from the UK who now lives in the US about the holiday season. It still trips him up even after a decade here. It’s so odd that we start Christmas at Halloween and end it at Christmas. It’s a mess because we’re so partied out with all the celebrations surrounding the holidays - a word that comes from “holy days” - that we’re uninterested in the days themselves.
That puts Advent and Lent into a weird spot. These are seasons which are designed to ask us to anticipate, but our culture fears and loathes waiting for anything. We’re obsessed with now to the great detriment of ourselves, our kids, and our own happiness. Lack of patience is very, very strongly correlated to unhappiness, depression, and dissatisfaction with life. And our lack of patience is stunning.
As with so many things in our world, the antidote that we need in order to be happy, healthy, and holy is right here in the Church. A little waiting and anticipation heals a LOT of psychological problems. The antidote to our issues with anxiety is silence, fewer inputs, and more ritual. It’s thoroughly proven. The Mass is ready-made to make us happier and healthier. The Rosary, fasting, charitable works, and a pile of other recommendations from the Church are strongly associated with mental health and happiness and yet how many of us reading this are taking advantage?
I certainly don’t say any of this to wag the finger, but rather to remind us that the world we live in is not really interested in helping us. It’s interested in using us. The powers of this world want us to be useful idiots. This world wants us desperate for our next fix. It wants us obsessed with pop culture, hungry for fast food, and strung out on social media, busyness, and constant noise. It’s a modern rethinking of slavery and it’s profoundly effective.
The rising interest in artisanal products and getting unplugged are just a small indicator that many of us are rejecting the programming of our society, but what do we do when we reject ideas which are so universal around us? So many of our TV Shows and Movies are asking questions about what makes us really happy. Most of them are trying hard to avoid religion as a solution to our self-made problems. But if we’re willing to brave the science journals and the statistics, we’ll find that the happiest and most fulfilled people in the world are the most religious. The most successful marriages and families are more religious. Religious people are less depressed, more satisfied (even in objectively worse circumstances), and, simply, happier.
And so we come back to Advent - a time specifically designed to free us from the rat race and busyness of life. Surely, we can’t simply set aside our family and social obligations in this holiday season! Still, we can make a conscious effort to embrace Advent as much as our lives allow and perhaps add a little advent into the ordinary time that follows!
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Pat Bullard and Patrick Thomas/family
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon NO MASS
- Tue 9:00a In memory of Thomas Trichell/Tommy
- Wed 9:00a In memory of Lee Rome/Kevin Collins
- Thu 9:00a In memory of Gus Gremshell
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Thomas Trichell/Brenda Hayes
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Lee Rome/P Gilfoil
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of Margo Corulla
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 11/26 5:30p | None Scheduled | MK Book |
| 11/27 9:00a | Kathleen, Evelyn, Maura | B Sullivan |
| 12/3 5:30p | None Scheduled | L Bullard |
| 12/4 9:00a | Henry and MaryKatherine | D Ellerbee |
| 12/10 5:30p | None Scheduled | A Farlow |
| 12/11 9:00a | Chandler, Annie, Maura | K Collins |
Upcoming Events
- Confessions every Friday & Saturday from 5p until Mass at 5:30p
- Sunday Morning Catechism in the Hall after the 9:00a Mass unless otherwise indicated
Pastoral Council meeting monthly on the third Tuesday at 6p unless otherwise indicated
Dec 2 First Friday Devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus - 5:30 p.m.
- Dec 3 First Saturday Devotions to our Blessed Mother - Mass and Holy Hour - 9 a.m.
- Dec 4 Angel Tree packages need to be returned to Church Hall
- Dec 4 Christmas Along the Bayou Festival - Parade 3 p.m., Music program at First Baptist Church 6 p.m. followed by fireworks.
- Dec 8 FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION…HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION… see notes elsewhere for times.
- Dec 18 Birthday Party for Jesus for our youth and families following Sunday Mass. All are invited to join in. See notes elsewhere for details.
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.
FORMED.ORG… Check out FORMED’s Advent Page! (https://watch.formed.org/advent-and-christmas) They’ve got a ton of great content for all ages! Remember to sign in using our parish’s zip code (71282) at http://signup.formed.org
FIRST FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2 Holy Hour and Mass at 5:30 p.m.... make a special devotion to the Sacred Heart and attend first Friday devotions for nine consecutive months.
FIRST SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3 Mass and Holy Hour at 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.
CHRISTMAS ALONG THE BAYOU… the community festival will take place on Sunday, December 4, 2022 . There will be a parade at 3 p.m., music program at First Baptist Church at 6 p.m., and fireworks on the bayou following the music program.
ANGEL TREE… Families and children have been identified; and, our Angel Tree Coordinator, Dana Dukes, has the Angel Tree set up in the Church Hall for families to select who they would like to provide for this Christmas. Gifts need to be brought to the Church Hall by December 4.
DECEMBER 8 is the FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. It is a HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION. Anticipated Mass on Wednesday, December 7 at 5:30 p.m. and Mass of the Feast Day on Thursday, December, 8 at 9 a.m.
BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR JESUS… will be held on Sunday, December 18 following the Sunday Mass for our children and their families. All are invited to join in the celebration. Kendra Collins will give leadership to this event. Please offer your assistance to her.
NEW BABY .... Congratulations to our faith family members, MaryKathryn and Nap Book on the birth of their granddaughter, SUTTON GRACE COLLINS, child of Kevin and AnnaBeth Book Collins. Born on November 15, 2022 in Flowood, MS, Sutton weighed six pounds, two ounces and was welcomed home by siblings, Sloane, Kennedy, Emma and Maddie Collins.
40 HOURS DEVOTIONS at ST JOSEPH… Fr Taylor will host Eucharistic Devotions at St Joseph on Dec 8-10. The “40 Hours” devotion is a long-standing tradition in the Church which has fallen out of use in the last few years, but is especially recommended to increase our love for Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. It consists of forty consecutive hours of Eucharistic Adoration along with various talks, presentations, penance services, etc. Fr Ryan will be speaking on Friday at 6pm and a penance service will follow. All are heartily encouraged to attend! For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/stjoe40hours
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2020-21 | $ 2,111 |
| October Budget | $ 10,555 |
| October Income | $ 9,515 |
| October Expenses | $ 9,175 |
| November Budget | $ 8,444 |
| November 19-20 Collection | $ 1,651 |
| November Income To Date | $ 4,036 |
Stewardship At an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” says today’s Gospel. Good stewards know that they are accountable to God for all they have and are and strive to live in readiness for His coming.
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Sherry Lynn Harris (Nov 29), Frances Kennedy (Nov 29), Delia Trichell (Nov 29), Lance Marsh (Nov 30)
Happy Anniversary Dana and Randy Dukes (Dec 3)
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 Holy Father Pope Francis and Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI; 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, Mary Ernst, Susan and Johnny Gilfoil, Bill Kennedy, Ed Mills, Kathleen Mills, Terry and Susie Murphy, Sue & Mike Rome, Delia Trichell, and Don Wood
Those under full-time care: Frances Kennedy, Carol Dunning
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, Chris Breard (Gilfoil), Sarah Cannon (Gilfoil), Ruthie Coenen (Wilks), Jami Cook (Wilks), Susan Ward Daigle (Gilfoil & Keene), Don Deweese, Mac Donaldson (Ellerbee), Ashley and Chuck Edwards (Keene), Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, Patty Farlow, Monique Florence, Judy Fortenberry, April Franklin (Wilks), Thom Gilfoil, Charlotte Green, Carol Drawe Guidry (Gilfoil & Keene), Rita Hargrave, Arlice Evans Headley, Evie Hilburn (Lancaster), Melissa Jennings (Gilfoil & Keene), Dee Jones (Keene), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Caroline Marcello (Watts), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Mona Martin (MA Gilfoil), Mason Miller (Wilks), Caryn Oliver, Sue Perrilloux (D Wood), Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Frances Robinson (Wilks), Bailey, Scott and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Albert Thom (Rome), Gabby Trejos (Wilks), LeeAnn Rome Tranchina (Rome), Joe Yerger
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Callie Ezell, Lilly Falgout, Chris Hall (USMC), Nick Hall, Bruen Johnson, Caroline Marsh, Emmy Lu Marsh, Blake Sullivan, Carter Sullivan, Walker Sullivan, Brice Wood, Marsh Wood
