The Twenty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time
From The Font
"Be doers of the word and not hearers only”
The Jewish religion is a religion of doing. God gave the Jews a law with specific duties and specific morals. To be a “righteous Jew” is to be dutiful. The Jewish religion lacks a sense of the personal and the internal, in a word, love. The Jewish religion doesn’t really have a place for love of God or love of neighbor. It’s fine, of course, to love God and to love your neighbor, but love doesn’t have much to do with being a good Jew...
It’s common nowadays for Christians to believe that Jesus taught the exact opposite of His Jewish upbringing. Many believe that following Jesus is entirely about loving God and loving neighbor to the exclusion of any external duties or requirements.
But if we look at Scripture, we see that Jesus did not replace Judaism with its opposite. In fact, Jesus was very clear to say that He wasn’t replacing, but fulfilling Judaism. And so while He did abolish certain specific rules and doctrines, the religion Jesus established is both doing and loving.
Christians must love the Lord with their whole heart, soul, mind and strength. Heart, soul, and mind are parts of us which are internal. But to love the Lord with our strength means taking action. To be a “[doer] of the word” is certainly an exteriorization of our beliefs.
That manifests itself in our moral choices, in our spiritual exercises (like fasting), in our relationships with others, in our choices as citizens, in our charitable giving, in the words we say, in the way we drive, in every aspect of what we do with our bodies.
And in this, we have to be doubly aware of the human struggle to believe rightly (so that what we express is good) and of the much harder human struggle to become master of our emotions, passions, and choices. We all have the experience of knowing what is the right thing to do and still choosing the wrong. As Scripture says, The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. It’s easy enough to believe rightly and to love God truly and still to be a slave to our lesser passions and bodily desires.
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
I’m sure many of my readers will be shocked when I say, I’m not a big fan of Labor Day. I LOVE a holiday which gives us all an excuse to catch our breaths after the first few weeks of school. I expect we all need that.
My beef with Labor Day comes from my general beef with Labor Unions, which the day celebrates. Many Catholics wrongly believe that the Church is uncritically supportive of Unions. That’s not the case at all. As with so many things, the Church is supportive of Labor Unions IN PRINCIPLE, but not necessarily in practice.
That’s an important distinction. We make similar distinctions about the death penalty or democracy as a form of government. In principle, both capital punishment, democracy, and labor unions (among many other things) are good. They have specific values and come from specific aspects of human nature and they tend toward specific virtues. In practice, though, capital punishment, democracy, capitalism, labor unions, frats and sororities, pet ownership, and a hundred other things can go awry. In theory, democracy is a good thing because it allows everyone a voice and society benefits from the collective wisdom of the people. In practice, “the people” are easily deceived and manipulated and we tend toward a mob mentality in which the majority or the vocal minority can cause great harm through raising a ruckus. In theory, capitalism is just a name for the most basic human interactions of barter, trade, and exchange. In practice, capitalism rewards greed, deceit, violence, and once someone amasses enough wealth, they have the power do great harm with it. In theory, labor unions protect the lowly worker from the vastly more powerful owners. In practice, labor unions use bully tactics, use monopolistic business practices, and manipulate the legal system to do great harm to many people.
For example, the teachers unions may well have gotten teachers a slightly better salary (although teachers don’t get a tenth of what they deserve), those same unions have utterly destroyed the educational system by allying with textbook companies, testing companies, and politicians to to make real reform of the educational system in the US impossible. At this point, I don’t believe it’s possible to overstate how evil the NEA is. I believe it to be one of the most destructive forces in our culture. In theory, they are there to protect the teachers. In practice, they are there to impart a political ideology, to print new textbooks every few years, and to force the ACT down our throats. And, of course, they have played a giant part in convincing everyone that they have to go to college while at the same time making it impossibly expensive and having the government step in not to fix the problem, but to pay the bills. It’s a con-job of legendary proportion!
I may well be cynical, but that’s the price of specializing in political philosophy...
Anyway, whether we like the unions or not, I expect we all like the Labor Day holiday and so I hope everyone enjoys their break and is safe out on the lake.
Happy Labor Day!
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Madeline Howington (birth)/family
- Sun 9:30a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon - Fri NO MASS (Fr Ryan leading Pilgrimage)
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Jim Jumonville/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/31 5:30p | None Scheduled | C VanderVieren | A Keene |
| 9/1 9:30a | Cooper & Maura | D Ellerbee | - |
| 9/7 5:30p | None Scheduled | P Wilks | C VanderVieren |
| 9/8 9:30a | Kathleen & Evelyn | C Guizerix | - |
| 9/14 5:30p | None Scheduled | A Keene | M Ernst |
| 9/15 9:30a | Annie and Thomas Meyers | Youth | - |
Stewardship “Every worthwhile gift, every genuine benefit comes from above,” says St. James in the second reading. But, he reminds us, true worship of God involves using those good gifts to benefit the less fortunate. Good stewardship is not optional; it is the hallmark of our faith!
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2022-23 | $ 2,111 |
| July Budget | $ 8,444 |
| July Income | $ 8,906 |
| July Expenses | $ 10,902 |
| August Budget | $ 8,444 |
| August 24-25 Collection | $ 3,772 |
| August Income To Date | $ 10,660 |
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
- Sept 2-12 Trip to Italy for members of our faith family–our weekday schedule will be changed as we will not have week-day 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.
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
FUNDRAISING WITH GROCERY TICKETS... If you shop at Doug’s and do not already do so, you may want to save your grocery tickets and place them in the box on the table at the entrance to church. The church will be given 1% of the total of combined purchases (excluding milk, cigarettes, and alcohol). Our thanks to the ANGEL who collects the tickets and prepares them to submit to Doug’s
THE WORD AMONG US… September edition available….a monthly publication serving as a daily devotional guide, can be found on the table at the entrance of church. Please feel free to take a copy to use in your daily prayer life. In addition to the daily scripture and meditation, there are interesting theme focused articles for study.
ALTAR CANDLES… Anyone wishing to provide candles for the altar in honor of their loved one or in prayer for some intention may do so simply by asking. A small donation is recommended, but not required. A list of dates is in the sacristy and a date can be reserved up to one year in advance.
EMPOWERING GOD’S CHILDREN… parish volunteers must be VIRTUS trained and go online regularly at www.virtus.org for the latest training bulletins. Any questions or issues can be reported to the office. Printed resources are available on the table at the entrance to the Church. “Protecting our Children, Understanding and Preventing Child Sexual Abuse” includes Resources and Contact Numbers for reporting abuse. “Protecting God’s Children, Teaching Touching Safety Quick Reference Guide” The Diocesan Policy for the Protection of Minors and The Diocesan Code of Pastoral Conduct for Priests, Deacons, Pastoral Ministers, Administrators, Staff, and Volunteers are available in the Safe Environment section of the diocesan website at DioceseAlex.org or a copy may be requested from the Safe Environment Office (318) 445-2401.
PLEDGE TO HEAL...If you or a family member has been abused or victimized by a representative of the Catholic church or a member of the clergy, please believe in the possibility for hope and help and healing. Dr. Lee Kneipp, Clinical Psychologist, Victim Assistance Coordinator, Diocese of Alexandria encourages those persons to come forward and speak out. Dr. Kneipp is establishing support groups in the central Louisiana area for victims and family members. The focus of these groups is to further emotional and spiritual healing as an adjunct to therapy, in an atmosphere of others who understand the pain, betrayal, and fear associated with abuse. Dr. Kneipp can be reached at 318-542-9805. All calls are confidential.
SAINTS ALIVE….ANGELS AT WORK… a HUGE thank you goes to CHIP SULLIVAN and his gang for all of their efforts in taking down the big tree on our lot behind the church!!! What a generous gift of time and effort!!! If you see Chip or any of his guys, please let them know of our gratitude!!!!
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Chandler Brook Wood (Aug 31), Sug Regan (Sept 4), Charlize Richardson (Sept 7), Kathleen Ellerbee (Sept 8)
Happy Anniversary Sally and Bobby Reynolds(Sept 9)
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, Terry & 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), Emery and Kale Kirkland (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. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
