The Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
From The Font
"Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life...”
It’s important to remind ourselves often that almost every human being in the history of the human race (well over 99.9%) has lived a subsistence lifestyle. Even today, the vast majority of the global population does not live with the assurance of more than a few days of food and water. We need to remember, too, that we are among the first generations to have the technology to preserve food without losing most of its nutritional value.
And so when Jesus gave food away for free, His audience took note. When He intimated that He was going to provide food that didn’t go bad, they leaned in. When He gave the impression that the food would be unlimited, they were on the edge of their seats...
For us who are so blessed to have enough to eat and who are able to read His words written for us in language with which we are familiar and collected in books (or in a digital format) that we can keep readily at hand... Well, we’re blessed in a way that’s basically impossible to overstate.
And yet the admonition of Jesus remains as relevant for us as it does for everyone else in our own day and in the past. We must work for the food that endures! We who are assured of our meals and our basic needs, must prioritize that which is eternal. Our spiritual lives... Our prayer lives... Our moral lives... Our ascetical lives... For all people, these are more important than merely subsisting. But for us who have more than enough to subsist AND who have the luxury of leisure time to engage our spiritual lives, we are all the more obliged to put first what matters.
Even though we might look at our lives and think that we’re not as well off as we’d like to be... Even though we might reflect on our free time and bemoan how busy we are... We are blessed beyond our own comprehension. As the Scripture says, To whom much is given, much will be expected. As we bring the summer to an end, let’s make sure that our priorities are in order and that we’re seeing clearly just how good God is to us!
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
One of the most shocking pieces of art I’ve ever seen in person is the horrific “St. Bartholomew Slayed" in the Church of St. John Lateran in Rome. The statue must be more than 10 feet tall and St. Bartholomew looks to be wearing a loose fitting toga and carrying a formidable knife. Then the eyes notice the flattened face hanging from the toga and you realize that the toga is, in fact, St. Bartholomew’s skin because he was martyred by being flayed. It’s horrifying! There’s an even more famous statue in the same mode in Milan.
If you’re unfazed by macabre art, you can brave the many “ossuary” chapels across north-central Europe. These are monastic chapels decorated with the skulls and large bones of monks who died in the monasteries. Some famous ossuary chapels boast thousands of individual skeletons and large chandeliers made from human bones.
Why the Catholic fascination with this kind of thing? Why do we celebrate the way in which martyrs were killed and the entire phenomenon of death? After all, Jesus didn’t just die, He rose!
Part of it goes back to St. John. As the last living apostle, St. John’s writings are the only directly apostolic writing we have about the state of the early Church. St. Peter and St. Paul had both been martyred in the 60s AD. The other apostles were off on their missions, not expected to return. And so St. John was the go-to authority for bishops in the Roman Empire in the first century.
What St. John noticed was the major threat posed by Christians who were emphasizing the “spiritual” and the celebratory aspects of Faith to
the exclusion of taking up one’s cross and following Jesus to Calvary. Authentic Christianity is a Faith of great joy, but not because it avoids or runs away from difficulty. Christians find joy in following Jesus, wherever that leads. But many in the early Church were more interested in avoiding hard work, spiritual discipline, genuine charity, and real love of neighbor. In his letters, St. John called out these attitudes and especially decried those who prioritized the spiritual at the expense of the physical! He said, in fact, that anyone who went so far as to deny Christ has come in the flesh was an antichrist.
Add to that the experimentation of the early church with prayers to the deceased saints and the unexpected spiritual power of relics… And so the early saints were eager to embrace the teaching of St. John and to discover what spiritual benefits could be gained from these relics.
From this, the spiritual masters of the early Church preached the value and necessity of meditating upon death. In particular, St. Benedict of Nursia - who founded the order - instructed his monks to “keep death always before [them].”
As the Benedictine order thrived, so did the artistic interest in the macabre. After all, for the one who really, faithful hopes for salvation in Jesus, there’s nothing to fear from the images of physical death… In fact, those images serve to confirm that Jesus is Lord of all things living and dead. For the Christian, the martyrs are victors and their death-stories are tales of victory.
Of course, it doesn’t really make it less creepy…
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In honor of the sixtieth wedding anniversary of Margaret and Pat Gilfoil
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon-Thu NO MASS
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Becky Lancaster/family
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Pat Bullard, Patrick Thomas, and Eva and R.L. Reynolds/Bullard
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Dead members of our Parish Family
**ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of **
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) | EMHCs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/3 5:30p | None Scheduled | MA Gilfoil | M Ernst |
| 8/4 9:30a | Cooper and Maura | A Oliver | - |
| 8/10 5:30p | None Scheduled | A Farlow | L Magoun |
| 8/11 9:30a | Kathleen and Evelyn | B Sullivan | - |
| 8/17 5:30p | None Scheduled | MA Gilfoil | M Rome |
| 8/18 9:30a | Annie and Thomas Meyers | Youth | - |
Stewardship The crowd in today’s Gospel demanded a sign of Jesus and wanted to know what “work” He did to inspire their faith. May our faithful stewardship be a sign to others that we, like the Ephesians in the second reading, have laid aside our former way of life and acquired a “fresh, spiritual way of thinking” in Christ.
SECOND COLLECTION our second collection this weekend is our monthly Building Fund.
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2022-23 | $ 2,111 |
| June Budget | $ 10,555 |
| June Income | $ 11,651 |
| June Expenses | $ 10,913 |
| July Budget | $ 8,444 |
| July 27-28 Collection | $ 2,031 |
| July Income To Date | $ 8,801 |
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
- August 3/4 First Sunday Benediction following Mass
- Aug 14-15 Holy Day of Obligation - The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Vigil - Masson Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Mass of the day at 9 a.m. at Legacy and at 5:30 p.m. in church
- August 18 Third Quarter Social will be a Potluck Brunch in the Hall following Mass. See - notes elsewhere in the bulletin.
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
FIRST SUNDAY BENEDICTION… …. AUGUST 3-4 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.
THIRD QUARTER SOCIAL…On Sunday, August 18 following Mass, we will have a Potluck Brunch in the Church Hall for all parishioners and guests. Hope you will join us for the faith family event. Giving leadership to the event will be the Third Quarter (July, Aug, Sept) Social Committee - Shannon and Bart Wood and Betty and Kenny Smith, co-chairs, MaryKathryn Book, Kendra and Dave Collins, Connie and Dan Copes, Dana and Randy Dukes, Kaci and Norman Ernst, Lance and Stephenie Marsh, Peggy and Phil Scurria, Beth and Chip Sullivan
THE WORD AMONG US… 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.
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.
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Philip Scurria (Aug 6)
Happy Anniversary Margaret and Pat Gilfoil (August 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 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, Gail Gilfoil Graugnard, 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), Calvin “Beans” & 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, family of Caryn Oliver, 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, Emmy Lu 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
