The 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
From The Font
“To one he gave five talents; to another, two...”
Our word “talent” comes from this parable. In Biblical Greek, talanton means a sum of gold or silver. It came into common usage as “a skill or natural ability” through the King James translation talente (the final e is silent).
It’s actually shocking to realize how many words, phrases, and idioms come to us directly from Scripture, most from early translations of the Bible into Danish and Old English.
Prior to Vatican II, the English translations of the Sunday readings and prayers were on a one-year cycle. That allowed us to memorize important verses of scripture and to make them part of our ordinary speech. Phrases like “Escaping by the skin of your teeth,” “A drop in the bucket, “Writing on the wall, “A leopard can't change his spots” and even “scapegoat” are all biblical images that were commonly heard at Sunday Mass. Spiritual axioms like “Grace builds upon grace” and “Mercy from age to age” were easy to memorize and build into our daily lives because they were heard at Mass and that was why they were commonly part of sermons and spiritual writing.
One of the unsung losses of post-Vatican-II Catholicism is that we hear so much scripture, we’re entirely unable to remember much of it! How many of you reading this can remember the Gospel from last week? Next Sunday is Christ the King. Before the 1960s, the Gospel was always the conversation between Jesus and Pilate with the famous words of Pilate “Truth! What is Truth!” being the line to memorize... Now, there are three options, and this year we’ll hear a Gospel about the final judgment rather than the kingship of Jesus. St. Paul says that all Scripture is good and useful, but you can have too much of a good thing!
It really is a loss for us that the readings are so varied and so numerous. Lots of scripture isn’t a good thing in and of itself. So now, the onus is on us to be selective with the take-away verses and to continue to learn the scripture so that we can make it a part of our life and even make it a part of our speech.
If you’d like to take that challenge extra-serious then you can find plenty of quotables in the Psalms! Start with Ps 127 if you’re in need of a nap or Ps 104 if you need a glass of wine!
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
Let’s all go around the table and say what we’re thankful for... When I was young, my mom liked to do this, but we were serious eaters and so it always ended up being rushed because there was deep-fried Turkey and gravy getting cold while my sister talked about sports! Cold gravy is bad, y’all!
Eventually, we figured out the trick that we should all sit at the table and say the prayer and the thanksgivings BEFORE plating up. It’s a pro-tip (you’re welcome).
Thankfulness is actually a bigger deal than it gets credit for being. It’s an important part of the spiritual life. The Jews had a series of prayers and temple sacrifices just for giving thanks. We as Christians should daily thank the Lord for the blessings we receive and for His assistance in resisting temptation.
Thanksgiving is also an important psychological tool. In an age of rampant anxiety and depression (both are formally at epidemic levels in the US now), vocalizing thanks to God and to others is a recognized, therapeutic intervention. Showing gratitude means recognizing positive aspects of my life and recognizing that I am worthy to have been given them... In fact, the capacity to freely express thankfulness is a sign that depression can be overcome.
This is especially important in light of one of the main causes of depression and anxiety: 24 hour news channels. American news is a for-profit industry. I don’t know if we are aware of that enough... The news media in the US sells ads and makes money when we tune in. That gives them incentive to sensationalize the news and make EVERYTHING into a cause for panic and alarm. It incentivizes them to debase the morality of opposing views and create narcissistic and isolationist thinking. In a word, they cause anxiety and imply that the only cure is to vilify those who disagree and watch more news - but only from them. It’s a recognizable addictive pattern which can be scientifically proven to induce depression. And yet we still tune in! Thankfully, thankfulness is a remedy for that toxic addiction as well.
How? Thankfulness is almost always localized. We can be genuinely grateful for something far off. Usually, though, we’re thankful for something that has happened to us or to someone we love. And that locality grounds us. The more particular our thankfulness, the more power it has to heal and improve our spiritual and mental health.
I am genuinely thankful, for example, for the overturn of Roe V Wade. But that thankfulness is, honestly, impersonal and even detached. I am particularly thankful for this community and the generous and kind people who live here. I’m thankful for how at home and welcome I feel here and that my gifts as a priest seem to be well suited to our community. Sure, there are things I’d like to do differently and things I wish I could do better and I wish the water was clear more of the time... Thankfulness doesn’t preclude self- awareness, humility, honesty, or the need for improvement. But neither should we neglect it by showing excess attention to problems.
God is good and when He gives us good gifts, we should say thank you and appreciate His love!
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Anna May Farlow/family
- Sun 9:30a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon No Mass
- Tue 9:00a In memory of Rosa and Gus Gremshell and May DiTomasso
- Wed 9:00a In memory of Louise Testa/Magoun
- Thu NO MASS
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Irving and Lee Rome/family
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Carroll Regan, Poche and Bill Adams, and Bitsy Weimer
- Sun 9:30a Populo for the Living Deceased Members of our Parish
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of Mary Anne Gilfoil
ALTAR FLOWERS are in memory of Brad Terral from Blanche and Skeeter Wilks
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lectors | EMHCs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11/18 5:30p | None Scheduled | C VanderVieren | M Ernst |
| 11/19 9:30a | Mary Katherine and Courtland | Youth | None Scheduled |
| 11/25 5:30p | None Scheduled | P Wilks | L Magoun |
| 11/26 9:30a | Cooper and Maura | S Marsh | None Scheduled |
| 12/2 5:30p | None Scheduled | MK Book | M Rome |
| 12/3 9:30a | Kathleen and Evelyn | A Oliver | 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
Nov 19 Potluck Brunch for Fourth Quarter Social following Sunday Mass
- Nov 19 Angel Tree begins
- Nov 23 Thanksgiving Day - No Mass
- Dec 2-3 Christmas on the Bayou - Parade on Saturday, Music program and Fireworks Sunday
- 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
POTLUCK BRUNCH … to celebrate Thanksgiving and begin the Advent and Christmas season will be held on Sunday, November 19, following the Sunday Mass. Please plan to join in this faith family activity. The Fourth Quarter (Oct, Nov, Dec) Social Committee consists of Skeeter and Blanche Wilks, and Louise Magoun as chairpersons with other committee members being Leslye Ellerbee, Susan and Johnny Gilfoil, Sherry Lynn and Timmy Harris, Michael Lancaster, Billy and Ginny Marsh, William and Sharyn Marsh, Hannah McCartney, Sug Regan, Skipper and Christy Guizerix
CHRISTMAS ON THE BAYOU….. The Christmas on the Bayou celebration will be slightly different this year as the Arts and Crafts on the Courthouse Square will be on Saturday, December 2 with the parade at 4 p.m. On Sunday, December 3, the usual music program will be held at First Baptist Church at 6 p.m. followed by the fireworks display on the Mississippi Street bridge.
St Edward will have a float in the Saturday parade. We will be asking some of the children to be a part of the Nativity scene using costumes that we already have. For safety purposes, we will also want a few adults to be on the float as well so let us know if you are willing to help. For more information, please contact Father Ryan or the church office,
THE CHRISTMAS PARTY FOR ADULTS will return this year! Our tentative date is Sunday evening, December 17. 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!
STEWARDSHIP ENVELOPES FOR 2024…..We recognize that there are those who absolutely DO NOT want to have stewardship envelopes while there are others who absolutely DO WANT a box of envelopes to remind them of various collections. We would like to accommodate everyone! We think that the best way to do that is for anyone who wants a box of envelopes to sign on the list on the table at the entrance of church. We will then provide you with a box of envelopes in late December. If you do not sign the list, we will not burden you with a box. Should you change your mind at a later time, you can always ask for and be provided with a set of envelopes.
Stewardship Good stewards are like the industrious and reliable servants in today’s Gospel, prudently using and multiplying the gifts entrusted to them by God.
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2022-23 | $ 2,111 |
| October Budget | $ 10,555 |
| October income | $ 9,500 |
| October Expenses | $ 14,826 |
| November Budget | $ 8,444 |
| November 12 Collection | $ 1,575 |
| November Income To Date | $ 4,664 |
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Isabel Hernandez (Nov 19), Libby Bullard (Nov 20), Kaci Ernst (Nov 21)
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, Judy Fortenberry, April Franklin (Wilks), Larry Garley (Gilfoil), 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, 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
