The 5th Sunday of Lent
From The Font
“When Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.”
Four days... Lazarus was in the tomb for four days. All of us should take note of that fact. Jesus, of course, spent three days in the tomb.
As an aside, He really went into the tomb at sunset on a Friday and was gone by early morning on that Sunday, so He was only in the tomb for a day and change, but by Jewish reckoning it was three days.
Also, for context, St John’s Gospel was written not so much to convert people to Christianity, but to confirm the faith of the nascent Christian community. And so when John specifically notes that Lazarus was in the tomb for four days, he’s aware that his audience is going to take special note of that number four.
Why does it matter?
Because Jesus is NOT LIMITED by anything. He rose from the dead after three days. That number has a pile of symbolic weight in the Old Testament and in the Jewish law. That number matters for a lot of reasons... Still when it comes to what Jesus can do for us - He’s not limited even by the symbolic details of His divine Mission. Just as Jesus will go on to tell the Apostles that they will do the works He has done and greater works still, so we see here that Jesus' loving concern - especially when it comes to His friends!!! - is unlimited.
The underlying message is that followers of Christianity should become friends of Jesus.
Secondarily, there is a message here about reconciliation. Behind the obvious message of Jesus’ power over life and death, there is an image of Lazarus bound, entombed, and dead in sin... Despite His friendship with Jesus, he has fallen into the death of sin and all believe him to be beyond saving. But Jesus appears after a “long time,” and despite the “stench” calls Lazarus out... Lazarus comes out and is unbound. The Greek word for “untie” is the same as the word Jesus uses when He gives Peter the Keys of the Kingdom and the power to bind or “loose” sins... That secondary message, then, is that sin really is akin to death, but no one is ever beyond the healing reach of Jesus!
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
I explained a few weeks ago that Lent used to be a series of smaller, more focused mini-seasons. One of those was “Passiontide” which begins this week. The most visible aspect of Passiontide was the “veiling of the statues.”
Remember that fasting isn’t about getting rid of bad habits, but about consciously limiting our enjoyment of good things... We limit our enjoyment of good things so as not to become overly attached to the pleasures of this life at the expense of attachment to eternal things. When we fast, we tell the Lord (and we remind ourselves) that I consider Jesus to be more important to me than anything!
It’s worth realizing that we do this with people we love all the time. When we need to focus on our spouse or on our child, we might need to turn the TV off, put the phone aside, or forgo something we enjoy to turn our full attention to them. In the context of romance, this is a sign of intention and commitment... “Will you skip that outing with friends to spend time with me instead?!?”
Fasting from food has a long spiritual lineage, but fasting from other pleasures of life goes back a long way as well. Many of the great spiritual masters, including Jesus, forewent sleep... or warm clothing... or even speech in order to focus on the Lord.
In Passiontide, we cover the statues as a kind of fasting of the eyes from the images in the Church. In a perfect world, we would veil every religious image in the Church, but we’re quite blessed here in Tallulah to have a lot of images that can’t be conveniently covered, including our stations and our magnificent Crucifix. Still, by veiling the statues and the processional cross, we are reminded of this fasting of the sense that is designed to prepare us - in an immediate way - for Holy Week.
The other traditional change during the season of Passiontide doesn’t apply to the New Mass. At the Old Mass, the Glory Be was said a lot - Probably six or seven times. During Passiontide, though, the Glory Be was omitted. The reason for the omission is the same as the reason the statues are veiled, but as the priest... I can attest that the absence of the Glory Be’s is a potent and deeply felt change. Having offered the Old Latin Mass for close to 17 years now, I am constantly amazed at how organic it is. There are myriad little changes that happen from season to season and saint to saint which are shockingly effective. Granted, I’ve only rarely been in attendance at the Old Mass and so I don’t know how powerful those little adjustments are for the faithful. Still, it’s during this time of year that I harbor a greater admiration for the brilliance of our predecessors who so carefully listened to the Holy Spirit.
Spiritually, this Sunday represents the last push toward Easter. So we need to buckle down and do our best to keep up with our Lenten penances and focus in on prayer to get ready for Palm Sunday next week and for the Holy Triduum in anticipation of Easter. It’s not long now, but as the Fathers of the Church often said, you can’t get to Easter without passing through Good Friday! So let’s all encourage one another to make these last few weeks of Lent really count!
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Payton Trichell/family
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon No Mass
- Tue 9:00a In memory of Mary Ernst/Gustafson
- Wed 9:00a In memory of JCB “Skipper” Jumonville (birth)/family
- Thu 9:00a In memory of May DiTomasso
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Darryl Ellerbee, Sr. (death)/vamily
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Father Ferre on the 10th Anniversary of his death (March 3)/friends
- 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 3/25 5:30p | None Scheduled | P Wilks |
| 3/26 9:00a | Henry, MaryKatherine, and Maura | K Collins |
| 4/1 5:30p | None Scheduled | MK Book |
| 4/2 9:00a | Chandler and Annie | D Ellerbee |
| 4/8 8:00p | None Scheduled | MA Gilfoil, B Sullivan, M Rome |
| 4/9 9:00a | MaryKatherine and Courtland | C Guizeriz |
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
April 6-8 Holy Week - see schedule for services
- April 8 - NO 5:30PM MASS - Mass is at 8pm as the Paschal Vigil cannot begin before Dusk.
- April 8 Easter Egg Hunt - Church Hall at 10 a.m. (see notes elsewhere in 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 a collection of videos for Lent that are worth checking out at https://watch.formed.org/lent. Remember to sign in using our parish’s zip code (71282) at http://signup.formed.org
EASTER FLOWER CONTRIBUTIONS…there are envelopes on the table at the entrance of church if you would like to contribute to the Holy Week and Easter Sunday decorations and lilies. Please be sure to include if your gift is In Honor or In Memory of someone.
EASTER EGG HUNT… on the church grounds on Saturday, April 8, at 10 a.m. Stephenie Marsh is giving leadership to the event so please check with her to offer your assistance. We will need hard–boiled eggs that are dyed or plastic eggs with treats so your help is appreciated..
HOLY WEEK SERVICE SCHEDULE…During Holy Week, Mass on Tuesday and Wednesday will be at the usual 9 a.m. The other services will be as follows:
5:30 p. Holy Thursday 5:30 p. Good Friday 8:00 p Holy Saturday (can not begin before dusk)
Stewardship When Jesus heard about the illness of His friend, Lazarus, He responded, “This illness is not to end in death; rather it is for God’s glory, that through it, the Son of God may be glorified.” Every aspect of our lives –our gifts as well as our sufferings– can, if surrendered to Christ, lead to blessing for ourselves and others.
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2022-23 | $ 2,111 |
| February Budget | $ 8,444 |
| February Income | $ 8,788 |
| February Expenses | $ 9,571 |
| March Budget | $ 8,444 |
| March 18-19 Collection | $ 1,645 |
| March Income To Date | $ 6,623 |
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Terry Hall (March 27), Cooper Wood Ellerbee (March 27, 2008), Dana Dukes (March 28), Teddy Oliver (March 28)
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; 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, Susan and Johnny Gilfoil, Terry and Andy Hall, MaryJane Johnson, Bill Kennedy, Ed 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 and Carolyn Arceneaux (Book), Marie Farlow Bellard, Tommy Bickham (C Copes), Chris Breard (Gilfoil), Sarah Cannon (Gilfoil), Ruthie Coenen (Wilks), Jami Cook (Wilks), Elaine Coyle (Regan), Susan Ward Daigle (Gilfoil & Keene), Don Deweese, Mac Donaldson (Ellerbee), Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, Patty Farlow, Monique Florence, Judy Fortenberry, April Franklin (Wilks), Thom Gilfoil, Wyly Gilfoil (Gilfoil), Charlotte Green, Rita Hargrave, Arlice Evans Headley, Evie Hilburn (Lancaster), Charles Howington, Sue Johnson (Lancaster),Dee Jones (Keene), Averyell Kessler (Lancaster), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Caroline Marcello (Watts), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Mona Martin (MA Gilfoil), Boyce Miller, John Neill, Caryn Oliver, Sue Perrilloux (D Wood), Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Frances Robinson (Wilks), Bailey, Scott and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy),Tuleta Sasser (Wilks), Albert Thom (Rome), Barbara Thomas (Gilfoil), Tommy Trichell, 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, Marsh Wood
