The 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
From The Font
"In those days after that tribulation”
Most of us have some idea of “the Rapture” just from living in the Bible Belt. Let me assure you that it’s not a thing! The Rapture is an idea invented from taking about a dozen scriptures out of context and it’s caught on because it fits into the so-called “Gospel of Prosperity” that is preached quite often in the Bible Belt.
The end of the world, aka Apocalypse, is quite simple. At some point which we cannot predict or anticipate, Jesus will return. At that moment, the world as we know it will cease to exist. Jesus will judge all those whose natural lives have not ended. He will raise all the mortal bodies of those who have died. Those who are damned will be damned. The “gates of hell” will close and never reopen. Those judged both righteous and repentant will go to Heaven (via Purgatory) and the gates of Heaven will close never to be reopened. And every atom in the universe will cease to exist. No explosions. No predictions or secret codes or prophecies to help us get ready. The end will come “like a thief in the night,” “blessed is the one whom his Lord finds ready to greet Him.”
The Bible is actually quite full of apocalyptic literature. The first verse that describes the end is actually in Genesis 3! Right after the fall of Adam and Eve, the Lord promises to save humanity through the offspring of the woman who will strike at the serpent’s head. We call that verse the Proto-Gospel.
From there we have occasional verses and stories about the end. But we also have the prophecies of Daniel and Joel and Malachi. Jesus speaks of the end of days in all of the Gospels and St Paul makes some passing references. Of course, the Book of Revelation is almost entirely about the End of Days. Even so, all scripture has to be read in the light of all scripture. We can’t extract one verse about how “one man will be taken and the other left” and invent a theology which is seen nowhere else in scripture and nowhere else in Christian intellectual tradition.
It’s shockingly easy to go from an intellectually curious believer to the stereotype lunatic with red yarn connecting photos and newspapers unless we ground ourselves in the Church and in the Christian intellectual tradition.
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
Amazingly, we find ourselves at the end of the Liturgical year and at the end of Ordinary Time. This is the last Sunday for Green Vestments until late January and it’s the end of the season which is designed for letting the spiritual growth of Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter just soak in. The coming months are the time in the Church year where we’re meant to focus up.
Advent is a time for thinking and meditating on the Second Coming of Christ in glory and the first coming of Christ hidden in childlike innocence.
Christmas calls for us to consider how we receive Jesus into our hearts and our families. How do we welcome the light into the natural darkness of the winter months? How do we welcome Jesus into the busyness and into the materialism of our busy lives?
Christmas ends with Epiphany where we consider the coming of Christ not just for the Jews and not just for those who believe in Him today, but for all peoples. And Jesus doesn’t just come to meet people where they are. He comes to convert them and transform them. As Christians, we can’t hide behind meeting people where they are. If we don’t share the love and truth of Jesus with people, it’s like finding a starving child and doing nothing to help!
After Epiphany, we have about a month of Ordinary Time to let those lessons soak in and then we’re back with a late Ash Wednesday on March 5. From there, we’re in Lent - fasting and soberly reflecting upon the effects of sin upon ourselves and those we love.
Easter is Sunday, April 20. By then, we’ll all be entirely flooded with the end of the school year. Sports, banquets, award ceremonies, graduations, etc. And Ben Affleck is making the Accountant 2 with Anna Kendrick - so we’ll have to squeeze that in as well... 😉
Divine Mercy Sunday, First Holy Communion, and the Easter Season will take us all the way to Fathers’ Day on Trinity Sunday. I won’t be back in Green Vestments and we won’t be into the spiritual rest of Ordinary Time until July 6... Whew! We’ve got a lot to do between now and then.
As the year heats up and our schedules start to feel crowded, let’s all make sure to put aside some time every day for personal prayer and some time every week just to sit with the Lord and listen to Him.
In weight lifting, I’ve been learning that the down time is just as important as the actual weightlifting when it comes to strength. When I lift the weight, it creates stress in the muscles. But the growth happens after that when the muscle has time to rest. That seems like a pretty decent metaphor for the spiritual life. Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter are the heavy lifting for us as a community. The struggles we face and our spiritual lives are the load for us as individuals. Ordinary Time and quiet prayer time are the all-important recovery that gives our souls room to grow. For this year at least, the rest of Ordinary Time is coming to an end. It’s time to get working on the heavy lifting again.
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Inez DeMoss (birth)/family
- Sun 9:30a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon 9:00a In memory of AnnaMay Farlow (death)/family
- Tue NO MASS
- Wed No Mass here as in Lake Providence
- Thurs 9:00a In memory of Jimmy Howington (death)/family Legacy Senior Care Center
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Louise Testa/Magoun
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Phillip and Nettie Scurria/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 MaryAnne Gilfoil
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) | EMHCs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11/16 5:30p | None Scheduled | A Farlow | C VanderVieren |
| 11/17 9:30a | MaryKatherine & Courtland | Youth - Thomas Meyers | - |
| 11/23 5:30p | None Scheduled | MA Gilfoil | M Ernst |
| 11/24 9:30a | Michael, Cooper, & Maura | D Ellerbee | - |
| 11/30 5:30p | None Scheduled | M Rome | N Ernst |
| 12/1 9:30a | Kathleen & Evelyn | C Guizerix | - |
Stewardship The readings today speak of the end of the world and the coming of the Kingdom. The bishops’ pastoral on stewardship says clearly that “that ‘life to come’ is in continuity with this present life through the human goods, the worthy human purposes, which people foster now.” May our good stewardship cause us to be numbered among the chosen on the last day!
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2022-23 | $ 2,111 |
| October Budget | $ 8,444 |
| October Income | $ 8,197 |
| October Expenses | $ 8,963 |
| November Budget | $ 8,444 |
| November 4 Collection | $ 2,020 |
| November Income To Date | $ 4,327 |
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
Nov 20 Pastoral Council meeting - 6 p.m. - Parish Hall
Nov 24 Fourth Quarter Social … Potluck Brunch….following 9:30 Mass
Dec 7 Parade for Christmas on the Bayou … 4 p.m.
Dec 8 Christmas Choir Concert….First Baptist Church … 6 p.m. followed by fireworks
For Your Information:
Our MAUSOLEUM project is now underway. We are in the pre-sales phase where those who are interested in any way are asked to give us your name and mailing address so that the company can judge if there is sufficient interest to complete the project and so that they can send preliminary information. (Signing up is not an obligation to buy.) If you would like to sign up, you can do so at any Mass or by contacting us via email at the address listed on the inside page of the bulletin. Thanks!
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
PASTORAL COUNCIL..will hold its regular meeting on WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2024 at 6:00 p.m in the Church Hall. Appointed members of the Council are: Kathleen Ellerbee, Norman Ernst, Jamie Howington, Mike Rome, Jason Trichell and Shannon Wood.. Appointed as Trustees by the Bishop are Michel Lancaster and Cathy VanderVieren. Appointed by the pastor to serve as Finance Council Chair is Darryl Ellerbee. All members are requested to make a special effort to attend. Parishioners are encouraged to attend and contribute to the discussions.
FOURTH QUARTER SOCIAL… NOVEMBER 24, 2024… in the Church Hall following 9:30 a.m. Mass.All are encouraged to put this date on your calendar and plan to attend. Fourth Quarter (Oct, Nov, Dec) Social Committee responsible for setting up, decorations (if desired), and clean up consists of Skeeter and Blanche Wilks, and Louise Magoun chair, 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…. PARADE will be on Saturday, December 7 beginning at 4 from Tallulah High School. Kasi Ernst and Kathleen Ellerbee will give leadership to putting together the St Edward float for the parade. They will be calling on others for help and will need some of our young people to be on the float. Please offer your help!
CHRISTMAS CHOIR CONCERT…. will be on Sunday, December 8 at 6 p.m. at First Baptist Church and everyone is encouraged to join in this community event. Several of our parishioners are participating in the choir and we thank them for their commitment. Following the program, the fireworks program over the bayou will be presented.
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Isabel Hernandez (Nov 19), Libby Bullard (Nov 20), Kaci Ernst (Nov 21), Darryl Ellerbee (Nov 22)
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, Susie Murphy, Bobby Reynolds, Mike & Sue Rome, Jason Trichell
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), Nap and Martha Book, 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), Fred and Cathy Fulton, 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), 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), Randy Parker, 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... through Christ our Lord. Amen
