It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”; and when he had said this he breathed his last. (Lk. 23:44-46) “Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion” begins Holy Week. If you have never really experienced all of the services of Holy Week, consider doing so this year. Commemorating the events of the Lord's Suffering and Death help us to have a greater understanding of the importance of the Easter Resurrection. Jesus had to suffer and die before he rose. On Holy Thursday we will celebrate the Mass of the Lord's Supper at 7:00pm, which commemorates the night when Jesus instituted … [Read more...]
Archives for March 2013
From the Pastor – March 17, 2013
While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. (Lk 15:20) I'm writing this column from Rome, where I have been blessed to be able to witness the historic election of his Holiness, Pope Francis. It is been a time of great expectation and great joy. Although I think we will learn a lot about Pope Francis as the days go on, I do want to share three small thoughts that have come to me over the last few days. First of all, I need to help you understand the peace that filled Piazza San Pietro on the occasion of the announcement. Many "heard" on television the moment of silent prayer that Pope Francis called for. But it was more than a "moment of silence" that we sometimes experience at a … [Read more...]
Five Finger Prayer Guide
Here is a simple prayer that has been attributed to Pope Francis, which he wrote as a Cardinal. It's called the “five finger prayer guide.“ 1. The thumb is the closest finger to you. So start praying for those who are closest to you. They are the persons easiest to remember. To pray for our dear ones is a “sweet obligation.” 2. The next finger is the index. Pray for those who teach you, instruct you and heal you. They need the support and wisdom to show direction to others. Always keep them in your prayers. 3. The following finger is the tallest. It reminds us of our leaders, the governors and those who have authority. They need God's guidance. 4. The fourth finger is the ring finger. Even that it may surprise you, it is our weakest finger. It should remind us to pray for … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – March 10, 2013
While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. (Lk 15:20) When we hear the Gospel for this Sunday, our mind immediately identifies it as the “Parable of the Prodigal Son.” It's so familiar that we could probably recite it from memory and likely explain it to others. We call the son “prodigal” because what he did was “prodigious” meaning “extraordinary in size and degree.” Calling someone a “prodigious” spender means they are a person who spends a lot of money. And the son is call “prodigal” because he spent his money with a wasteful extravagance. Our eyes tend to be fixed on the prodigal son rather than on the father or the other son. He's the protagonist. He's the one who carries … [Read more...]
Bible Study Acts of the Apostles
Good Shepherd Parish Scripture Study Begins Again On Thursday, March 7 we will begin the Sacred Scripture course on the "Acts of the Apostles." There will have two classes.  One will meet during the day from 1:00pm to 2:30pm, and the other will meet in the evening from 6:30pm to 8:00pm. Please come and join us for this study. Once again our teacher via videotape is Dr. Jeff Cavins.The class will be led by our DRE, Mr. Phillip Bellini.Please contact Phillip if you would like to join the class as early as possible so we can order the appropriate amount of the study materials. The cost for the course is $35.00 to cover the cost of the study binders. The class will last twenty weeks. … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – March 3, 2013
There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ”˜For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?' He said to him in reply, ”˜Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.' (Lk 13:6-9) I love the agricultural parables of Jesus. Anyone who has ever planted and nurtured a garden can understand them. We have such rich soil here in Southern Louisiana that just about anything can grow. So if something in our garden isn't growing, we're pretty quick to remove it. In this parable, it's pretty clear … [Read more...]
