Forming Good Stewards

“You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.”
Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

Those are the words that a voice from heaven spoke after Jesus convinced John to baptize him in the Jordan River.

Imagine how we would feel if a voice from heaven said to us, as we stood among our family and friends, and even our enemies, "You are my beloved child, with you I am well pleased.”

We may not be standing in the Jordan River with John the Baptist pouring water over us, but we, who are baptized Catholics, are “children of God”. To the extent that we are doing our best to be all that God created us to be, to identify, accept, develop, and use all of the talents, abilities, and gifts that God has given to us for ourselves and for others, we can be sure that God is well pleased with us.

AND, if we are good stewards of our prayer life and truly listen to God’s will for us, we may not hear his voice with our ears, but we will know in our hearts that God is saying to us: You are my beloved child, with you I am well pleased.”

Making efforts to be better as a child of God

by Monsignor J. Robert Romero

We who are graced with sanctifying grace through the waters of baptism should make efforts to strengthen our life in God, as we are children of God. I point out three virtues that are helpful. These are empathy, compassion, and holding our tongue.

Empathy is seeing the world through other people’s eyes. Understanding each other helps us work at common causes. Let us try to engage with people different from ourselves and listen. Whether we are conservative or liberal, white or black, Christian or Muslim, let us try to ask questions and then listen.

Compassion is sympathy for the suffering of others, often including a desire to help. Practicing compassion has an effect of creating happiness in others and self. Behavior begets habit. Habit begets character. Before we know it, we are a compassionate person.

Holding our tongue is a product of self-control. The Letter of St. James says, “Consider how a small fire can set a huge forest ablaze. … For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:5b, 7-8). Speak no harm. When tempted to do otherwise, count to twenty, or pray the Our Father Prayer or Hail Mary Prayer before speaking. Say good things about one another and others.

These three virtues – empathy, compassion, and holding our tongue – help us as a person to love God and neighbor. They help us live our life as a child of God. If enough people are able to do so, then our city, state, nation, and world will become more human, more respectful, more loving.

[Ideas for “Making efforts to be better as a child of God” came from an article in USA TODAY: Monday, December 28, 2009, 13A. “The Forum: It’s time to look inward” by Oliver Thomas. To read that article, you can click here].

The Holy Father's Prayer Intentions for January 2010

Pope Benedict XVI prays at the creche, REUTERS/Alessia Pierdomenico

Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for January is: "That young people may learn to use modern means of social communication for their personal growth and to better prepare themselves to serve society".

His mission intention is: "That every believer in Christ may be conscious that unity among all Christians is a condition for more effective proclamation of the Gospel".

Readings and Themes for the Weekend of January 10, 2010

Readings for Faith Sharing
Week of January 10, 2010,
The Baptism of the Lord

Reading I Isaiah 40: 1-5, 9-11

God's glory shall be revealed.

Psalm 104

"O bless the Lord, my soul."

Reading II Titus 2:11-14, 3:4-7

We are saved through the bath of rebirth.

Gospel: Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

"You are my beloved Son."

THEME:
Baptism gives us new life.

Today’s readings bring the Christmas season full circle. The passage from Isaiah is usually heard during Advent. In this reading, we hear words that will later be echoed by John the Baptist, who appears in today’s Gospel reading. As we listen to the Scriptures today, let us rejoice in the fact that through our own baptism, we are called God’s “beloved”.

Question for Children:

Why does Baptism make you special?

Question for Youth:

You were baptized as a member of the Christian community.

What does it mean to you to belong to this community?

How is it a support in your life?

Question for Adults:

What meaning does your Baptism have for your everyday life?

Bulletin for the Weekend of January 10, 2010

The bulletin for the weekend of January 10, 2010 has been posted. Click here to see it.

The calendar on the website has been updated with all events for the coming week along with prayer intention information and information on the second collection for all of the masses. Take some time to look at our calendar here.

Updates are also being made to our St. Landry Catholic Church blog. You can get to the blog from the church home page under the Bulletins and News section or you can just click here to go to it.

Don't forget, we're also sending out live updates via Twitter. Our Twitter name is StLandryCath. You can see updates by clicking here.

Epiphany of the Lord and the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Today, during his homily, Monsignor Romero referenced the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Compendium is a wonderful reference to Catholic teaching that, in turn, references back into the more detailed Catechism of the Catholic Church. Both books are wonderful reference texts to have.

The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is available by clicking here for the Vatican website.

And the Catechism of the Catholic Church is available by clicking here for the Vatican website.

During the homily, Monsignor Romero referenced paragraph 101 in the Compendium.

101. In what sense is the life of Christ a Mystery?

512-521
561-562

The entire life of Christ is a revelation. What was visible in the earthly life of Jesus leads us to the invisible mystery of his divine sonship: “whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Furthermore, even though salvation comes completely from the cross and the resurrection, the entire life of Christ is a mystery of redemption because everything that Jesus did, said, and suffered had for its aim the salvation of fallen human beings and the restoration of their vocation as children of God.

Homily for the Epiphany of the Lord

Homilies are now available to download and listen to!

As part of our answering the challenge of the Holy Father to go out and evangelize utilizing new technologies, we're now offering the homily each week for download. Clicking the link to the homily should download it and automatically start it playing in whatever music player your computer is set up with.

On the technical side, the file sizes are about 5 megs which means it may a minute or two to download on slower Internet connections. It is also an MP3 formatted file which means that these are essentially podcasts. Don't worry if all the technical words don't mean much to you. It means we're using the latest in technology in order to make sure our church parish can reach the most people.

The current week's homily is available on a link on the front page of the website next to the link for the current week's bulletin. On the page with the prior bulletins, the corresponding homily will be sitting side by side with its bulletin. We started on the anniversary of the start of the Catholic Church, Pentecost Sunday. This week, Epiphany of the Lord, is our thirty ninth podcast to be posted. This week, the homily is given by Monsignor J. Robert Romero.

So, take a listen and let us know what you think. Click here to download the Epiphany of the Lord homily from St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana.

Readings and Themes for the Weekend of January 3, 2010

Readings for Faith Sharing
Week of January 03, 2010,
The Epiphany of the Lord

Reading I Isaiah 60: 1-6

The glory of the Lord shines on all people.

Psalm 72

"Lord, every nation on earth will adore you."

Reading II Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6

The Gentiles are coheirs of the promise.

Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12

The magi come with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

THEME:
Christ is the light of the world

Even in the darkness of war and terrorism, today’s scriptures shine forth as a beacon of light and peace. As these holy words are proclaimed, let us ask God to shine the light of peace upon lands and people who daily live in fear.

Question for Children:

Christ is the light of our lives. How does he show you the way to live?

Question for Youth:

As the eyes of your heart become enlightened to Christ and his teachings, how does it change the way you live?

Question for Adults:

As children of God, we are called to be light, just as Christ was.

Name one way you let your own light shine.

Solemnity of Mary Mother of God and the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Today, during his homily, Monsignor Romero referenced the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Compendium is a wonderful reference to Catholic teaching that, in turn, references back into the more detailed Catechism of the Catholic Church. Both books are wonderful reference texts to have.

The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is available by clicking here for the Vatican website.

And the Catechism of the Catholic Church is available by clicking here for the Vatican website.

During the homily, Monsignor Romero referenced paragraphs 196 and 197 in the Compendium from, “Mary, Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church”.

196. In what sense is the Blessed Virgin Mary the Mother of the Church?

963-964
973

The Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of the Church in the order of grace because she gave birth to Jesus, the Son of God, the Head of the body which is the Church. When he was dying on the cross Jesus gave his mother to his disciple with the words, “Behold your mother” (John 19:27).

197. How does the Virgin Mary help the Church?

965-970
974-975

After the Ascension of her Son, the Virgin Mary aided the beginnings of the Church with her prayers. Even after her Assumption into heaven, she continues to intercede for her children, to be a model of faith and charity for all, and to exercise over them a salutary influence deriving from the superabundant merits of Christ. The faithful see in Mary an image and an anticipation of the resurrection that awaits them and they invoke her as advocate, helper, benefactress and mediatrix.

Homily for Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

Homilies are now available to download and listen to!

As part of our answering the challenge of the Holy Father to go out and evangelize utilizing new technologies, we're now offering the homily each week for download. Clicking the link to the homily should download it and automatically start it playing in whatever music player your computer is set up with.

On the technical side, the file sizes are about 5 megs which means it may a minute or two to download on slower Internet connections. It is also an MP3 formatted file which means that these are essentially podcasts. Don't worry if all the technical words don't mean much to you. It means we're using the latest in technology in order to make sure our church parish can reach the most people.

The current week's homily is available on a link on the front page of the website next to the link for the current week's bulletin. On the page with the prior bulletins, the corresponding homily will be sitting side by side with its bulletin. We started on the anniversary of the start of the Catholic Church, Pentecost Sunday. This week, Solemnity of Mary Mother of God, is our thirty eighth podcast to be posted. This week, the homily is given by Monsignor J. Robert Romero.

So, take a listen and let us know what you think. Click here to download the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God homily from St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana.

Bulletin for the Week of January 03, 2010

The bulletin for the weekend of January 03, 2010 has been posted. Click here to see it.

The calendar on the website has been updated with all events for the coming week along with prayer intention information and information on the second collection for all of the masses. Take some time to look at our calendar here.

Updates are also being made to our St. Landry Catholic Church blog. You can get to the blog from the church home page under the Bulletins and News section or you can just click here to go to it.

Don't forget, we're also sending out live updates via Twitter. Our Twitter name is StLandryCath. You can see updates by clicking here.

Readings and Themes for the Weekend of December 27, 2009

Readings for Faith Sharing
Week of December 27, 2009,
Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

Reading I 1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28

Samuel is dedicated to the Lord.

Psalm 84

"Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord."

Reading II 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24

We are God's children now.

Gospel: Luke 2:41-52

Mary and Joseph find Jesus teaching in the temple.

THEME:
Jesus established his obedience to, and relationship with, God the Father

Like Samuel, son of Hannah, we have been dedicated to the Lord and have become God’s beloved children. The Letter of John tells God’s children just how to act: we must love one another as we have been commanded. Let us pray that the word of God proclaimed this day will inspire us to reach out in love to all of God’s family members who seek comfort and assurance in time of need.

Question for Children:

Why is it important to obey our parents?

Why is it important to obey God?

Question for Youth:

Jesus was obedient to his parents, even though he was the Son of God.

Why is obedience so important?

Is it something you struggle with?

Question for Adults:

How are you, too, called to our Father’s house?

Bulletin for the Week of December 27, 2009

The bulletin for the weekend of December 27, 2009 has been posted. Click here to see it.

The calendar on the website has been updated with all events for the coming week along with prayer intention information and information on the second collection for all of the masses. Take some time to look at our calendar here.

Updates are also being made to our St. Landry Catholic Church blog. You can get to the blog from the church home page under the Bulletins and News section or you can just click here to go to it.

Don't forget, we're also sending out live updates via Twitter. Our Twitter name is StLandryCath. You can see updates by clicking here.

Homily for Feast of the Holy Family, December 27

Homilies are now available to download and listen to!

As part of our answering the challenge of the Holy Father to go out and evangelize utilizing new technologies, we're now offering the homily each week for download. Clicking the link to the homily should download it and automatically start it playing in whatever music player your computer is set up with.

On the technical side, the file sizes are about 5 megs which means it may a minute or two to download on slower internet connections. It is also an MP3 formatted file which means that these are essentially podcasts. Don't worry if all the technical words don't mean much to you. It means we're using the latest in technology in order to make sure our church parish can reach the most people.

The current week's homily is available on a link on the front page of the website next to the link for the current week's bulletin. On the page with the prior bulletins, the corresponding homily will be sitting side by side with its bulletin. We started on the anniversary of the start of the Catholic Church, Pentecost Sunday. This week, Feast of the Holy Family, is our thirty seventh podcast to be posted. This week, the homily is given by Monsignor J. Robert Romero.

So, take a listen and let us know what you think. Click here to download the Feast of the Holy Family homily from St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana.

Feast of St. Stephen - December 26

The Stoning of St. Stephen by Pietro Da Cotona, circa 1660. Currently in the Hermitage, St. Petersburg, Russia

Today is the Feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr described in the Acts of the Apostles and one of the first deacons. The church fathers write of him as first of the deacons just as Peter was first of the apostles.

The painting above depicts his stoning with Saul, who later became St. Paul, looking on and holding the cloaks of the crowd. Above is Stephen's vision of God the Father with Jesus the Son at his right hand.

Christmas Homily Closing Prayer

The Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence by Caravaggio, painted in 1609. Stolen from Palermo in 1969, whereabouts still unknown 40 years later. Click painting for more detail.

This week's homily by Monsignor J. Robert Romero was short but full of many powerful images. Monsignor closed with the following prayer:

Like foolish folk of old I would not be,
Who had no room that night for Him and thee.
See, Mother Mary, here within my heart
I've made a little shrine for Him apart;

Swept it of sin, and cleansed it with all care;
Warmed it with love and scented it with prayer.
So, Mother, when the Christmas anthems start,
Please let me hold your baby -- in my heart.

Sr. Maryanna, O.P.

Christmas - Historical Origins by Pope Benedict XVI

Today, Monsignor J. Robert Romero quoted at length from the Pope's Wednesday audience of December 23, 2009. In his weekly talk, the Holy Father talked at length about the history of the way we currently celebrate Christmas. One of the more powerful quotes referenced by Monsignor Romero was, "the birth of Christ is the victory of the true light over the darkness of evil and sin."


Below is the full text of the Holy Father's talk.

----------------------

Dear brothers and sisters, with the Christmas novena, which we are celebrating in these days, the Church is inviting us to live in an intense and profound way the preparation for the Nativity of the Savior, which is now imminent. The desire that we all hold in our hearts is that the upcoming feast of Christmas may give us, in the midst of the frenetic activity of our days, the serene and profound joy that allows us to touch with our hands the goodness of our God, and fills us with new courage.

In order to understand better the significance of the Nativity of the Lord, I would like to make some brief remarks on the historical origin of this solemnity. In fact, the Church's liturgical year did not initially develop beginning from the birth of Christ, but from faith in his resurrection. For this reason, the most ancient feast of Christianity is not Christmas, it is Easter; the resurrection of Christ is the foundation of the Christian faith, it is at the basis of the proclamation of the Gospel, and gives birth to the Church. Therefore being Christian means living in a Paschal manner, participating in the dynamism that arises from baptism and leads us to die to sin in order to live with God (cf. Romans 6:4).

The first to state clearly that Jesus was born on December 25 was Hippolytus of Rome, in his commentary on the book of the prophet Daniel, written about the year 204. Some exegetes later noted that the feast of the dedication of the Temple of Jerusalem, instituted by Judas Maccabeus in 164 B.C., was celebrated on that day. The coinciding of these dates would therefore mean that with Jesus, who appeared as the light of God in the darkness, there is the true realization of the consecration of the Temple, the Advent of God upon this earth.

The feast of Christmas took on definitive form in Christianity in the fourth century, when it replaced the Roman feast of the "Sol Invictus," the invincible sun; this highlighted the fact that the birth of Christ is the victory of the true light over the darkness of evil and sin.

However, the special and intense spiritual atmosphere that surrounds Christmas developed in the Middle Ages, thanks to St. Francis of Assisi, who was deeply in love with the man Jesus, with God-with-us. His first biographer, Thomas of Celano, recounts in the book "Second Life" that Saint Francis "above all of the other solemnities celebrated with indescribable fervor the Nativity of the Child Jesus, and called a 'feast of feasts' the day on which God, having become a little infant, suckled at a human breast" (Fonti Francescane, 199, p. 492).

This special devotion to the mystery of the incarnation gave rise to the famous celebration of Christmas in Greccio. St. Francis probably got his inspiration for this from his pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and from the crèche at Saint Mary Major in Rome. What drove the Little Poor Man of Assisi was the desire to experience in a concrete, living, and present way the greatness of the event of the birth of the Child Jesus, and to communicate its joy to everyone.

In his first biography, Thomas of Celano talks about the night of the crèche in Greccio in a living and touching way, making a decisive contribution to the spread of the most beautiful Christmas tradition, that of the crèche. Christmas Eve in Greccio, in fact, restored to Christianity the intensity and beauty of the feast of Christmas, and taught the people of God to grasp its most authentic message, its unique warmth, and to love and adore the humanity of Christ.

This unique approach to Christmas brought a new dimension to the Christian faith. Easter had focused attention on the power of God who conquers death, inaugurates the new life, and teaches hope in the world to come. St. Francis and his crèche highlighted the defenseless love of God, his humility and kindness, which in the incarnation of the Word are manifested to man in order to teach a new way of living and loving.

Celano recounts that, on that Christmas Eve, Francis was granted the grace of a wonderful vision. He saw lying motionless in the manger a little baby, who was awakened from his sleep by the presence of Francis. And he adds: "Nor was this vision at odds with the facts, because, through the work of his grace acting by means of his holy servant Francis, the Child Jesus was reawakened in the hearts of many who had forgotten him, and was profoundly impressed in their loving memory" (Vita prima, Fonti Francescane, 86, p. 307).

This backdrop describes with great precision how much Francis' living faith in and love for the humanity of Christ transmitted to the Christian feast of Christmas: the discovery that God reveals himself in the tender members of the Child Jesus. Thanks to St. Francis, the Christian people have been able to perceive that at Christmas, God truly became "Emmanuel," God-with-us, who is not separated from us by any barrier or distance. In that Child, God became so close to each one of us, so near, that we are able to talk to him as a friend and establish a familiar relationship of profound affection with him, as we do with a newborn.

In that Child, in fact, is manifested God-Love: God comes without weapons, without power, because he does not intend to conquer, so to speak, from the outside, but instead intends to be welcomed by man in freedom; God becomes a defenseless Child in order to overcome man's arrogance, violence, and desire for possession. In Jesus, God has taken on this poor and unarmed condition in order to conquer us with love, and lead us to our true identity. We must not forget that the greatest title of Jesus Christ is precisely that of "Son," Son of God; the divine dignity is indicated with a term that extends the reference to the humble condition of the manger in Bethlehem, although it still corresponds in a unique way to his divinity, which is the divinity of the "Son."

Moreover, his condition as a Child shows us how we can encounter God and enjoy his presence. It is in the light of Christmas that we can understand the words of Jesus: "If you do not convert and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3). Those who have not understood the mystery of Christmas have not understood the decisive element of Christian existence. Those who do not welcome Jesus with the heart of a child cannot enter the kingdom of heaven: this is what Francis wanted to remind the Christianity of this time and of all times, up until today.

Let us pray to the Father that he grant our hearts that simplicity which recognizes the Child as Lord, just as Francis did in Greccio. Then we too may experience what Thomas of Celano - referring to the experience of the shepherds on Christmas Eve (cf. Luke 2:20) - recounts about those who were present at the event in Greccio: "Everyone went home full of inexpressible joy" (Vita prima, Fonti Francescane, 86, p. 479).

This is the wish that I extend with affection to all of you, to your families and loved ones. Merry Christmas to you all!

Christmas and the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Today, during his homily, Monsignor Romero referenced the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Compendium is a wonderful reference to Catholic teaching that, in turn, references back into the more detailed Catechism of the Catholic Church. Both books are wonderful reference texts to have.

The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is available by clicking here for the Vatican website.

And the Catechism of the Catholic Church is available by clicking here for the Vatican website.

During the homily, Monsignor Romero referenced paragraph 103 in the Compendium from Chapter 2, “Jesus Christ was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and was born of the Virgin Mary”.

The exact quote he used was, "At Christmas the glory of heaven is shown forth in the weakness of a baby". It's a powerful thought on Christmas Day.

That question in full follows here ...

103. What does the Gospel teach about the mysteries of the birth and infancy of Jesus?

525-530
563-564

At Christmas the glory of heaven is shown forth in the weakness of a baby; the circumcision of Jesus is a sign of his belonging to the Hebrew people and is a prefiguration of our Baptism; the Epiphany is the manifestation of the Messiah King of Israel to all the nations; at the presentation in the temple, Simeon and Anna symbolise all the anticipation of Israel awaiting its encounter with its Savior; the flight into Egypt and the massacre of the innocents proclaim that the entire life of Christ will be under the sign of persecution; the departure from Egypt recalls the exodus and presents Jesus as the new Moses and the true and definitive liberator.

Homily for Christmas

Homilies are now available to download and listen to!

As part of our answering the challenge of the Holy Father to go out and evangelize utilizing new technologies, we're now offering the homily each week for download. Clicking the link to the homily should download it and automatically start it playing in whatever music player your computer is set up with.

On the technical side, the file sizes are about 5 megs which means it may a minute or two to download on slower internet connections. It is also an MP3 formatted file which means that these are essentially podcasts. Don't worry if all the technical words don't mean much to you. It means we're using the latest in technology in order to make sure our church parish can reach the most people.

The current week's homily is available on a link on the front page of the website next to the link for the current week's bulletin. On the page with the prior bulletins, the corresponding homily will be sitting side by side with its bulletin. We started on the anniversary of the start of the Catholic Church, Pentecost Sunday. This week, Christmas, is our thirty sixth podcast to be posted. This week, the homily is given by Monsignor J. Robert Romero.

So, take a listen and let us know what you think. Click here to download the Christmas homily from St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana.

The Christmas Proclamation

The Proclamation of the Birth of Christ

Today, the twenty-fifth day of December, unknown ages from the time when God created the heavens and the earth and then formed man and woman in his own image.

Several thousand years after the flood, when God made the rainbow shine forth as a sign of the covenant.

Twenty-one centuries from the time of Abraham and Sarah; thirteen centuries after Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt.

Eleven hundred years from the time of Ruth and the Judges; one thousand years from the anointing of David as king; in the sixty-fifth week according to the prophecy of Daniel.

In the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad; the seven hundred and fifty-second year from the foundation of the city of Rome.

The forty-second year of the reign of Octavian Augustus; the whole world being at peace, Jesus Christ, eternal God and Son of the eternal Father, desiring to sanctify the world by his most merciful coming, being conceived by the Holy Spirit, and nine months having passed since his conception, was born in Bethlehem of Judea of the Virgin Mary.

Today is the nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh.