June 2018 SPECIAL EDITION May 2017

MAY 2017 isitation V MAY 2017 OF OUR LADY PARISH NEWSLETTER 3500 AMES BLVD., MARRERO, LA 70072 INSIDE -2- -VOL Sealing Time Capsule -Senior Salute -3- -2nd and 3rd Grade Field Day -4- -VOL 7th Graders Awarded Scholarships -5- -Work Hard, Play Hard -6- -Cajun Fest Thank You -Danny & Stephanie Laurent Awarded Order of St. Louis -7- -Mass Exodus: What We Miss When We Leave Mass Early 504.347.2203 VOL.ORG Good Stewards Know Love Is, At Its Heart, Sacrifice If a friend (or even an enemy) were to ask what you believe is the most important thing Jesus says about love, what would you say? Give it some thought. I believe heaven hangs in the balance. When I am asked what Jesus says about love (and, perhaps surprisingly, that does not happen very often), here’s what I say. I say I believe Jesus says the heart of love is SACRIFICE. The heart of love is what Jesus teaches us from the cross. His arms are outstretched. Now, of course, that’s physically the case because Jesus’s arms have been nailed to a cross beam. But, don’t downplay the obvious symbolism. It’s important. Jesus is yelling at us with his outstretched and brutally bloodied arms. Jesus is screaming, “With my last breaths, I plead. I beg all of you to come to me. Let me hug you so that I can whisper into your ear, ‘Do as I am doing. Sacrifice yourselves for those in greatest need, including and especially those you can’t stand. No matter the cost. My sisters and brothers, I know you don’t want to do that. Love definitely isn’t easy. It’s often excruciatingly hard. But, as I hang here in mind blowing pain, know this: sacrificially loving is the only way to get to heaven. ” (continued on page 8) PAGE 1