Pentecost

Travis Clark Preaches
The Rev. Mr. Travis Clark ~ Newly Ordained Deacon

Here at Mary Magdalen, we were truly blessed to have Deacon Travis Clark preach for us this weekend. You can read all about his ordination over at the Clarion Herald’s site.

The good Deacon grew up in this Parish, and everyone just loves him. I was impressed that he used no notes for his Homily, as I usually have, well…. some printed materials and an outline with me, to put it mildly.

Leading up to Pentecost I was doing some Scriptural meditations on a life in the spirit, vs, a life in the flesh. Here are just a few of them, to help focus our minds more clearly

Romans 8

For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed you from the law of sin and death.a

For what the law, weakened by the flesh, was powerless to do, this God has done: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for the sake of sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,so that the righteous decree of the law might be fulfilled in us, who live not according to the flesh but according to the spirit.

For those who live according to the flesh are concerned with the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit with the things of the spirit.

The concern of the flesh is death, but the concern of the spirit is life and peace.

For the concern of the flesh is hostility toward God; it does not submit to the law of God, nor can it; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you.

Consequently, brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

RULES FOR THE NEW LIFE

Ephesian 4: 30

Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun set on your anger,and do not leave room for the devil.

The thief must no longer steal, but rather labor, doing honest work with his [own] hands, so that he may have something to share with one in need.

No foul language should come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for needed edification, that it may impart grace to those who hear.

And do not grieve the holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed for the day of redemption.

All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice.

[And] be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.

What is “Living in The World” vs. “Living in The Spirit”

“For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world.”

And finally…

1 Corinthians 6:9

“Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor boy prostitutes* nor sodomites.”

Galatians 5

Now the works of the flesh are obvious:
immorality, impurity, lust, idolatry,
sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy,
outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness,
dissensions, factions, occasions of envy,
drinking bouts, orgies,
and the like.
I warn you, as I warned you before,
that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, generosity,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Against such there is no law.
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh
with its passions and desires.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.

Pentecost Flowers

History is Amazing

Awhile ago I came across this very old picture of our Church here, as it looked almost 100 years ago in 1917. That’s during the time of WWI, the Russian Revolution, and all of the amazing things that happened in that year so long ago.

Here it is…

SMM 1917
St. Mary Magdalen Church, Metairie - 1917

Then just the other day I decided to check out the very same view as it looks now…

SMM Today
St. Mary Magdalen Church, Metairie - 2012

Fascinating I tell you.

Good Times

Because there’s nothing else to do with these random photos — it’s either delete them, have prints made so they can sit in a box on a shelf, or store them on yet another hard drive — I’ve decided to share them with you.

These type of demanding, cutting edge editorial decisions need to be made daily here, to keep this website spinning like a top.

These cool cats were the hit of the Bacchus route in our neck of the woods. I asked to take their picture, and one day that spread could make a great photo essay just watching the changing group dynamics

ballerina

Winning smile, wonderful costume.

Mardi Gras

It was a pretty relaxed morning…

Adele

My good friend Adele.

Flowers

The Japanese Magnolias were in bloom again… Such a strange flower, suitable to any occasion.

costumes

There’s a story here. I think these costumes are great for many reasons. I posted the pic on a Facebook page, and someone said “What’s so great about this?” Then I second guessed myself, un-posted it and curled into a ball and sucked my thumb for twelve hours. But I’m perfectly fine now, thank you.

The Creole Queen… It’s such a beautiful boat. Years ago a friend dragged me onto this boat to play the slot machines. I had a quarter on me, and walked out with $31 and was on top of the world.

mardi gras

We hit it off immediately, and nodded knowingly as we passed on the street.

St. Joseph

And this is St. Joseph’s Church, which I post pics of every now and again. It’s grand and beautiful, but it needs a huge pipe organ way back there. Still, it makes me glad to be Catholic whenever I walk in.

Well, it re-affirms my gladness… it… you know what I mean.

And that’s it for now… but exciting things are happening, and it’s all good.

The Garden Chronicles

Surely you remember last year’s unforgettable installment of Better Gardening Through Photoshop, where we first viewed the garden out back here at the Rectory. Actually we first viewed it almost exactly one year ago, in Into the Garden, followed closely by Garden Redux.

But if you’re new here, take a gander now:

Garden in need of some work...

Ah, one could gaze upon it for hours in peace and serenity.

But not really.

This year, what with our warm winter, warm spring and early summer, it’s looks like this:

The Garden

Totally overgrown and random.

A parishioner restored the Marian statue, some plants grew in to fill up the empty spaces, and there’s a bad case of Elephant Ears, which I don’t think anything can be done about.

Just yesterday via my iPhone:

the Marian Garden

Still it’s a huge improvement, and with a little tweaking it’s going to be great, even though the simplicity in the first photo is pretty nice. Nonetheless, it will be a perfect place to pray I tell you!

We just need some wax myrtles in the background beyond the fence, maybe some holly trees. Then some giant liriope where some of the stones are, with a box hedge and some cast iron plants… Something like that. Easy and low maintenance.

Splash, out.

The Rev. Kenneth Allen