Anchored in Faith, Your Soul...Our Mission
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Fr. Billy's Homily fromFr. Andy Gonzalez Mass of Thanksgiving
St. Ann Church
Solemnity of Pentecost Year C
June 4, 12022
Acts 2:1-11 I Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13 John 20:19-23Veni Sancte Spiritus, Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love. Surely our hearts are filled and kindled with the fire of the Holy Spirit today as we join our newly ordained priest, Fr. Andy Gonzalez, in celebrating the nearness of God in word and sacrament as he celebrates his First Mass of Thanksgiving - God is good! Dios es bueno! And what a joy it must be for this newly ordained priest to celebrate this First Mass of Thanksgiving as we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost. Today is a day of thanksgiving to God for answered prayers, and for Fr. Andy’s journey in faith, which began with the decision to be baptized when he was twelve years old in his native Cuba - a place where most Catholics practiced the faith in secret out of fear that Fidel Castro’s communist government would restrict their career choices.
We know from today’s word of God that the disciples were locked in a room out of fear … Living in fear is not living at all, and that is how some of our brothers and sisters in various parts of the world live because of dictatorships and government ruling about God. In ways, that is how the young boy, Andy Gonzalez, lived in Cuba - out of fear just like the disciples, but after baptism and being claimed for Christ by the power of the cross, he had a desire to keep God’s commandments by loving God and neighbor, and so the dream of a journey in faith began. In baptism, we celebrate the rite of Ephphetha - a strange word to us in a largely English-speaking nation. It’s a Greek word meaning Be Opened. The priest or deacon touches the ears and mouth of the newly baptized, praying for an opening of the ears to receive God’s word, and for the mouth to proclaim with faith the glory and praise of God. Thank you, Fr. Andy for hearing and proclaiming - the spirit of the Lord is with you! In a very real way, what the Sacrament of Holy Orders brings about is order out of chaos.
The journey of Fr. Andy was somewhat chaotic: Cuba, Guatemala, Florida, New Orleans … I am sure that there were times of great fear and chaos, but now the Holy Spirit brings peace and identifies you as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God …
In ways, your wearing of the chasuble - a “seamless garment” worn by Christ, will always be a reminder that you are another Christ in the sacrifice of the Mass. Therefore, you now wear the finest robe … Just as the father ordered his servants to bring the finest robe and put it on his prodigal son, a ring on his finger, and sandals on his feet, so now you wear the finest robe … However, Fr. Andy is not wearing sandals today, but he is wearing new shoes … Maybe, when you go to Chalmette you will get some Cajun Nikes - Jesus did tell the disciples to pull out into the deep for a catch … You have received an apostolic mission!
I hope and pray that in and through you as a priest that the Holy Spirit will open closed doors, and that you will be a source of the peace of Jesus Christ to those who are fearful in any way. You will be the ruah and breath of God, and a source of peace for those who will come to you in the confessional, and you will build bridges between heaven and earth in the celebration of every Mass - the greatest apparition place of all time! God’s flock is in your hands, give it a shepherd’s care. May God bring to fulfilment the good work he has begun in you.
We all have a mission as the baptized, and God has given all of us a great purpose, keeping in mind the many and different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same spirit. We need to replace our fear with the driving wind of a strong faith … It would be a mistake to restrict Pentecost and the descent of the Holy Spirit to a one-day wonder when a house in Jerusalem was rocked by a mighty wind and there were mysterious tongues of fire in the air. St. Paul tells us in the reading to the Corinthians of various gifts of the Spirit to the community, like parts of one body with different functions. The wind and flame express the movement of God in expressing proclamation of the message …
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German theologian and pastor said: “We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God.” In a sense that is what happened on Pentecost Sunday - they were interrupted by God! The strength of the Church is not in the strength of its institutions but in the authenticity of its witness. Fr. Henri Nouwen wrote: “Without Pentecost the Christ event - the life, death and resurrection of Jesus remains imprisoned in history as something to remember … The Spirit of Jesus comes to dwell within us so that we can become like the living Christ here and now.” We can’t let the Church be imprisoned in history - the Spirit of Pentecost is about practicing holiness on ordinary days!
Mindful of the different kinds of spiritual gifts, I think of people as musical instruments … Without outside help they produce not a single sound, but given even the slightest touch a magnificent tune can emanate from them. So, speaking of magnificent tunes, I share this delightful story about a mother who bought tickets to a concert by Ignace Paderewski, the great Polish pianist. She took her five-year-old son hoping that the experience would encourage him in his own young efforts at music. The mother was delighted to see how close to the stage they were seated. She met an old friend and got so involved in talking that she failed to notice that her little boy had slipped away to do some exploring.
When the concert was about to begin, the lights dimmed and the audience hushed and the spotlight came on. Only then, the mother discovered that her five-year-old was on stage sitting on the bench in front of the concert grand piano, innocently picking out “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” The mother gasped, but before she could retrieve her son, Paderewski walked onto the stage, went over to the piano, bent down and whispered to the little boy, “Don’t stop! Keep going!” Then, leaning over the little boy Paderewski started filling in the bass. A few seconds later, he reached around the little boy with his right hand and added a running obbligato. Together, the great Polish maestro and the tiny five-year-old mesmerized the audience with their playing. When they finished, the audience broke into a thunderous applause.
The image of the great maestro and the little five-year-old makes for a beautiful image for the Holy Spirit and the Church. We can see how the boy resembles the apostles and the Church, and the great Polish maestro resembles the Holy Spirit coming upon the apostles and us, leaning over them and us whispering words of encouragement and reaching around them and us adding something beautiful to their and our feeble human efforts. We are not alone. The Holy Spirit is leaning over us, whispering: “Don’t stop! Keep going!” So, Fr. Andy, don’t stop, keep going. -
Fr. Billy's Homily - 50th Anniversary Mass
Anchored in Faith, Your Soul…Our Mission
St. Ann Church
Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time B
Fiftieth Anniversary Mass
November 7, 2021
I Kings 17:10-16 Hebrews 9:24-28 Mark
Anchored in Faith, and with a mission and task that began fifty years ago, we gather here today in St. Ann Church & Shrine to celebrate the nearness of God in word and sacrament, and to praise him in glad adoration …
Fifty years ago, … It was 1971 and Archbishop Aymond - you were just 21 years old with longer hair, sideburns, maybe bellbottoms and platform shoes. I was 13 years old with no thoughts whatever of priesthood in my mind, and Fr. Michael, our Parochial Vicar was negative 15 … Fifty years ago! Tempus Fugit! Time Flies!
It all began on March 1, 1971 with the establishment of St. Ambrose Parish. St. Ambrose was Bishop of Milan, a theologian, and an influential, significant, and powerful ecclesiastical figure of the 4th century. I take this time to share a leading quote of his. He said: “No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.” This returning thanks to God began with the first Mass celebrated by Fr. Charles Duke on Saturday, March 6, 1971 in Alice Birney Elementary School. Sunday Masses were celebrated at the same location. The weekday Masses at 6:30 AM were celebrated at Leitz-Egan Funeral Home. Baptisms, and at least one wedding was celebrated in the Chapel at the Daughters of St. Paul Bookstore.
On March 1, 1973 by decree of Archbishop Hannan, the parish was renamed St. Ann, adding that the parish would also be designated as the relocation site of the National Shrine. The current church and shrine were completed on October 9, 1976. The first permanent structure constructed in 1973 is home to First Grade, the School Library, and the STEM Lab. Ann Rotolo was the first principal of St. Ann School. With a request by Fr. Duke of the Salesian Provincial for nuns, Sr. Leonia became principal in 1976. She was accompanied and assisted by Sr. Mary Louise and Sr. Margaret Rose. Principalship continued with Sr. Judy, Sr. Gloria, and Sr. Kathy. Susan Kropog served as principal for 24 years, and our current principal and parishioner is Lindsay Guidry. The school mission is to educate, and enlighten the whole child by fostering lifelong moral integrity, Catholic faith and academic excellence. The school, home of the Mariners, strives to teach the young to Think! Reach! Shine! Fr. Nile Gross, who is with us today, graduated from St. Ann School …Mustard seed beginnings grew out of generosity … With faith the size of a mustard seed, and the ability to move mountains, St. Ann Parish grew to be home to about 3,000 registered households and has one of the two largest schools in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Trusting in God, and with the generosity and courageous spirit of the two widows in today’s readings, Msgr. Charles Duke and Msgr. Joseph Bourgeois, now deceased, served as pastors … I take this time to thank Fr. Michael Schneller and Fr. Robert Cavalier who served as pastors, and are with us today. Thanks too to those who served as parochial vicars, especially those here today for this Fiftieth Anniversary Mass.
St. Ann Parish has not achieved greatness by a few great deeds but by a lot, a lot of little ones, and many people with the generosity of the poor widows continue to give till it helps … The diversity of ministries that go on behind the scenes on a daily basis truly amazes and astounds me as well as the generosity to the poor, and in times of despair to those who have suffered devastation from hurricanes. With the difficulties that COVID 19 has brought us, St. Ann parishioners and friends are always to the rescue in giving till it helps. Thank you!
Our readings today start out with Elijah, the great prophet of God, testing the generosity and faith of the widow of Zarephath. Like Oliver Twist of Charles Dickens’ 1838 popular novel, Elijah kept on asking for more in spite of the widow’s poverty. Yet, she gives … Fear of the future is one of the greatest enemies of generosity and prosperity. Elijah knew how afraid the widow was, given her circumstances, so he addressed that fear by telling her: “Do not be afraid …” Then he prophesied that her jar of flour would not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry. She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well - the jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry …
The Gospel reading is similar. Jesus sits opposite the treasury where the offerings were placed for temple upkeep. He is not alone. He sits with the scribes and here comes a poor widow who put in two small coins worth a few cents. They barely made any noise and jingle as they rolled down the neck of one of thirteen long horn shaped receptacles … You can almost see the temple leaders rolling their eyes hoping for better results with the next person. With that, Jesus says to his disciples that this poor widow has put in more than all the others for they have contributed from their surplus wealth, but she from her poverty, contributed all that she had. She gave from her scarcity, her poverty, and her nothingness - giving it all to God. She reminds me of the miracle of the five loaves and two fish story … It’s clear that the five loaves and two fish were plenty in the Master’s hands. We have to wonder at times what table Jesus is calling us to serve at mindful that we are extraordinary living beings with ordinary gifts … with just the five loaves and two fish of our lives and yet there is so much to do. St. Teresa of Calcutta shared these words: “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”
The Gospel story today dares us to give the meager and what seems like the insufficient “five loves and two fish” of our lives to the Master to be blessed and transformed so that we may produce thirty, sixty, and one hundred-fold.
Even though no one else noticed what the widow had done, Jesus noticed it and praised it. It’s nice to know that even such a small deed of love does not escape the attention of Jesus. We need to have a heart and mind like her - achieving great things through an array of little deeds - that’s St. Ann Parish!
I came across this short story about three bricklayers. A traveler came upon the three men working. He asked the first man what he was doing and the man said he was laying bricks. He asked the second man what he was doing and the man said he was putting up a wall. When he got to the third man and asked what he was doing, he said he was building a cathedral. They were all doing the same things. The first man had a job. The second man had a career. The third man had a calling. We may be laying bricks every day, but if we envision the cathedral and move through our days with intention and passion, we are living the best life. And, remember the best things in life aren’t things.
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Third Sunday Ordinal Time Year BJanuary 24, 2021
Jonah 3:1-5, 10 I Corinthians 7:29-31 Mark
World War I produced one of the most memorable images in American history with the United States Army recruiting poster depicting Uncle Sam pointing an accusing finger at the viewer urging young men to enlist in the war effort. It was painted by James Montgomery Flagg. The image was later adapted by the U.S. Army with the new unforgettable call to action: I WANT YOU …
I want you is the basis of the readings from last Sunday and again today. Hey Jonah, “Set out for Nineveh and tell the people to fast and pray or their city will be destroyed …” Hey Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. Before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations, I appointed you …” Hey Francis, I want you to leave your wealthy and comfortable life in Assisi … Hey Teresa, you need to leave that fancy convent and help the poor ... Hey, Patrick I want you to be a bishop and go back to Ireland and evangelize them crazy Irish … Hey Michael, I want you to stop fooling around and playing in the mud for I want you to be a priest … Hey Sean, yes you, I want you to be a priest too … Hey, Billy I want you to go to New Orleans … I know it’s 5000 miles away … Hey, Drew, Sam, Josh, Dominic, Michael, Leander, Andrew, Paul, Jeffrey, Dan, yes you, I want you to be a priest too … Hey, Tom, Mary, Pauline, Sophia, Melanie, Tony, Patrick, yes you, I want you to be more involved in the ministry of the Church … I want you on the Pastoral Council, the Finance Committee, working with the poor, the Altar Society, the School Board … And before I go any further the excuses are clocking up like a bill.
Jonah tried to run away, Jeremiah complained saying he could not speak and he was too young … Excuses! Some of the baptized don’t even come to Sunday Mass with the excuse: “Well it’s the only day I can sleep in … I go shopping that day …” Make an effort, not an excuse. Be stronger than your excuses. Being a disciple of Jesus Christ means availability, a willing heart, and helping hands. The adventure of discipleship! St. Catherine of Siena said: “Be who God meant you to be and set the world on fire.”
Psychologist Abraham Maslow has an interesting response to the question of why so few people leave all to follow a dream, or pursue a noble cause. He says they are afraid to become what they are capable of being ... They thrill at the idea and possibility but they also shudder at it.
Scott Neeson was a Hollywood big shot and the president of 20th Century Fox back in 2003. He led a glamorous life - lived in a five bedroom home worth millions of dollars, drove Porsche’s and Ferrari’s and had a big boat. He was a man of means and luxuries who said: “I sort of enjoyed it, but I wasn’t particularly happy.” He took a backpacking trip to Cambodia that year, and what he saw changed the course of his very comfortable and luxurious life. He saw poverty like he had never seen before. He saw children picking food out of the trash just to survive. Every day he walked through the slums that surround a landfill outside the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Thousands live there amid the filth and stench of the landfill. So, Scott established programs to help feed and educate the children on a massive scale. One of his friends back in Hollywood thought that he wouldn’t last more than a few months. The friend said: “I thought he was having a midlife crisis. But Scott never returned to 20th Century Fox.” You see God has greater plans for us than we have for ourselves. What I am is God’s gift to me. What I become is my gift back to God.
Sometimes I imagine the story of Jonah as our story too because there is a tendency to try and hide from God because God tends to ask us to leave behind the comfortable nets of everyday life and enter the “Nineveh” of our lives that needs change so as to truly embrace the ways of God. So, we hide but deep down our hearts are restless … until they rest in God! I often think that we are like the prodigal son too who selfishly leaves home, not to mission and be God’s minister, but to recklessly go through life using up the talents given him by the father. It’s not until the prodigal son is at the bottom of the ladder that his mind and eyes are opened to the possibilities that he comes home to the Father.
On occasion I think of my own life as a Jonah and Whale Story, except that I was coughed out of the belly of an aircraft at New Orleans International Airport. You see God has greater plans for us than we have for ourselves. What I am is God’s gift to me. What I become is my gift back to God.
Jesus says to us: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.” In about three weeks we will hear the priest and deacon call out on Ash Wednesday: Repent and believe in the Gospel.
The call of Jesus is directed to sinners in the first place, indeed to everyone, even the good people. Funnily enough it’s the people who humbly admit and confess their despair and sinfulness that are given entry into heaven - tax collectors and prostitutes, we are told … Many people today don’t recognize their sinfulness and others think they are beyond redemption. To be honest, I think most of us crucify ourselves between two thieves: the sins of the past and fear of the future. That said, we should find ourselves all the more ready to be “fishers of men” calling out to others to listen to that inner voice crying out to be nourished by the Body of Christ.
The Gospel is in between two phases, “Come and See” and “Go and Tell.”
You see God has greater plans for us than we have for ourselves. What I am is God’s gift to me. What I become is my gift back to God.