Abp. Aymond: Jesus quiets our innermost storms

With Category 4 Hurricane Ida bearing down on the south Louisiana coast on Sunday morning, Aug. 29, Archbishop Gregory Aymond celebrated Mass at St. Louis Cathedral.

Here are excerpts of his homilies on three successive Sundays: Aug. 29, Sept. 5 and Sept. 12.
 

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Sunday, Aug. 29
‘Be still!’

We have certainly felt the effects of the COVID storm, and, as we know, it’s not over. And yet, in the midst of that storm of COVID-19, another storm is approaching, and that is certainly an unwelcome guest for us and we hope that she doesn’t stay too long.

The predictions do not look good for us, and, certainly, with those predictions, it brings about for all of us anxiety, tension, new challenges. Even though we live in a city in which we have grown accustomed (to hurricanes) – if one can grow accustomed to hurricanes – with the approaching of Ida there is anxiety, tension and new challenges for many people.

We are very mindful that this brings back the painful memories of 16 years ago. It was 16 years ago today that we experienced Hurricane Katrina. And so many people’s wounds will be reopened because of today’s experience.

But, as we reflect on Ida, I will respectfully place aside for a few moments the Scriptures of today and go into Mark’s Gospel, where he reminds us of an incident that is very much like that which we are experiencing.

Permit me for just a moment to read from Mark’s Gospel, when he says, “On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let us cross to the other side of the lake.’ As they did so, a violent storm came up and waves were breaking over the boat. The boat was already being filled with water. Jesus was in the stern of the boat, asleep on a cushion. They woke him up and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? Are you going to allow us to perish?’ Jesus woke up. He rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Quiet!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, ‘Why are you so terrified? Do you not yet have faith?’”

I read these words from Mark’s Gospel for you as he retells that incident of the great storm on the lake. Jesus was awakened and took care of the apostles.

My sisters and brothers, you and I ask a question today, “Would he not do the same for us?” And the answer is, of course, yes.

Just as he took care of the apostles and those disciples in the time of great tragedy and the time of difficulty, it is the same Lord Jesus who always promises to walk with us in the storms of life and the hurricanes of life, in the COVIDs of life and whatever it is that we face in our own families – illness, death, great tragedies.

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Sunday, Sept. 5
‘I am here’

Sometimes when people show an understanding of what we are going through – they have a sense of grasping what’s in our mind and heart and in our own experience – there are moments when we say, “Welcome to my world! Welcome to my world!”

Today in the Gospel, Jesus enters into the world of the deaf man. And Jesus enters into that world with him with great compassion. For Jesus, compassion is the ability to suffer with another person – not just to concentrate on our own sufferings – but the ability to suffer with, to get into their world, to enter into another person’s pain.

Jesus promises that he will never turn a deaf ear to us – and this is very appropriate – as he gives this healing. We realize that he has heard everything that you and I have said since last Sunday’s experience of Ida. Yes. He has not turned a deaf ear. He has heard every wish, every hope. He has heard our “Why is this happening?” He has heard, “Wasn’t Hurricane Katrina 16 years ago enough?” He’s heard us say, “Not again, not again, why this suffering?” And he’s heard some of us say, “Where were you?”

My sisters and brothers, as we face this challenge of Ida, let us remember that our God does not does not send storms and hurricanes. Sometimes it seems, the way people talk about this God, he has this heavenly weather station and sits at his weather station and he presses the button and says, “This one is named Ida and it’s going for Louisiana” and presses the button and the storm takes place.

That’s not the God of love. It’s not the God of compassion who has created us. It’s not the God who walks with us on the journey of life.

Our God allows the forces of nature to take their course. And as storms are formed off the coast of Africa and move into the Gulf of Mexico, we know how it creates danger. And we have seen the result of that danger during the past week.

There has been an incredible loss of property. There is no power, with unbearable heat, incredible and grave inconveniences that we have suffered. Walls have been crushed in homes and businesses. Trees have fallen all over the place and into homes. There has been danger for those who are ill. There is flooding. Roofs have been ripped apart and water has been pouring in from roofs, as well as from doorways and windows.

So we ask the question, “Where was Jesus during the storm?”

He was walking in the stormwaters with those who were trying to escape. He was in the attic with those persons who were fearful for their own lives, not knowing if the storm waters or the winds would tear them apart. He was with those who were trembling in the 150 mile an hour winds. He was with those in the evacuation centers.

The Lord Jesus didn’t abandon us, even though some people don’t fully grasp that this Lord Jesus is a God of compassion. This Lord Jesus desires to suffer with us, to enter into our world of suffering. And he does not want us to be deaf, but to hear above the 150 mile an hour winds. He wants us to hear above that, (to hear) his voice in the midst of this challenge; in the midst of the tragedy, he wants us to hear his voice.

And what is his voice saying? He is saying, “In this suffering, I call you to unite your sufferings to those of Jesus. In your suffering, I ask you to walk the Way of the Cross with Jesus himself.”

We don't understand human suffering, but let us not turn a deaf ear to Jesus. He promised not to turn a deaf ear to us when he heard our prayer and our concerns and our frustrations. Let us not turn a deaf ear to him when he says, “You are not alone. I am with you. Let me carry you to rebuild your life, to rebuild your home. You are not alone. Be not afraid. I will never, ever abandon you.”

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Sunday, Sept. 12
Embrace the cross

​​​​​​​Jesus says to (Peter), “Do you know that the Christ must suffer, be rejected by the elders? He will be killed, he will be put to death and then he will rise again after three days. That’s what the Christ is about, Peter. It’s not winning battles. It’s not power and glory. It’s suffering, being rejected, killed and rising from the dead.”

And Peter could not believe that. He could not help himself. He said, “No, that’s not the way it is.” And Peter called him aside and said, “Jesus, you don’t have this right.” But Jesus has strong words for Peter when he says, “Get behind me, Satan! Do not tempt me. The Father has given me a mission to be the Christ, to be the one who offers himself out of love, who offers his body and blood for the people. Get behind me, Satan. Don’t tempt me. You are thinking as a human being, not as God.”

(Jesus) also says, “Whoever wishes to come after me and wants to be a disciple of mine must take up his own cross and follow me.”

And so he’s saying that his suffering and death are to give salvation to the people.

But the cross is not just for this Christ. It is for all Christians, for all those who say that they are the followers of Jesus. He reminds Peter and all the disciples that, in one way or another, they, too, will have to suffer: “If you wish to be my disciples, you must take up your cross, not mine. You must take up your cross and follow me.”

As we know in life, the cross can be something physical, it can be emotional or mental, and it can also be spiritual. And sometimes we have that dark night of the soul. But let’s be fair to Peter. In the end, he really did pass the test because after the death and the resurrection of Jesus, he is teaching and preaching. He is out healing and forgiving people of their sins.

I remember saying to a friend one time in talking about a specific situation. I said, “Well, I guess I just have to bear that cross.” And he said to me, “I hate to correct you, but I don’t think that’s the right word. You don’t have to bear the cross. You have to embrace the cross, because that’s what Jesus did.”     

It’s through our suffering and our crosses that we become the disciples of Jesus: “If you wish to be my disciple, to take up your own cross and follow me.”

We have seen suffering again and again through Hurricane Ida, through the painful inconvenience of heat and no water and no power, losing homes, people losing their possessions. How many of them I have seen as I go around the archdiocese and I see the areas that are most hard hit it, and I hear people over and over again saying how much they have lost. I also hear their faith. It’s not just being vibrant and kicking back and continuing to live, but I hear people saying, “He’s not going to leave me alone. He’s not going to leave me alone.”