Abp. Aymond to people of Lafitte: Jesus is with you as you carry the ‘cross of Ida’

By BETH DONZE
Clarion Herald

Refreshed by the autumn breezes rippling through their makeshift place of worship, parishioners of St. Anthony Church in Lafitte and St. Pius X Mission Church in Crown Point gathered inside a sprawling tent on St. Anthony’s parish grounds Mass for their Oct. 17 Mass concelebrated by Archbishop Gregory Aymond and their pastor, Father Luke Nguyen.

During the homily, the archbishop reflected on the sobering lesson Jesus gives two of his apostles – James and John – after the two men ask Jesus if they will enjoy a place of privilege next to him in his heavenly kingdom.

“Jesus reminds (James and John) that they are called to be humble – not to sit at his right or his left, but to share in his life,” said Archbishop Aymond, noting that to do this, Jesus tells James and John that they must be willing to drink from “the same cup of suffering” he soon would be experiencing at Calvary.
 

In short, Jesus tells the men: If you really want to be my disciple, be willing to take up your cross and follow me, the archbishop said.

“My sisters and brothers, all of you, in one way or another, have experienced that cross with Ida. It has been a terrible cross for you,” the archbishop said. “You are resilient, and you will come back. The people of Lafitte always do. But faith is what brings you back. Resilience is a human virtue, but faith is the spiritual virtue that brings you back.”

God does not ‘send suffering’

Although the hard-hit people of Lafitte and other areas of Southeast Louisiana have had to drink from “that cup of suffering called Hurricane Ida,” they must always remember that God does not “send suffering” or “desire for us to suffer,” Archbishop Aymond said.

“But he does call us, when we suffer, to unite our suffering with his cross,” the archbishop said. “God doesn’t sit up in heaven with a weather machine and say, ‘Let’s send a hurricane to Louisiana.’ That’s not the way God works. God allows nature to take its course.”

Yet, through all of life’s crosses, Jesus tells us, “You are not alone; I have not abandoned you, I am with you. I promise that I will walk with you, and when you find it difficult to walk, I will carry you,” the archbishop said.

“Your cross looks different – it is not a wooden cross. It is a cross of destruction. It is a cross of many inches of mud and water, “ Archbishop Aymond observed. “In the midst of all of that, Jesus says, ‘You are not alone; I am with you,’ and he invites you to unite your cross with his own cross.”

Faith carries us through every challenge

Assuring congregants of the continued prayers and support from the Archdiocese of New Orleans, the archbishop said his two main prayers were for those present to know the Lord’s “consolation and his hope and his peace” as they rebuild; and for them to continue to reach out to others who are in need, even in the midst of their own losses.

“People say you are resilient – and you are – but by your presence here today you’re also saying that you’re faith-filled,” Archbishop Aymond said. “And being faith-filled is even more important than being resilient!”

Father Nguyen publicly thanked the raft of volunteers who have helped St. Anthony operate as a post-Ida hub of outreach, among them, the West Bank-based Knights of Columbus and the numerous parishioners and friends who have kept the daily distributions of supplies, meals, water and ice humming since the early days of the recovery. Still others have helped to gut the homes and clean the yards of their neighbors.

“God walks among us when we are gathered together as a community,” Father Nguyen said, thanking the archbishop for visiting with his flock several times in Ida’s aftermath.
 

“You are the comfort of our hearts right now. Your presence means a lot,” he told the archbishop.
 

New bridge blessed

After Mass, the two priests led congregants for a blessing by Archbishop Aymond of the newly built Fisherman Boulevard Bridge (on Highway 302) that connects Lafitte to Barataria. The road’s former swing-bridge, damaged by a barge in Hurricane Ida, currently rests on the Lafitte side of Bayou Barataria. The bridge is a short walk from St. Anthony Church.
 

“Having the archbishop bless (the new bridge) makes it so meaningful for the people,” Father Nguyen said.
 

Two important dates were announced at today’s Mass: St. Anthony Church will celebrate its All Saints’ Day Mass at St. Pius X Mission Church in Crown Point on Monday, Nov. 1 at 10 a.m., followed by blessings at local cemeteries; and St. Anthony will tentatively resume its Parish School of Religion classes at the Jean Lafitte Civic Center on Nov. 7.

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