December 11, 2015
Saturday, December 12 is the centennial of the birth of Francis Albert Sinatra in Hoboken, New Jersey, to Italian immigrants.
Without question, the soundtrack of my years growing up was Frank Sinatra. Given that the maternal branch of my family tree is Italian-American, how could it be otherwise? In fact, my mom’s sister, Anna Mae Tkazyik, has a portrait of Frank Sinatra over her kitchen table that still outranks all other sacred images. Sinatra was such a part of my ethnic DNA that it was inevitable that the Great American Songbook that he mastered would seep into my preaching once I was ordained.
The photo of Frank Sinatra in my Aunt Anna Mae’s kitchen.
Aunt Anna Mae even had me celebrate a Memorial Mass for Frank Sinatra in Poughkeepsie shortly after his death. Anne Holland, then the music director at Church of St. Paul the Apostle, came to help add some sounds of Sinatra.
Sinatra once said, “It is not how you sing a song, it is how you sell a song.” With that in mind, I attempted to use the song “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered” as a way of unpacking the Gospel story of the Woman at the Well. It was an awkward effort but people paid attention, for better for worse. Even the more stern Church folks who don’t like this type of homiletic exploration, loved Sinatra, and gave me a pass. Since then, I’ve leaned on Frank Sinatra to help make a homiletic point, or to help me find a quick exit out of a weak sermon.
Twenty years a priest, I’ve covered much of the songbook, from hits to lesser known melodies. Some things stay the same. Wedding sermons usually wrap up with the song “All the Way.” Many funeral homilies have included “I’ll Be Seeing You” to express our belief that we are connected with loved ones even in death. I particularly like using “High Hopes,” “Here’s to The Losers,” and “Come Rain or Come Shine.” There have been countless weekends where I’ve poured over the Sinatra song list for inspiration!
Of course, incorporating music into a homily isn’t everyone’s bag. And I only recommend it with the following caveats (to which I have sought to stay true):
No. 1: Just sing a small bit, just enough to spark the memory and the imagination of the congregation.
No. 2: Sing to convey the feeling of the words, not to show off.
No. 3: Sing simply without any accompaniment.
No. 4: If the song catches, allow the congregation to sing with you.
In my experience, whether singing is included or not, an effecitive homily is like a great song that connects us body and soul with the depths of God’s Love for us in Jesus Christ. Oddly enough, it’s a lesson learned in part thanks to Mr. S.
Happy 100th Birthday, Frank!