Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
Welcome to our Christmas edition of Big City Catholics, our diocesan podcast with Bishop Robert Brennan, the Diocesan Bishop of Brooklyn, serving in Brooklyn and Queens, myself, Father Christopher Henry. Here at St. Joan of Arc Parish, we wish you a very blessed Christmas as this podcast is released on the first day of the Christmas Octave here in 26th of December. Bishop, very merry Christmas to you.
[00:00:35] Speaker B: Merry Christmas.
[00:00:36] Speaker A: We could begin perhaps just offering a prayer before we begin our podcast today. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. Dear Lord, as we reflect on your incarnation, your becoming flesh, you as Emmanuel, God with us, we give thanks to Almighty God for your presence in our lives. We continue to give thanks for the blessing of your nativity as we celebrate this octave and all the blessings that you bestow upon us and our diocese and our church.
We pray through the intercession of our Blessed Mother together as we say, Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
[00:01:17] Speaker B: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
[00:01:22] Speaker A: Father, Son, Holy Spirit, Amen. Bishop, a very merry Christmas. We've got a lot of beautiful news here in our diocese, in our local church.
[00:01:31] Speaker B: Last week we learned first of all that the Holy Father appointed now Archbishop Ronald Hicks as the soon to be Archbishop of New York, and he'll be taking the place of Cardinal Dolan. Archbishop Hicks is a wonderful person. He has lots of respect from many, many different kinds of people. He's held in high esteem. He's a great evangelizer. I don't know him well, but I know him a little and I think he'll do very well, very well in New York, and I'm looking forward to working with them. At the same time, going to miss Cardinal Dolan. He was a hard worker, an effective pastor, and he had a way of getting a message across, maybe with a few chuckles, but getting to the heart of the matter. So we wish him the very best in his new role in life and he continue to be a holy spiritual leader right here in the New York area.
[00:02:27] Speaker A: That's true. You know, this was a very exciting time for our local church in so many ways. It seems like every day we open up the news, the paper or the or we check on our Vatican website and we see new appointments made by our Holy Father in our local church here in the United States for Cardinal Dolan. A blessed retirement, certainly. And I know that it's a well deserved retirement. It's a incredible diocese that Archbishop Hicks has to Inherit. It's quite a large diocese from his current experiences, but one that his own history prepares him for. A man that was served in missionary experiences, has great evangelizational experiences, will make a great archbishop. And I'm sure you're excited to work hand in hand in the local church here in New York.
[00:03:17] Speaker B: Exactly. And a little bit closer to home, a little bit of bittersweet news for us. On the one hand, we rejoice that one of our priests has been called by the Holy Father to be the next Bishop of Palm Beach. So now, Bishop elect Manuel De Jesus Rodriguez, pastor of Our lady of Sorrows in Corona, will be going to Florida to take the place of Bishop Barbarito, also a Brooklyn knight. There's a real connection between Brooklyn and Palm beach, and we're so, so, so sorry to lose him, but really thrilled for him and for the people of Palm Beach.
[00:03:56] Speaker A: It was then, 23 years ago that a Brooklyn high Priest, then Bishop Barbarito of Ogdensburg, was sent to Palm beach. And now that connection continues. It's a beautiful thing. It's a beautiful gift. And for me, Bishop, in this local deanery here in which I serve Our lady of Sorrows, Father Manuel, now Bishop Manuel Rodriguez, who's we've been working together. And I tell you, Bishop, I don't envy the work that's needed to fill such a large parish. Our lady of Sorrows is a big.
[00:04:28] Speaker B: Place that's a very large, very complicated, a wonderful parish, but boy, it's a heavy lift.
[00:04:34] Speaker A: And Bishop, so today's podcast is a special edition. Listen into your homily which you preached at the Co Cathedral for midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. We'll take a listen to your remarks.
[00:04:49] Speaker B: Do not be afraid, for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David, a savior has been born for you who is Christ the Lord.
And this will be a sign for you.
You will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.
Merry Christmas, Felid Navidad.
The message of the angels announcing the birth of Jesus was indeed good news for all people. It is good news for each of us.
Must have been startling for the shepherds.
My guess is that there are hopes and their expectations for that particular night set a pretty low bar.
Sure, the whole world was awaiting a Messiah, but that day would come someday, right?
That night, they were probably hoping for a little bit warmer night.
Night free of attacks by the wild beasts and the sheep being tranquil.
Ah, but the message of the angel changed everything.
Do not be afraid.
For behold, I proclaim good news of great joy.
Permit me to focus on one phrase and then on one single word, do not be afraid.
In the infancy narratives, the first two chapters of the Gospel of Matthew and the first two chapters of the Gospel of Luke, you hear that imperative five times.
Zechariah the father of John the Baptist hears it, the shepherds hear it, Mary hears it, and boy Joseph hears it an awful lot.
You're not told, don't be afraid. When everything's going to be easy, right?
We tell each other, don't be afraid when we know that the road ahead is somewhat difficult, when things can be a little scary.
But what appears as a command, do not be afraid, is really a promise, an assurance.
It's the message of Emmanuel.
God is with us.
God is with us.
In this case, through the infancy narratives, God is really with us hits home, because, yes, God was indeed with them, lying in the manger, clothed in human flesh, truly human and truly divine.
Do not be afraid.
Well, that's easy enough to hear, but how?
And that brings us to the one word, Behold.
[00:08:38] Speaker A: Behold.
[00:08:40] Speaker B: Behold. I bring good news of great joy, says the angel.
In those same chapters of the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke, you hear the word behold 14 times.
To a certain extent, it seems to be simply inserted there for no real reason, except maybe as a rejoinder of sorts.
But it's inserted an awful lot.
[00:09:18] Speaker A: In.
[00:09:18] Speaker B: A short portion of the Gospel.
What does it mean to behold?
To look and to see. Right.
But we know it means more than that.
It means to look upon, to take in, to dwell upon.
The evangelists are speaking very directly to us when they use that word behold.
Sort of like they're giving us a little kick and saying, hey, pay attention.
Behold.
Saying something big here.
You see, as we celebrate the Christmas Mysteries, the Gospels invite us to do a lot more than to take a passing glance.
Rather, they call upon us to look lovingly, to listen carefully, and to contemplate.
When you hear the word behold spoken in the Gospel, stop.
Picture the scene.
The evangelist is trying to tell you something.
Friends, behold.
Behold the manger scene set for our contemplation.
Behold the beauty of the Coke Cathedral.
[00:11:05] Speaker A: Behold.
[00:11:09] Speaker B: The decorations that you have set, the nativities that you have set. And Nino's, the Nino Jesus that you have brought.
Behold.
Take it in.
Behold the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, in the Eucharist.
You see, the Gospel passage we just heard will continue on, and Luke will tell us that Mary kept all these things in her heart.
She kept them and reflected on them in her heart.
And even more, this invitation of the Gospel calls upon us to pay attention to the signs of God's presence in the world around us and in our own lives.
And people who love us may be those who show us a little bit of tenderness.
Those who walk with us along the way.
You see, when we behold, when we really pay attention, it's possible to overcome our fears and our worries.
Not because life is easy, but because we find that inner strength.
That strength of Emmanuel.
God is with us.
The people who walked and talked us have seen a great light.
For a child is born for us. A son is given.
Upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder Counselor.
God, Hero, Father Forever.
Prince of Peace.
Merry Christmas.
[00:13:02] Speaker A: Thank you, Bishop.
[00:13:04] Speaker B: And thanks to all of you again. God bless you. No matter what's going on in your life. May this be a time of hope and joy.
Even if the times are a little bit trying, if they be with family. I hope that the good things are heightened and the tough things are lessened. Just knowing the blessings of Emmanuel. God is with us. May Almighty God bless you in the coming year and always. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
[00:13:30] Speaker A: Amen. Thank you, Bishop, and thanks to all who continue to listen. We hope you'll join us again next week.
