Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:10 Welcome back to another edition of our Dias and podcast Big City Catholics with Bishop Robert Brennan, the Dias and bishop of Brooklyn, and myself, father Christopher hen you this Sunday we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. And so to open our podcast, we'll use the closing prayer of the Divine Mercy Chapel. In the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Eternal God in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible look kindly upon us and increase your mercy in us that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence. Submit ourselves to your holy will, which is love and mercy itself. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Amen. Amen. But Bishop, before we get into the conversation of Divine Mercy Sunday, I think it was really quite beautiful, are the Easter celebrations here in the co cathedral and you had some celebrations at St. James Cathedral as well, but across our diocese, have you had any conversations with priests about Oh yes. How their celebrations.
Speaker 2 00:01:11 Oh, first of all, happy Easter to you
Speaker 1 00:01:13 As well.
Speaker 2 00:01:13 We are still in the Easter season. We're still in the octave of Easter, but we've got 50 days of Easter, so That's right. So happy Easter. You too, Bishop and indeed the days of the Sacred Triduum, the Days of Holy Weekend, days of Easter was so uplifting right here at the K Cathedral, at St. James Cathedral and in so many of our parishes. Yes, I've heard from a number of priests and it seems to be pretty much the case here and in other places I was with Bishop Barito, who's, uh, Brooklyn Mourn, Bishop, uh, Bishop of Palm Beach and Florida. They're all saying the same thing, that these are probably the largest crowds they've seen since the pandemic. That's great. Said that people have that sense, that desire to return. We spoke about this last week, but the number of priests who were at the, that's great Prism, mass.
Speaker 2 00:02:00 People are getting out and about and that's a very, very good thing. But it's heartening to see people turning to the Lord in the Eucharist. Absolutely. And my absolutely prayer, my hope is that people had good experience. And I often say sometimes it's hard to get back on any routine. It's hard to get back into the routine, but once you're back, you're glad to be back. Let's hope that this was a good experience and people feel at home and feel safe. I mean, I think doing everything else, isn't it great that we can be together for holy mass?
Speaker 1 00:02:34 It was wonderful. I, here at the co cathedral, we had record numbers, which was again an absolute blessing to see as a priest too. And, and you know what, I think sometimes priests, they can be so excited by the moment. So for me at the co cathedral to see so many more people at, at mass and to see the co cathedral, which seats 1200 people, never, it never looks full cuz it seats 1200 people. I mean, wouldn't it be be great if we kept 1200 people to mass, but with 350 people, it was just so exciting. And there's such a, a tangible energy that is present when the church is more full for priests. It's very encouraging, you know, especially the younger clergy, to see churches more full.
Speaker 2 00:03:15 It is something truly to celebrate proclaiming aboriginal Lord. You know, next week we have the third Sunday of proclaiming, resurrection, appearances of Jesus, and this particular one next week will be that of the road to a maus. We, how did they recognize him? They came to recognize him in the breaking of the bread. And so we realize that that's so important for us to be able to know the Lord Jesus. We know that he's with us always, but we need that special moment when we recognize him in the breaking of the bread so that we can in fact know that He's with us always. That's right. Otherwise, we can get caught up in our daily routines and just lose sight of the presence of the Lord.
Speaker 1 00:03:59 Bishop, maybe we could speak a little bit about why is it so necessary for us to develop a, a routine habit of coming to mass on Sundays? I mean, you know, I, I think unfortunately the reality of saying, well, because it's one of the 10 commandments to honor the Lord your God. And that's why it's an obligation to go to mass every Sunday. But, and that's still the truth, but why, why do we encourage people to come to mass every Sunday?
Speaker 2 00:04:27 The simple answer is because we need it, because we need this time. The longer answer is that this is the most amazing gift that you can imagine. That God would empty himself come among us as a human person is itself amazing. Hmm. That he would suffer and die on the cross is itself even more amazing. But that he would give us this gift of taking ordinary bread and ordinary wine and changing it into his body. And blood is beyond comprehension. Hmm. That God comes to us in the Eucharist really and truly. And if we really appreciate that, then that in itself is a motivation. Why would we not want to receive that gift of God? Why would we not want to have that strength? And then again, that sense of needing him, we need God. I think that there are other issues that really kind of surround the question of mass attendance.
Speaker 2 00:05:28 Certainly the whole covid experience took us away from that sense of that need to go to mass regularly. But I think you have to look at the reality of our relationship with God in a sense. We're living in an age which is casting God more and more to the side. And we see it in blatant ways in the culture, but we can even see it in our own lives. We can get caught up with what I need to do, what I have, have to accomplish. It's very easy to know that God is always there, but not really to seek him out, not really to recognize that I really mean God and God makes himself present to me. God actually comes to me. So those are some of the things we want to be able to develop. The other thing, I mentioned this at the charism mass.
Speaker 2 00:06:19 I'm speaking to the priest at this point, but it's an important message for all of us. We need prayer. And in our world, we tend to think of Jesus as a figure from the past. A person to admire a person who could inspire us in its worst form, Jesus is looked upon as almost like an imaginary friend. Somebody. There's that inspiration that can motivate us, sort of like any other kind of spiritual idea. Sure. Jesus isn't an idea. Jesus is real person and he's not only a real person as in a person from the past. Jesus is a real person who is alive today. That's
Speaker 1 00:07:04 Right. Present
Speaker 2 00:07:04 Among us. He's present among us. I, I asked at the prison mass, how is it any wonder that there's a crisis in the faith, in the Eucharist, in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist? How can you have the real presence of somebody who's not really a person? We have to begin with that sense of Jesus as a real person who is alive in this world, and this is how he gives himself to us in a sacramental way so that we can know that he's with us always. So it's probably the most necessary of all gifts.
Speaker 1 00:07:38 And it, it is really in this sort of circle that if you believe in him as a real being and therefore you believe in his real presence, therefore you recognize the need to be with him at church and be with him grows in your relationship with him, the real person. And it continues in this cycle. And if you break that cycle or if a part of that cycle is not strengthened, if as you say, if you don't believe him as a real person, then how can there be a real presence? And if there's no real presence, you can encounter this imaginary friend anywhere and therefore you don't need to go to church. And so there's this logical circle, right, that entails,
Speaker 2 00:08:17 I suppose you could say, did you believe in that Jesus is real person? Most would answer yes. But the fact of the matter is sometimes in our daily practice it becomes more like the imaginary friend or that figure from the past. One of the key things we read during these days from the acts of the apostles, you know, we speak of the acts of the apostles sometimes as the fifth gospel or the, the gospel of the risen Christ. Some people say, why is it that the gospel sort of end with just a little bit about the risen Jesus? And the answer is, well, there is a gospel that is about the risen Jesus and that's the acts of, of the apostles. And the apostles were very strong on the fact that they weren't continuing his work, they weren't keeping his spirit alive. They were witnessing to his real presence.
Speaker 2 00:09:12 That's what they were doing. They were horrified when people would turn to them as if they were performing miracles. And they would say, no, we are just witnessing. We're just showing you the fact that that Jesus, who you crucified, who God raised from the dead is alive now and is walking with us. Hmm. This is just another incidence of Jesus being with us. They had that, they were very clear. That's one of the reasons I love reading in this time of Easter from the acts of the apostles. They were very, very clear that this is about the risen Christ and his doing his work. And that's true today because an unconscious level, it can get into us that idea of Jesus, somebody from the past. And then, like I said, sometimes we live in a culture that actually formalizes it or goes that extra step to sure.
Speaker 2 00:10:02 Imaginary friend, you know, father Christopher, I know whenever you're in church, you're talking to the choir. In this podcast we're talking to the, the, the, we're talking to the people in the choir who are the mostly sleep involved. Like they go to church and they take up the time to listen to a podcast. So thank you for that <laugh>. So, so please understand I'm talking about a reality that we all face in the culture. And then also though some of us as very religious Catholics, we always want to renew that sense. That's why again, a beauty of the Easter season, hearing the story about a maus, our eyes are opened again when we encounter Jesus in the
Speaker 1 00:10:41 Eucharist. I think, you know, there are some ways in which we can be encouraging to those, uh, who may have fallen out of the habit of Sunday worship. Sometimes Bishop, you hear the horror stories of the, perhaps a priest celebrate who may say, well, where are you every other Sunday? You know, it's so good to see all of you here today, but we have mass every Sunday. I think in light of the conversation in light of this Sunday, that the church celebrates divine mercy Sunday. That's right. I think it that adds a little bit of an extra grace to this conversation that yes, people may have fallen away from the practice of the faith. People may need to advance in their journey of recognizing Jesus as a real presence. Jesus' real presence in the Eucharist, their need to be with Jesus and their need for Sunday practice. I think this Sunday specifically, it's one week after Easter, and I wonder if there's a, there's a wisdom to that. I think what's nice about it is that it's the weekend right after Easter, and perhaps there are people that have made up now a promise or a recommitment. They said, I'm coming to mass on Easter Sunday, I'm gonna try this again next Sunday as well.
Speaker 2 00:11:45 It's part of those revelations of St. Fina. But I, I'll tell you why I think it connects, why it's so beautifully put. We closed the Octa of Easter and it's the return of the risen Christ to his disciples, to the 11 notice 11, one had actually betrayed him and then despaired. So it's the 11 and of the 11, only one of them was at the foot of the cross. John, the others had all run away. And Peter who had all that bravado, no one's getting past me, Jesus. They got to pass me to get to you and they're not gonna get past me. And you know what, as Jesus predicted, he denied him three times. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I, I always say the last words that Jesus heard uttered from Peter's mouth, where I do not know the man. Wow. So in a sense, the reason Lord comes into a scene of utter failure and what is his word to them?
Speaker 2 00:12:45 Shalom. And we know what shalom means. Shalom means a lot more. It, it's only weekly translated as peace. When Jewish people greet each other with shalom, it, it's a very profound greeting. It means peace and wellbeing. And I, I would say peace, my very good friend. It's a gesture of deep friendship. It's a gesture of real concern and even trust. So divine mercy, the day is that the resurrection of Jesus means divine mercy on the world and on those apostles, it's Jesus coming back, speaking his shall homem somehow or another. It's really all part of God's great providence that we celebrate divine mercy Sunday on this Sunday closing the Octa of Easter.
Speaker 1 00:13:36 I think it's beautiful. It, it really is. It's a very powerful Sunday in our diocese and all around the world. I mean particularly it has its roots with obviously St. Fina, but was St. Pope John Paul ii, who then would've canonized St. Fina
Speaker 2 00:13:52 And then brought forth her mystical experience. He helped the world to be able to see what St. Festina had experienced and had recorded in her writings, her mystical experiences of Jesus, the source of divine mercy.
Speaker 1 00:14:08 There's a beautiful quote of Saint Festina in her diary of the revelation of Jesus saying, I want the image to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter. And I want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it. My daughter tell the whole world about my inconceivable mercy. What a beautiful day for us. And the phrase, Jesus I trust in you.
Speaker 2 00:14:32 That's the other part of it. Wow.
Speaker 2 00:14:34 You know, that becomes such a source of strength. What is the Lord asking simply Jesus, I trust in you. It becomes a prayer, sort of like a mantra. And that no matter what's going on in our lives, even when we find ourselves struggling to pray, we can always pray. Jesus, I trust in in you. I don't understand what's going on, but I trust in you Jesus. I know that you've always been faithful. I know that things may or may not work out as I would like them to work out, but no matter what's going on, I trust
Speaker 1 00:15:03 In you. What a great statement of especially, uh, in my own life, Bishop, uh, you know, I think for our continued trust in, in God and and wanting, as you said earlier about, you know, this is what my plan, this is my idea, this is, you know, we fall into the trap of the societal trap, the cultural trap that we are in charge of our own destiny. We are the ones who make our decisions. It's we can make the most of our life. And without meeting God, just after coming through the beautiful Easter celebrations here and and the Easter Triduum, you realize all of this is to serve the greater glory of God. And everything that we do is to please God and to keep renewing our trust in Him who sustains us.
Speaker 2 00:15:47 Exactly
Speaker 1 00:15:49 The topic, Bishop of divine mercy. It almost seems for us in the diocese of Brooklyn and Rockville Center and Archdiocese of New York since we just had reconciliation Monday, it is sort of like, yeah, well we've already experienced God's mercy just a week ago or a week and a half ago.
Speaker 2 00:16:03 And do you mind if I jump in on that? Yeah. Because we were talking earlier about the crowds. That was the other thing. Number of priests mentioned to me the numbers of people who approached for confession, either on that day, and I know some parishes had confessions on Good Friday and people were just moved to confession and to experience that gift of God's divine mercy. So you're right, many make the practice of going to confession on the weekend of Divine mercy, many of them having experienced that sacrament during Holy Week. But it's in a sense, we are celebrating God's mercy. God's mercy is never ending. And we, we, in the quote from St f, his unfathomable divine mercy, it's, it's this, well that an, an infinite well His, his love for us, his mercy. So we experience divine mercy, not just on a Sunday after Easter, but it's a gift that Jesus has given to us all the time. That gift, the sacrament of reconciliation is always available to us. If somebody feels like, oh, I missed, uh, reconciliation Monday. Good news. Yeah,
Speaker 1 00:17:08 <laugh>,
Speaker 2 00:17:10 Most of our parishes have reconciliation every Saturday, multiple times during the week. Let the Lord lead
Speaker 1 00:17:16 You. And that quote from Pope Francis that's used often when speaking of confession, the Lord never tires of forgiving us. It's us who tire of asking for God's forgiveness. Right. What a beautiful that that exactly repeats an the inexhaustible mercy of the
Speaker 2 00:17:33 Lord. And you know, something I often say about confession, it's an act of worship because on the one hand, we are going to the Lord in confession because wow, I, I need that healing in my life. I need that sense of forgiveness, but it's also an act of worship of God. It's letting God be God that no matter what happens, I can turn to God with trust. Jesus. I trust you and allow God to forgive me and allow God's mercy to change me to, um, transforming cuz we're always in need of that ongoing conversion, that deepening of our love for God,
Speaker 1 00:18:06 The prayer of, of absolution, may God grant you pardon in peace. And I I often think, yeah, people are here for pardon. Obviously that's why they're, they're coming. But really when you think about all that leads us into sin, or what sin does to us is it disturbs our peace. And that's that peace, that shalom that you're speaking of. May God grant you, pardon and peace. What a beautiful gift.
Speaker 2 00:18:31 So we have a great weekend ahead of us, yet we continue on that journey of 50 days celebrating the resurrection of Jesus and his new life. During these days of Easter, I often like to turn to the Regina C you know, instead of praying the, instead of praying the hail Holy Queen during Easter, one of the customs is that we pray the Regina Chaley, which means queen of heaven. It's the church joining with Mary in this dialogue of sorts telling each other. Rejoice because the Lord is with us. So we pray, queen of heaven, rejoice. Hallelujah. The Son whom you merited to bear, hallelujah, has risen as he said. Hallelujah. Pray for us to God, hallelujah, rejoice and be glad over Virgin Mary. Hallelujah. For the Lord is truly risen. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Amen. Mighty God bless you, the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit. Amen. Amen.
Speaker 1 00:19:26 Happy Easter again Bishop and God bless you all. Thank you for tuning in to another edition of this DIAM podcast. We hope you enjoyed and we hope that you continue to listen weekly to our podcast. God bless.
