There is  a bit of a controversy brewing here in the United States and it has to do with the St. Patrick’s day parade in New York. If you do not know the story, it is simply this. The organizers   of the Saint Patrick’s Day parade named Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who is the Archbishop of New York, the Grand Marshall of the parade for 2015. Afterwards, for the first time they welcomed a gay group called Out@NBCUniversal into the parade. Now many people are saying that the Archbishop of New York will be Grand Marshall for a parade honoring the Patron Saint of Ireland that now welcomes a community that stands for behavior outside of Catholic teaching.

A few things need to be said. Cardinal Dolan is the Archbishop of New York which means, he is the ultimate authority in his archdiocese, so, first, this is an Archdiocese of New York issue. Second the Archdiocese of New York is only one of three dioceses in the city of New York, the other two are Brooklyn and Rockville Center. Third the parade honors the patron saint of the Archdiocese of  New York. Finally, the Boston parade which happens around St. Patrick’s Day actually honors veterans and here March 17 is Evacuation Day honoring the day the British left Boston.

Many people are angry over the whole incident in New York and are calling for Cardinal Dolan to withdraw. As always, when one sees a dispute, one needs to look at positions and issues. One position is that Cardinal Dolan says he should march as Grand Marshall because it is a sign of the fact that Jesus rejects nobody. Cardinal Dolan is the archbishop of that archdiocese and is responsible for all the souls there, including those at Rockefeller Center. 

Others say that this is a sign that Cardinal Dolan is indicating that sin is no  longer sin in the Church, therefore, many Catholics are confused. However, if  you look carefully at the true issue, then you will see that, as always, holding to either position will result in no resolution to the problem. You need to look at the underlying issue.

The true issue is always “What is God’s will?” Let us examine this. It is God’s will that all are saved. What is salvation? It is not just that God offers his mercy to sinners, but that sinners accept his call for salvation by opening themselves up to God’s transforming grace. This grace brings upon us the wisdom that God bestows on His children. The more we open ourselves to God’s wisdom, the more we see His truth. The more we conform ourselves to His truth, the closer we come to Him. How do we experience His truth? By humbly sitting before the Lord and asking that His will be done in our lives. In the whole controversy in the Archdiocese of New York, this statement needs to be proclaimed: “What is God’s will for me in my life?”

We can find an answer in the second reading where we see Paul’s famous description of Jesus’ humility. Jesus’ actions can be summed up by doing the Father’s will. He sought not divinity for Himself but in service to the Father, He sought to do the Father’s will in His own life that all may be saved. Doing His will means first being open to His wisdom, which Jesus embodies.

In the first chapter of Romans there is a verse that is erroneously used to condemn homosexuality specifically. What it actually says is that if we turn from God we lose His wisdom in our lives and by doing so everything collapses starting with our morals.

The greatest thing we should all seek is God’s wisdom and in God’s wisdom seek what is His will. In order to seek His wisdom we must humbly accept that it is greater than any human wisdom. So If Joe Smith with a Ph.D proclaims on NBC News who should or should not march in the St.Patrick’s Day parade-that is human wisdom. However, if Mary Jones, housewife, says, “Should not the prime element of the St.Patrick’s Day parade be about St.  Patrick’s call for us to be holy and even center on the themes of his famous breastplate?” Despite not having a Ph.D., she is speaking of a divine wisdom that leads us to ask the real question. “Isn’t the best way to honor St Patrick to seek holiness, whether or not we attend or watch the parade?”

If we humble ourselves before the Lord, we will experience Him leading us to seek the greatest gift He has for us which is holiness through an infusion of His wisdom which leads to our salvation. This will lead us  to see that you cannot find holiness just through participation in some parade in New York despite it seeking to honor New York patron Saint, Patrick a powerful witness for Christ. If we truly want to honor St. Patrick, we must ask “What will  lead me to holiness?” and then seek  the grace that will allow the answer to transform us everyday. We will seek a renewal of our minds that will show us the virtue of humility, lead us to reject the vice of pride and seek God’s will in our lives today. We will also seek out the sacrament of reconciliation for the sins that God’s wisdom shows that we need to renounce and from which we need to repent.

What would Jesus Do? He always does the will of the Father. He might visit a pub to speak wisely about sin and salvation, inviting the patrons to turn from sin, seek wisdom from His Father and embrace the way of the cross, the true way to salvation. I am sure Patrick would do the same.

God Bless You,

Fr. Robert J Carr