My Sisters and Brothers:
For seventeen years I was stationed at Most Holy Trinity-St. Mary, a wonderful parish in Brooklyn, New York. The diverse membership of our church community perfectly reflected the multicultural and densely populated urban neighborhood surrounding us. There were Latinos from many nations, many African Americans, recent immigrants from various parts of Africa, a large Polish community, others with roots in various European countries, people with Indigenous American backgrounds, Asian Americans, and others from just about every place in the world!
The image of “a melting-pot” used to describe the United States, which I had first encountered in middle school social studies classes, was a perfect description of our parish and of our corner of New York City. And for all those years I was in Brooklyn, it was apparent to me those different types of peoples, with their unique ethnicities, customs, languages, and traditions, all lived in relative harmony and with respect for one another. In fact, I believe our various communities relished each opportunity they had to celebrate and even reverence the diversity of their neighbors and friends.
The celebration of that multiculturalism and diversity in the parish was especially true when throughout every year each unique community would sponsor religious events and social activities highlighting their faith, their cultures, their special traditions and their foods! For example, one week our Polish community might have a dance in our parish hall featuring contemporary Polish music, and lots of delicious food such as Bigos, Pierogis, Kielbasa, Gołąbki, and many delightful Polish pastries; the very next week and in the same space our Puerto Rican community would sponsor a fiesta featuring Salsa music and dance, food that included Arroz Con Gandules, Yucca, fried Plantanos, Empanadillas, and Pernil, and then the next time another one of our many communities with their different traditions, music, and food would also be celebrated! Together, many people from every one of our diverse communities would attend all these events. For me and for others, it was completely wonderful to have the chance to celebrate, to enjoy and to learn about so many unique cultures and ethnicities. I loved the people of our parish and neighborhood, and the opportunity to live and minister with them in Brooklyn!
Each year, usually on the first Sunday of January and the Feast of the Epiphany, our broader civic community would sponsor a “Three Kings Parade.” People of every cultural group, especially those who were Latino, would march in the parade that passed very close by our church. Large crowds with people from every nation, our parishioners and neighbors, would gather on the sidewalks to cheer the passing floats and those walking in the parade. Even our various local public schools would participate, and many of their students and teachers would stream by in the jubilant procession. It was always very exciting to experience this tremendously wonderful local event. And at the finale of the parade, just before very noisy but festive fire trucks appeared bringing it to conclusion, three magnificently dressed Kings accompanied by several large camels and other animals would march triumphantly down the street. It was a site to behold, and it brought great joy to everyone!
Today in our church we once again celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany, or the “Three Kings.” Those “wise men” came from distant lands to pay homage to Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, and in doing so they represented people of every nation, race, language and culture. On this day let’s recall that Jesus came to live among all human beings, and as such dignifies, reverences, and celebrates the diversity of our world. May we, like my parishioners and neighbors in Brooklyn, follow his example as we live our lives, and in the way we live among and respect others we encounter in our society and world, especially those who might be different than us! Happy Three Kings Day!
Praise God! Friar Timothy
