St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City.  From all around the Tri State region, our missionaries are gathering today for their journey to St. Patrick’s Cathedral for our annual Advent Mission.  We’ll be joined by over ½ dozen priests from the Legionaries, the Franciscans, the Dominicans, and of course the Cathedral’s own dedicated clergy.  Together, we will witness Christ to thousands. 

For inspiration today, we turn to Lorenzo Monaco’s rendition of the wonderful gospel story of the three Magi who travel from far and wide to find the baby Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem. 

This masterpiece of early Renaissance art has long fascinated many for its visually dramatic message about the spiritual journey we are all towards heaven.  Three highlights  in particular seem particularly relevant for our mission today. 

Lorenzon Monaco, Adoration of the Magi, 1420, Uffizi Gallery 

1. Our North Star.  The three Magi found Jesus by following the North Star,  their central compass.  Of course, like all of us, they at one point got distracted by their earth-bound assumptions about what was important.  Indeed, they assumed the star would lead to the palace of Herod, the worldly king at the time.  But once they got there, they realized the star was not the worldly king at all, but the “King of Kings”, the King of Heaven, Jesus.  As we encounter the many visitors and tourists today who will be passing through the Cathedral on an itinerary that includes other New York sites such as the Rockefeller Christmas tree across the street, and the Saks’ windows next door, and of course, shopping, we need to help them re-direct towards the true king, the North Star.  The wonder of St. Patrick’s is that even occasional believers can feel something special there, the presence of Beauty, of the Holy Spirit.  So often, all it takes is a joyful, loving missionary to slow them down, and breathe in all that is around them.  Help them find their way back to their North Star. 

1. Humility as the path to God.  Monaco’s masterpiece has a number of subtle lessons about finding God within it, and first and foremost is the  importance of humility in the spiritual life.   In the far background, we see a reference to the angels’ first nativity appearance, the shepherds guarding their flocks on the dark mountainside.  The artist is reminding us that God chose to invite the lowly shepherds first, not the kings.  So let’s be sure today that we don’t overlook the folks who come past us in church who might appear to be less likely candidates for a visit with Jesus.  Perhaps they will be covered with tattoos or ear piercings, or dressed in ratty clothes, or accompanied by a large extended family on a tourist run.  Jesus wants them all.  And let’s also remember that we are only effective as his intermediaries when we take off our own spiritual crowns, like the older king who has tossed his to the ground, and acknowledge that we are not the ones bringing in souls to the kingdom.  The Holy Spirit is.  We’re just cooperating, humbly and with love. 

1. All are welcome here.  Another big message of the Gospel story from Matthew 1, which Monaco has picked up on and even perhaps exaggerated, is that after the lowly shepherds, Jesus appears to the foreigners, the three kings with their assorted retinue of all stripes and colors.  That’s a message for us today, in the Cathedral.  We’re not just looking for the Catholics, although for sure, they are a primary target because we want to get them to the sacrament of reconciliation.  But at the same time, we are also there to witness that Jesus came for everyone, and that the church is not a private club, but rather a joyful, humble, and loving body of Christ for the whole world.  All are welcome on our collective journey to the North Star. 

See you in the Cathedral. 

A missionary 

December 15, 2025