Responding to tragedy with faith and action

I participated in a solemn Interfaith Prayer Service in Midtown at St. Bart’s Church to commemorate the recent deadly tragedy at 345 Park Avenue. The reflections, music and prayers were a forceful reminder of the irrationality and darkness of that violence.

As I prayed during that service, I thought about how widespread irrational violence, hatred, and death have become — perpetrated by individuals, organized groups, and governments.

Given Catholic Charities of New York’s commitment to feeding the hungry in the city, how could I not cry over the widespread hunger and unacceptable humanitarian suffering in Gaza? We must continue to raise fervent prayers — for the victims of October 7, the hostages, and all those who are dead, injured or hungry in Palestine, Israel and throughout the Middle East.

I thought about my trip to Ukraine, a few months after the Russian invasion. We prayed for the war to end. Now, more than three years later, the carnage and destruction continues.

How can we not reflect on our own country, with the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor? At Catholic Charities, we are deeply aware and pained that too much rhetoric and too many actions betray our proud heritage as a refuge for refugees and a land of opportunity, and pervert our proud motto: e pluribus unum. Catholic Charities does not hesitate to accompany those who are threatened and afraid.

But then I thought of the Feast of the Transfiguration — that glorious event on the mountain that foreshadowed Jesus’ resurrection and that occurred shortly after He told His disciples that He must suffer and die, and that they would have to follow His example. This speech by Jesus was not a great morale booster then, nor is it now. And I must confess that I am sometimes impatient—as I suspect you may be, too—with God’s timetable for transfiguring our world. God’s pace is much slower than I would like!

Therefore, I suggest that, in the midst of so much darkness, we look more intensely toward the mountain and contemplate the illuminating vision of Jesus transfigured as hope and promise — not only for us, but for the entire world — the integral transformation of pain, suffering and death.

I propose that we allow this vision to strengthen and sustain us even further, with the clear recognition that our Catholic Charities family — agencies, programs, services, trustees, staff, volunteers and donors — is already working in great strength. Their work testifies that darkness, although devastating, does not win nor has the last word. Your goodness does have it. Every day, they help thousands of our neighbors experience the kind of help that gives them and their families hope.

I raise a prayer of supplication for God’s greater healing, mercy and protection for the most vulnerable among us. I close with a prayer of thanks for you and ask for God’s blessing on you and your family.

Msgr. Kevin Sullivan is the executive director of Catholic Charities of New York