As Christmas approaches, the message of glimmering hope in the darkness might feel more relevant than ever. Whether inspired by the weight of a corrupt world, personal sorrow or the gloom that lingers during the short days of winter, people seem increasingly drawn to finding the light.
That’s the message to take away from Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York who leads midnight mass this Christmas.
Cardinal Dolan shared this sentiment during an exclusive sit-down interview with Maria Bartiromo at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, where he reflected on signs that Americans are rejecting the “caricature” of faith as “nasty, destructive, harmful and antiquated,” prompting sales of the Bible and other books on spirituality to rise.
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“There seems to be a newfound appreciation for the role of faith, especially in our country,” he told the “Sunday Morning Futures” host.
“I think President Trump tapped into that. I’ve had talks with him before in the past. He was pretty blunt [that] he can’t say that he was raised as a very zealous Christian, but he takes his Christian faith seriously. He has a lot of memories about Norman Vincent Peale, the famous preacher here in New York, down… on Fifth Avenue, and I think he means it.”
He continued, “I think the assassination attempts kind of renewed in him, ‘There’s something beyond me that I think is watching over me, and it’s got a task for me.’ And what he expresses personally seems to be expressed more and more throughout the world. And that’s part of America.”
Perhaps there is something bigger watching over the world, he suggested, pointing to former President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II, two figures whose contributions helped define the latter part of the 20th century. They both survived assassination attempts very close to one another, each going on to help make the world what it is today.
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“When the two of them met for the first time, Ronald Reagan said to Pope Saint John Paul II, ‘Mother Teresa told me that she thinks the Lord spared me because the Lord has something special in mind for me, and Pope Saint John Paul II smiled and said, ’She told me the same thing.’ They both believed that, and look what they were able to accomplish. The world was changed for the better because of them,” he reflected.
Cardinal Dolan walked the grounds of St. Patrick’s Cathedral with Bartiromo, showing her a photo of a drawing from imprisoned Hong Kong freedom fighter, Jimmy Lai, depicting Christ on the cross.
As billions across the world prepare to celebrate the Christmas and Hanukkah holidays, Dolan says his message this midnight mass will focus on the “triumph of light.”
“The Lord’s always inviting us to go out of ourselves. That gives us hope.”
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