Homily for Vespers
The Most Reverend Ronald A. Hicks
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
February 5, 2026
Paz y bien!
Peace and all good things to all of you!
¡Paz y bien a todos mis hermanos y hermanas en Cristo, y a toda la gente de buena voluntad!
Paz y bien.
The Church, in her wisdom, gives us an evening like this.
Not to solve all the issues and challenges of our Church and our world.
And not even to highlight all the blessings and successes either.
We are here this evening to pray… together.
We come here as people of faith and goodwill to ask God to bless me and to bless the entire Archdiocese of New York as we take these next steps… together.
Since the announcement that I will be the 11th Bishop of the Archdiocese of New York, so many people have been asking me, “How do you feel? How are you feeling?”
Many do not wait for an answer. They begin listing emotions.
“Do you feel excited? Nervous? Anxious? Happy? Unsure? Peaceful? Blessed?”
And when I answer them, I simply say, “Yes.”
Yes. All of those feelings have been washing over me, at different times and in different ways.
This call to lead, to teach, and to sanctify in the Archdiocese of New York brings with it great responsibilities and beautiful gifts.
And just like that mixture of emotions, leading the Archdiocese involves real complexities, serious challenges, and at the same time an abundance of joy, goodness, and blessing.
If you would like to get a glimpse of how I plan on taking these next steps, my roadmap is to trust God, to surrender to Him, to unite my heart to the heart of Jesus, and to seek the will of the Father each day in prayer, surrounded by and ministering with good and faithful people.
Quiero decir esto también en español.
Si quieren saber cómo voy a caminar en esta nueva etapa, voy a confiar en Dios, ponerme en sus manos y unir mi corazón al Corazón de Jesús para hacer la voluntad del Padre cada día en oración. Quiero caminar acompañado de personas buenas y fieles, trabajando juntos en la misión y en los ministerios de la Iglesia.
When I was in high school, I heard a homily that many of you have probably heard as well. And the setting of that homily is right here.
Just across the street, outside the main doors of this Cathedral, stands the famous statue of Atlas. He is big, muscular, and strong, carrying the entire world on his back. When you look at that statue, you can almost feel the strain. The weight of the world is crushing him. It is a powerful image of what life looks like when we try to carry everything by ourselves.
Now, after looking at Atlas, cross Fifth Avenue and step inside the Church, the house of God, for a different perspective.
Enter the doors of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. Notice the beautiful new murals in the narthex, depicting immigrants past and present, New York saints and notable figures, and first responders. And then, follow a straight line walking up the aisle, past all the people gathered in prayer. Go up toward the altar, and just behind it you will find a small statue of Jesus. Like Atlas, Christ is holding the world. But unlike Atlas, Jesus is not holding it on his back.
He holds the world in the palm of his hand. And he holds it easily, joyfully, almost effortlessly.
Jesus is not struggling or straining or being crushed.
He holds the world, with all its challenges and complexities, with authority, truth, love, and divine mercy.
This juxtaposition gives us a powerful image.
On one side of the street, Atlas shows us what happens when we try to carry everything alone.
On this side, Christ invites us to place our trust in him.
In this simple contrast, we find the heart of our faith and the call of the Gospel. We are invited to let go of the impossible task of carrying everything on our own and to allow Christ to be the one who sustains us. It is a message of trust, surrender, and doing the will of God.
In this evening’s reading from the New Testament, we are exhorted to follow God’s will, not as a burden, but as a path of trust. One of the most beautiful examples of someone who lived according to God’s will is the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary’s “yes” was not just a single moment. It was a lifelong surrender. Even in moments of sorrow, uncertainty, and watching her beloved Son suffer, she remained ever faithful to God’s will.
And so, as I am installed tomorrow, I humbly ask you to pray for me, and please know that I promise to pray for you, not just tonight, but all the days of my life.
En las palabras de Santa Teresa de “Ávila: “Nada te turbe, nada te espante. Solo Dios basta.”
As I begin this ministry tomorrow, I do not want to be Atlas.
I do not want to pretend that I can carry the weight of this Archdiocese on my own shoulders.
Instead, with you… together, let us place the Archdiocese of New York, with all our hopes, all our wounds, and all our future, into the hands of Jesus.
Jesus already holds the world. And in that trust, we know he will hold us as well.