|
INTENTION : |
That deacons, faithful in their service to the Word and the poor, may be an invigorating symbol for the entire Church.
|
Love - Charity - Service
From the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 6:1-7), we receive the origins of the Order of Deacons. In the early Church, there were growing pains. And as the number of disciples grew, some of the basic needs of service to certain members of the Church, especially widows, were being neglected.
The Apostles first prayed, in order to discern how to meet this need, so that their priorities of prayer and preaching would not be neglected.
Rooted in this historical moment of the Church, we discover the primary ministry of the deacon, which is service. The service of the deacon is oriented to those who are being neglected: the poor, the widow, the orphan. The deacons' service is fulfilled in various ways, from their practical ministry of charity to those in need, but also in their service of prayer, particularly the Liturgy of Hours, in their service at the altar and their service of the Word, as well as through the practical service of day-to-day fidelity and love within their families.
The Acts of the Apostles goes on to say:
Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, ... whom we shall appoint to this task, ... whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.
So, we see in this passage not only the defining ministry of the deacon, but also the primary vocation of the Bishop, which is prayer; prayer and preaching the Word of God. It is through the laying on of hands that the ministry of the Bishop and the Sacrament of Holy Orders is shared with others in the deaconate and the priesthood.
We also learn from the Acts of the Apostles the important role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church, and so in every ecclesial vocation.
As deacons, they will to be docile and receptive to the promptings and inspirations of the Holy Spirit in their work and ministry of service.
St. Paul instructs us in the Letter to the Ephesians, the following:
Live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Eph. 4:1-3).
The grace you receive through Christ Jesus is to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the Body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ.(Eph. 4:7,12).
This instruction is of great value, particularly to those who embark on their new ministry as deacons.
Our people are hungering for a closer relationship with Jesus Christ; for a higher capacity, competency and courage to live their faith in Jesus. As deacons, they are now uniquely equipped by Christ and His Church for this work and ministry. Help people draw closer to Christ, to know and live their faith with confidence. The gifts they have received, they are now to share freely in service. Call forth the gifts of God's people, and empower them to use their gifts in similar freedom and generosity for the building up of the Body of Christ.
We draw from Gospel of John 15:9 -17, our final instruction, and the most important: Love.
As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, ... This I command you: love one another.
Pope Francis, in his 2017 visit to Milan, said, "The diaconate is a specific vocation, a family vocation that requires service." (March 25, 2017).
Generally, the permanent deacons are married. Each deacon has learned the demands of love, of marriage, of family. This is perhaps the best training and preparation they have received to serve the Church as deacons. Make no mistake that the family of the Church is no different from that of the human family. The same perseverance and willingness to forgive, and accept others for who they are and still love them at the same time is also needed in the Church. As their love is always at the centre of their service to one's wife and family; so, they must be willing to serve the members of the Body of Christ with the same love.
Love is rarely convenient and always demanding yet, it is the means by which Christ shares with us his joy, and where our joy is complete!
By remaining in Christ's love, we learn to love. Having learned to love, we exercise this love in concrete acts of charity and service.
Love, Charity, Service; this is the life of the deacon. Love, Charity, Service; this is the love with which they are loved first by God in Jesus Christ. This is the love in which the Church exists and to which we cling, for which we are called, chosen and sent.
Archbishop Paul Etienne
Homily at Anchorage Co- Cathedral
May 2018
|
|
