Presentation by Bishop Steinbock to
Deacons and Wives, Pastoral Center, July 9, 2005
John 15:5-17: I am the vine, you are the branches.
(A number of these ideas were taken from “The Ministry of the Deacon” by Rev. Joseph DeGrocco, director of liturgical formation at the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, Huntington, N.Y., as appeared in America magazine, March 22, 2004)
It was not you who chose me, it was I who chose you.”
The permanent diaconate is a vocation, a call from God. One does not choose this for himself. One only is open to hear that call and respond to that call from God. Each of you must realize that you have been loved by God in a special way, chosen by the Lord to be his friend, his disciple, to fulfill a task for the Lord in His name. Being a deacon is God’s will for you—and fulfilling God’s will, led by the love of God, is what our Christian life is all about.
2. Possess
a desire for holiness.
When one realizes that one is called by God, one also realizes that one is totally dependent on the Lord for living his vocation and fulfilling the task the Lord has given. Apart from the Lord one can do nothing. Possessing a desire for holiness means making a total and complete commitment to the person and mission of Jesus Christ, and renewing that commitment every day of our lives. Holiness is a gift of God and comes to those who open themselves to receive that gift. This commitment includes a willingness and ability to live the Gospel values as simplicity of life, compassion and forgiveness, humility and obedience. Holiness is living in obedience to God’s will and one must be committed to discern that will with the Lord in every aspect of one’s life. Our Blessed Mother for the deacon as she is for every Christian is the model for a deacon’s life of always seeking to fulfill the will of God in every aspect of one’s life. One must always remember that holiness is God’s doing in our lives, not our doing. We must simply make ourselves open to the work of the Spirit in our lives, open to his loving presence.
Holiness by Fr. John Catoir, The Christophers.
“Holiness is not something that comes from doing good, we do good because we are holy. Holiness is not something we acquire by avoiding evil; we avoid evil because we are holy. Holiness is not something that follows from prayer, we pray because we are holy. Holiness is not the result of kindness; we are kind because we are holy. Holiness is not something that blossoms and makes us courageous; we are courageous because we are holy. Holiness is not the result of character building; we build character because we are holy. Holiness is not a gift we obtain after a lifetime of service; we give service because we are holy. Our holiness is God with us. Emmanuel. And while it is true that holiness carries with it both the Cross and the Resurrection, it is more a gift than a reward.”
3. Willingness
to be a man of the Church.
A deacon takes on a special relationship to the bishop. The deacon’s service to the Church is through his relationship to the bishop and in obedience to him in relation to the life and ministry of the deacon. Most deacons serve in their parish, but even in this case, the appointment is by the Bishop for the good of the whole Church. As we get more deacons in the diocese, men will be asked to take on more diocesan ministry and not necessarily ministry in their particular parish. There must be openness to serve God’s people as called by the Bishop, an openness to serve where needed. One must think of the good of the Church as a whole and a sense of serving the Church in the larger context. Love for the Church, even with the many defects of those who comprise the Church. The more we have the humility to understand our own sinfulness and God’s great mercy and forgiveness in our own personal lives, the more patient and forgiving we become with the faults of others. If we are looking to serve in a church community where everyone is perfect, you will never find it, as you also bring your own imperfection to that community.
4. Willingness to serve the needs of the sick, the poor and the needy.
As Christ has come to serve, the first quality of the deacon is to serve as Christ serves, especially reaching out to those most in need. Diaconia—“service” is what the deaconate is all about. This is the traditional scriptural foundation for the beginning of deacons in the Church—to serve the needs of the Greek-speaking widows neglected in the daily distribution of bread. We hear much about the option for the poor. This is not simply something beautiful to do for the Lord, but it is essential for proclaiming the Good News of God’s love for everyone in this world. Jesus reached out especially to the marginal and forgotten of society when he was on this earth to show that God’s love reaches out to all men and women, not because of status, or wealth or position, but because we are all children of God. The life of a deacon and the ministry of the deacon must witness to this aspect of Christ’s life. Service of the poor is a prerequisite for preparation to serve at the altar. The reason for the deacon being the one to announce the petitions in the prayer of the faithful is because he is the one who is meant to know the needs of God’s people by being involved in their lives. To serve the poor is not simply a witness to God’s love, but our Lord touches our lives by and through the poor we serve.
5. The ability to call forth the gifts of all the baptized.
The deacon becomes a consecrated sign for the laity to help them realize their call through the Eucharist to a life of service. The deacon must not get locked into the role of service as important as it is in the life of a deacon. Practically every role of service you are doing can be done by a layperson. You must keep in mind that your role of service is unique as a deacon. The service you are doing is a reminder to every layman and laywoman to their call to service. This is the unique role you have through ordination to the diaconate. You become truly a consecrated sign for the laity. A deacon should ideally be involved in roles of calling forth laypersons to roles of service and facilitating, training and coordinating those roles in the Christian community. The deacon becomes a man of community, fostering community, leading persons to service in the community and celebrating that community in prayer and sacrament. To me a central idea of the diaconate was given in the 1984 document: “Permanent deacons in the United States, Guidelines on their formation and ministry: “The deacon’s distinctiveness is rather, sacramental: what all in the Church are to be and to do is made visible and effective by the liturgical consecration and empowerment of some members among them.”(27) And “As by ordination, particularly and officially committed to service, the deacon is to inspire, promote and help coordinate the service that the whole Church must undertake in imitation of Christ.”(37)
6. The ability to balance family, work and ministry as a deacon.
This can be one of the most difficult qualities to develop. This just doesn’t happen. Couples together have to learn by hit and miss, by hurt and disappointment, through communication and patience, to work this out in each family. As deacons know, your family must be first. Living your sacramental life of marriage is one of the great gifts that you have to bring to God’s people. Your struggles in your marriage speak more to God’s people of what true Christian life is all about than all the preaching you may do. Your preaching will be hallow if your commitment to your wife and family is not where it should be. The deacon gives public witness in the name of the Church in following Christ in all areas of his life and balancing those areas—his marriage, his family, his secular occupation, his ministry as deacon, and his style of life.
7. The
ability to be man of the Word.
The Holy Scriptures must be central to the life of a deacon. He must contemplate the Word of God and allow it to permeate his being and every aspect of his life. The deacon is in a special position to preach to God’s people as the people know the deacon experiences all that they experience in family and work. The deacon must deal with the same tensions, hurts, joys and pains experienced by every family. By constantly applying the Word to his own life, he will be able to apply that word to the lives of God’s people as he preaches. What meaningful words each of you heard on the day of your ordination: “Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.”
8. He
must be a man of prayer.
Public prayer and private prayer must also be balanced in his life. The Eucharist is the center of all our lives as Christians, and the Eucharist must be central to the life of a deacon. It is the Eucharist that brings to us the life-giving love of Christ, enabling us to live in him and He in us, so that we may produce abundant fruit. The same Jesus that died on that cross and that rose from the dead is in the Eucharist that we receive. Jesus through the Eucharist renews publicly his intimacy with us to enable us to realize the intimacy we have with Jesus through his Spirit. Public prayer also entails the Divine Office, morning and evening prayer, that enables us to unite our lives with Christ praying for the good not only of those we serve but for the whole church of God throughout the world. This is a commitment we make to the Lord. How beautiful this is, if the circumstances allow husband and wife to pray this morning and evening prayer together. I want to emphasize that praying for those you serve is at the heart of the apostolate, because by your prayer you are admitting your complete dependence on the Lord in reaching out to God’s people. Ministry is the work of the Spirit within us, not our work. And with those difficult situations it is good to remember the words of Pope Pius XI who on one occasion said: “The less we can speak of God to men, the more we must speak of men to God.” But also so important and which can be easily overlooked in our busy day, is simply to spend some time of quiet with the Lord, simply being in his presence and allowing him to love, and pray in and through us to our heavenly Father. Love’s favorite language is silence.
9. Ability
to work in unity with the pastor.
Most pastors who have deacons have a great appreciation for their deacons and work well with them. Deacons have come to be appreciated greatly in our Diocese, especially by our priests. But there may always be a pastor who does not have good collaborative skills and finds it difficult to work not only with the deacon but also with lay leaders in a parish. Every priest is different and every priest has a different personality and different gifts and abilities. One must always remember that the gift of priesthood is a great gift and that God works through every priest, even those who may not be that collaborative or may not have the pastoral skills we wish every priest possess, and every deacon possess. The pastor is the one in charge of the parish and is the one who must answer to the Bishop and to God. If you find yourself in a difficult situation, and the pastor is not open to discuss the difficulty, do not take it on to yourself to argue with the pastor or speak ill of the pastor. A great deal of humility will do much for the service of God’s people in that parish and open confrontation would only cause scandal. Make every effort to learn how to deal with your pastor even if you find it difficult at times. If a situation is impossible, then bring it to the attention of the Bishop who will find another ministry for you in the Diocese, if you and the priest are not able to adapt, or find another solution for you to remain in the ministry apart from the parish. Respect your pastor, try to work with him collaboratively, never speak negatively about him to God’s people, and pray for your pastor. You have no idea what he may be dealing with in his own life and ministry. God works through us all, both priests and deacons, even with our failings and our struggles and sinfulness. This all speaks so much of God’s great love and mercy in this world, loving us in the midst of our weak humanity and using us with that same weak humanity for his glory. The way we strive to live and minister in unity speaks a lot louder of God’s love and presence than the specific service we are giving.
10. Ability to manifest
the joy and confidence in the Lord.
Joy is the echo of God’s love within us. Christian joy is part and parcel of believing in the loving presence of Jesus within us. The way to evangelize is to show the joy of the Lord. People do not respond to a message of gloom and disappointment. They respond to people who bring to them the joy of the Lord. At the essence of faith in Jesus is confidence in his power and loving presence in our lives. For those who love God, all things work out unto good. Trust and confidence in God’s presence and love, no matter what comes into our lives speaks strongly to others of what faith is all about. You can’t serve others as Jesus would serve if you cannot express the joy of Christ and trust in his love in your own personal life.
Here is something I found in my files entitled Una Sonrisa (A Smile), which I really liked. It is in Spanish but it comes from Richard Cardinal Cushing, a past Archbishop of Boston:
Una sola sonrisa en tus labios: Alegra tu
corazón, Conserva tu buen humor, Guarda tu alma en paz, Vigoriza tu salud,
Embellece tu rostro, Infunde pensamientos bondadosos, Inspira buenas
obras. Sonríe a ti mismo…hasta que veas
desaparecer tu seriedad habitual, o tal vez tu severidad. Sonríe a ti mismo…hasta que calientes con el
esplendor de tu aspecto sonriente, tu propio corazón. Entonces…Sal. Ilumina con
tu sonrisa. Esa sonrisa…tiene un
trabajo por realizar. Es un trabajo por
Dios. Ya eres un apóstol y tu sonrisa
es tu instrumento para ganar almas. La
Gracia Santificante, que reside en tu corazón, dará un encanto especial a tu
sonrisa y la hará fecunda produciendo mucho bien. Sonríe—a los rostros tristes.
Sonríe…a los rostros tímidos.
Sonríe—a los rostros dolientes.
Sonríe…a los enfermos. Sonríe a
los rostros jóvenes y frescos. Sonríe—a
los rostros conocidos de tus propios familiares y amigos.
Deja que todos gocen de la belleza e inspiradora alegría de tu rostro sonriente. Cuenta…si deseas, el número de sonrisas que en un día, la tuya ha hecho brotar en otros rostros. Este numero te dirá cuantas veces has derramado complacencia, alegría, satisfacción, confianza y valor en otros corazones. Estas buenas disposiciones siempre germinan actos de olvido propio y acciones nobles. Tu sonrisa…puede dar nueva vida, valor y esperanza a los corazones dolientes, a los que están destrozados, sobrecargados, desanimados, tentados, desesperados. Tu sonrisa…puede impulsar vocaciones si eres Sacerdote, Hermano o Religiosa. Tu sonrisa…puede ser el comienzo de una conversión a la Fe. Tu sonrisa…puede preparar el retorno de un pecador a Dios. Sonríele también a Dios…Sonríele a Dios con la aceptación amorosa de todo aquello a que Él te envié durante toda tu vida y tendrás el merito de poseer la mirada radiante del Rostro Sonriente de Cristo posándose sobre ti con un amor especial por toda la eternidad.”
“You will live in my love if you keep my commandments, even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and live in his love. All this I tell you that my joy may be yours and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you.” All this is possible with the grace and power of Christ in our lives, and only through his grace and power. Let us simply be open to that love of the Lord, contemplate that love, rejoice in that love, live in that love, and allow that love to pass through us to others. This is a basis of all ministry in the Church. +++
Since I had a backside empty for page 6, I thought I would share a page I made for:
Life Teen, Oct. 2001, PRAYER—thoughts and sayings, presented by Bishop John.
Prayer
enables me to center my life on God, so that my life becomes a harmonious
whole, and His will, His love, and His joy enter into every aspect of my life.
The
trouble with being an atheist is you have nobody to talk to when you’re alone.
God
is never more than a prayer away.
We
must bring everything in our lives to the Lord in prayer, and we must have
everything in our lives flow from our time in prayer with the Lord.
Most
of us pray for more things than we are willing to work for.
Life
is fragile—handle with prayer.
Prayer
is the activity of God’s love, of the Holy Spirit, within me.
If
you are too busy to pray, you are too busy.
Pray
as if everything depended on God and act as if everything depended on you.
Giving
time each day to the Lord is more important than the feeling of getting
anything out of prayer.
Prayer
is talking something over with God, rather than trying to talk God out of
something.
Scriptural
prayer is the foundation for the Christian prayer life. Soaking in a scripture passage is as
important as meditating on a scripture passage. Both are essential.
A
person’s most fervent prayers are not said when he is on his knees, but when he
is flat on his back.
Prayer
can keep us out of trouble a lot easier than it can get us out of trouble.
In
times of prosperity we ask too little of God.
In times of adversity, we ask too much.
You
only learn to pray by praying and giving time to Jesus every day of your lives.
Prayer
is not meant to change God’s ways; it’s meant to change us.
Silence is the language of love.
St. Teresa of Avila: Prayer is spending time with the one who loves you most of all.
Prayer for the day: “I want to thank you, Lord, for being close to me so far this day. With your help, I haven’t been impatient, lost my temper, been grumpy, judgmental, or envious of anyone. But, I will be getting out of bed in a minute, and I think I’ll really need your help then. Amen.