Our Hope in God

Sometimes the things we enjoy doing the most are pushed back for what we consider more important matters. This blog is one of those things. I enjoy writing for it but there always seems to be something to do with a higher priority.  I will try to do better in posting to this blog.

I have just returned from our annual diocese Diaconate retreat. This year it was at the Subiaco Abbey in Arkansas. It is a very beautiful place. If you have never visited the Abbey, it is definitely worth the drive.  Our very own Bishop Duca was the retreat master and I think this was one of the better retreats I have attended since being ordained a Deacon.

The Bishop had a different topic for each of our sessions but they all related to one common theme. That theme was that each and everyone of us has been called to a vocation.  The deacons at our retreat have been called to the Sacrament of Holy Orders, more specifically to the order of the Diaconate.

The Diaconate which we have been called to is a twenty four hour vocation. We cannot step away from it at any time of the day. As ordained clergy we represent both the Church and most importantly the hope we have in God.  We show our hope in God by the way we treat others. We must show and give that hope to everyone we meet regardless of the time of day or our own personal thoughts, attitude or feelings.

This same hope in God is something everyone can show. It is not just the domain of the clergy. Remember as a Christian, you represent the risen Lord to others. Your actions are a reflection of your hope in an eternal life with God that the risen Lord has given us. Think of the old cliché; actions speak louder than words.  Let us make sure that our actions express our hope in God to others.

There is a prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours that sums up my thoughts on this very good:

Father, creator of unfailing light, give that same light to those who call to you. May our lips praise you; our lives proclaim your goodness; our work give you honor, and our voices celebrate you for ever.

Called by God

I was ordained into the Diaconate on May 7, 2005. The ordination included the presentation of the Book of the Gospels. The Bishop hands the Book of Gospels to the newly ordained and says:

    “Receive the Gospel of Christ,
     whose herald you now are.
     Believe what you read,
     teach what you believe,
     and practice what you teach.”

I remember thinking of the power and commitment behind those words. Not only was I to teach the faith that I believed so deeply in but I was to now called to live that faith as fully as I could. I wondered could one truly practice what he teaches? I thought of all the months of discernment that took place before that Saturday morning of my ordination. I recalled the trust I had placed in the Lord and opening myself up to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit had brought me to that moment in the sanctuary and would be my help and comfort in the future.

Those thoughts came back to me last Saturday during a catechist retreat. The definition of Catechist is to be an echo.  Catechist are to echo the teachings of Jesus to others. This can be an intimidating thought to a catechist.  A catechist must have faith in their knowledge of Catholicism to effectively echo the Word of God.  During the retreat the catechist were given tools to help them teach with confidence.  They were reminded of the importance of their spiritual formation and how it cannot be overlooked.  The Holy Spirit has continued to give me strength and knowledge the first nine years of my Diaconate journey.  A catechist should also seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit as they pass on our their faith. 

Deacon and catechist are called by God to echo the Word of God. One receives it by his call to ordination and the other by the commissioning of their baptismal vocation.  Both need continual growth in their spiritually and knowledge of the Catholic faith.  I hope you will join me by visiting this blog many times in the future as we try to echo the teachings of Jesus to ourselves and to others.