Ordination of Class of 2017, Archdiocese Of Denver

In this Sunday’s First Reading, we witness the sacred origin of the diaconate, not as a mere response to logistics, but as a Spirit-filled response to human suffering. The Apostles call forth seven men, “filled with the Spirit and wisdom,” to step into that space of charity. This is not secondary work; it is the Gospel made visible.

The Gospel brings us to the heart of it all. Jesus declares, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” The diaconate is born precisely here: to serve is to walk the Way, to love the forgotten is to proclaim the Truth, and to give oneself entirely is to share in the Life of Christ.

But there is something even deeper for us as ordained men. On the day of our ordination, we lay prostrate, face to the ground, in total surrender. In that moment, the Church prays over us, and the Holy Spirit descends. That posture is not meant to be fleeting. The Holy Spirit desires to keep us there, not physically, but spiritually, in a continual state of surrender, dependence, and belonging to the Father.

It is the very disposition of Christ Himself. At His baptism, as the heavens opened and the Father declared, “You are my beloved Son,” Jesus stood in perfect receptivity, fully given over to the Father’s will. That same beloved identity, that same surrender, must become our daily interior posture.

This past week, at the National Association of Deacon Directors conference, Deacon James Keating addressed Deacon Directors from across the United States, and reminded us that the deacon’s ministry flows not first from what we do, but from who we are before God. A man who remains inwardly prostrate before the Lord becomes a bridge of grace in the world.

Brothers, this is our call: to live from that place of surrender every day. To stand at the intersection of altar and street. To ensure no one is forgotten.  For when we remain in Him, the Church does not just function, it flourishes in Christ.

In Christ the Servant + Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
Receive + Believe + Teach + Practice