Brothers,

St. Paul’s words to the Corinthians this Sunday cut straight to the heart of our diaconal vocation: “Consider your own calling.” Paul reminds the community and us that God’s way of calling is not rooted in status, strength, or worldly competence. “Not many of you were wise by human standards…rather, God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong.” This is not a critique; it is a consolation. It is Paul’s way of saying: this is how God works.

As deacons, we know this truth intimately. None of us were called because we had it all figured out. We were called because God delights in working through humility, availability, and trust. St. Paul insists that if anything good comes from our ministry, it is not so that we may boast, but “so that whoever boasts, boasts in the Lord.” Our service, our preaching, our accompaniment of the suffering, all of it flows from Christ alone, who has become for us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

I like to say that Jesus’ Beatitudes in the Gospel give flesh to St. Paul’s theology. The poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the peacemakers; these are not abstract virtues; they are the daily shape of our lives and ministries. They describe men who know their dependence on God, who mourn with others, who hunger for righteousness, and who endure quietly for the sake of the Kingdom. This is the heart of diaconal service.

But brothers, St. Paul also understood something essential: no vocation is lived in isolation. Just as we need spiritual nourishment, fraternal support, and times of renewal to remain faithful and joyful in our calling, so too do our wives. They share in the sacrifices of ministry, often invisibly. They carry the weight of our schedules, our concerns, and our pastoral burdens—frequently without the same structured support.

That is why I strongly encourage you to ensure your wives register for the upcoming Wives Retreat. This retreat is not simply an event; it is spiritual and fraternal food; a space for prayer, rest, shared experience, and renewal in Christ. Just as St. Paul exhorts us to remain rooted in the Lord and not in ourselves, this retreat offers our wives the same grace we ourselves so deeply need.

Let us take Paul seriously: remain humble, remain grateful, remain rooted in Christ, and make sure those who walk beside us are nourished as well.

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