Word to the Wise
Saturday, August 10, 2019 - Aug. 10 - St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr
[2 Cor 9:6-10 and John 12:24-26]Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. [2 Corinthians] "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit." [John]
SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 2019 ST. LAWRENCE, deacon and martyr
[2 Corinthians 9:6-10 and John 12:24-26]
Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. [2 Corinthians]
"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit." [John]
St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr, is famous for a couple of reasons. The first is that when summoned before a magistrate and ordered to surrender the treasures of the church, he gathered the poor of his congregation and said that they were the church's treasure. The second is that when tortured on a grill over a fire, he is supposed to have said, "Turn me over. I'm done on this side!" To this day the images of him feature him holding a grill!
One of the most startling results of the Second Vatican Council is the restoration of the Order of Permanent Deacon. Through the centuries, this order had been reduced to a last step in the formation of priests. (I was a deacon for a year before my ordination.) Now, deacons are part of the regular life of parishes across the United States and in many countries around the world. I have given many retreats for them and can testify to the dedication and faith of these men and their wives and families. Indeed, they have the same problems as any married persons, which gives them a unique perspective in the service of God's people. They experience challenges in their marriages, with their children, their pastors, their bishops,etc.. They preach, baptize, preside at funerals and weddings, run RCIA programs, administer parishes and dioceses!
The church (on a high level in Rome) is currently discerning the possibility of ordaining women to this order of service, which could bring a new richness of perspective to the service of God's People. The subject is not without some controversy but my own hope is that the discernment will lead to some form, even if not exactly the same, of ordained service for women in the church. The Permanent Diaconate would be a great vehicle for that purpose.
Today we salute the Permanent Deacons in our midst and thank them for their dedicated service to God's People. They help produce the bountiful harvest that Jesus and St. Paul speak of in today's scriptures. AMEN
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