- Acts 6:1-7
- Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19
- 1 Pt 2:4-9
- Jn 14:1-12
The first reading gives us the origins of the diaconate. Appointed by the Apostles to care for the needs of the Greek widows, who were evidently being neglected, their social mission would quickly append to itself that of evangelization and proclamation of the Gospel. Among the listed deacons chosen we find the name of Stephen, “a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit.” We may recall that later in the Acts of the Apostles it is noted that he was stoned by certain Jews for witnessing to the word of God. Like our Lord, he sets a pattern for martyrs by forgiving his murderers. The deacons represent the third and final tier of Holy Orders that comes down to us in succession from Jesus and the Apostles. Full apostolic jurisdiction would be given to the bishops. The presbyters or priests would assist them in the ministry of reconciliation and in the re-presentation of the Lord’s Supper. The deacons, yesterday and today, proclaim and preach the Gospel, assist at the Eucharist, witness marriages and perform baptisms.
While the foundation stone for the Church is Jesus Christ, the community of believers itself is made into a “chosen race” and a “royal priesthood”. Baptismal priesthood refers to our imitation of Christ and of his sacrificial love. God’s people participate with their consecrated and ordained priests in offering the sacrifice of the Mass. Bishops and priests most importantly signify Christ at the altar and in the sacraments. They are priests because Jesus is the High Priest. Jesus extends something of himself and his authority to the Church. He does not want us to feel abandoned. Jesus does NOT orphan his people.
This past week we were privileged to have Pope Benedict XVI in Washington, DC. Many of us saw the successor of the Fisherman with our own eyes. He is the Vicar of Christ. He is Peter. He is the visible head of the Church while Jesus remains the invisible head and our grounding hope. This forcefully realizes for us the continuing presence and ministry of Jesus in the universal Church. While the accidentals may change, the core truths and the deposit of faith remain the same. We see in the Acts of the Apostles the early expressions of faith and ministry that still prevail 2,000 years later. That might seem like a long time, but I had an aunt who lived to be 124 and my paternal grandmother was 99 plus years (almost 100) when she died. If one such person who lived a century were to be born at the moment that another died, we would only be 20 people away from the time of Jesus and the Apostles. Maybe it is not so long after all?
While asserting again his unity with God, indeed, his role as the revelation of the Father, Jesus makes a pledge to his Church. He says:
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.
Here is proof-positive, that Jesus intended for his bishops, priests and deacons to perpetuate his saving works. All the extraordinary claims of the Catholic Church are for real- we trust our Lord and take him for his word. We are members of the House built and sustained by Jesus Christ.
I was not impressed with the Papal visit but I still enjoy your blog Father Joe. Some close friends were very happy to see him and the son of my closest friend(s) is a studying for the priesthood and had the chance to meet him in person in New York.
I am happy for these folks who are the salt of the earth.
Karl
Fr. Joe,
I wanted to share something that came from a popular TV evangelist. He was speaking tonight about Pope Benedict XVI and his recent visit. I usually NEVER watch anything BUT EWTN . I was flipping the remote and stumbled upon his program this evening. This man stated that he began reading the Holy Father’s book “Jesus of Nazareth.” He went on to say that the Holy Father is a brilliant theologian, in spite of the “Catholic church’s standard medieval theolgical accretion.”
Does this make any sense to you? Is this a contradiction or what?
The church has been teaching the same basic theology for the past two thousand years right? The same Holy Spirit was present from the beginning and is still here now. It’s my understanding that the Holy Father isn’t giving us something that the Holy Spirit hasn’t given the church already. The theology has always been there. The problem is that disobedient people seek to deviate from what God has already put into place. The present Holy Father has always been very expressive about the grave moral evils which exists today. He always speaks out openly against moral relativism, co-habitation, and abortion amongst other things.
Look at it this way: If Martin Luther didn’t walk away from the church, then people like this TV evangelist would probably be frequent guests on EWTN’s the World Over and teaching Catholic theology at a Catholic university.
This man also made reference to the 800 satanic cults in Rome and stated that he can’t figure out why the high concentration in Rome. The question should be why aren’t there 800 satanic cults near his TV station?
It’s a no-brainer.
Neither did I. I think he meant that demonic forces are more prevalent in Rome than in other places, which is untrue.
He tries unsuccessfully to come across as being informed and scholarly. Maybe he was having a senior moment.Who knows? Anyway, my opinion is that the devil has always tried primarily to destroy the church from within.
Jesus warned St. Peter of this in Matthew 16:18
I found this statement in the EWTN achives under New Age and satanic cults:
“The USA undoubtedly manifests the greatest concentration of satanic sects which we could define as well-known, that is, which act more or less in the open, and it is always in this country that we can find the most bibliographical references to contemporary satanism.”
This is why China is so upset with the internet and the United States. They’re blaming us for the deluge of incoming internet pornography and they’re right.
That’s too dangerous a thing for souls to mess with.
Now what about his remark about the Catholic church’s theology being ” Medieval Accretion?” Does that remark mean that our theology has been corroded since medieval times? If that’s the case then it’s evident that he has never read the Catechism of the Catholic church or any other writings of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI.
The man is obviously mislead, twisted and ill-informed. The sad part is that he’s leading others in that direction too.
Perhaps we shouldn’t be so hard on this TV evangelist. He is acknowledging Pope Benedict’s theological talents, which is a great compliment coming from someone who is not Catholic, and he’s also a brother in Jesus. Let’s pray that all our brothers and sisters of other communities might be inspired to read papal and other Catholic books and documents and be impressed by what they find there, and that the unity Jesus desires in love and truth might come speedily.