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The Diaconate Ordination - Beautiful in many ways, but God's love is more beautiful!
Well, I'm still alive and well here in Rome... My sincere apologies for not getting anything up here for the longest time! There has been so many things that I've wanted to blog about, and I've always started a post only to get it half-way done and then never getting it completed. Here's hoping I can get this one done! (I may end up doing shorter posts, hoping thereby to be able to actually get them done, rather than attempting some comprehensive, uber-detailed, bazillion-word long recounting of the past 5 weeks...)
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| I'm in there someplace... |
So, today, at long last, was the Diaconate Ordination, during which 43 of the 4th-year men here at the NAC were ordained deacons in St. Peter's Basilica at the Altar of the Chair (far end of the Basilica, beyond the main baldicino). Let's just put it this way; it was stupendous! I was privileged enough to be in the choir, which meant that I was pretty close, just off to the left, of the altar. Being a Tenor II (high-middle section of the male vocal range) meant I also had the coveted seats in the choir stalls (rather than lower and off to the side, where the view wasn't as direct). Of course, being in that section also meant I was constantly stretching to reach the higher notes in some of the pieces, which wasn't always a problem during the many practices we had running up to the ordination (one of the reasons I've been busy), but after three hours of singing, with the only breaks being during the readings, my vocal cords were tired and my abs were sore (vocal cords because I was singing incorrectly, abs because I was constantly tensing them to give as much support as possible and I guess I haven't done enough crunches lately). The music though, after my mistakes and cracking-voice was drowned out by the other 40-50 guys in the choir, was spectacular. As I said, we'd been practicing a lot - and for good reason - we sang like 40 different pieces over the last week or so (there have been several different ceremonies leading up to the ordination). However, the work, and tiredness, were completely worth it! We got to sing Cantate Domino, the Festival Alleluia, Biebl's Ave Maria, countless chanted pieces, Dicit Mater Ejus, and many, many, other beautiful pieces!
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| St. Peter's is splendid! |
But, even more amazing than that, was all these young men, on fire with God's love and putting everything on the line for Him. I am proud to live with them! Even in the very short time that I've gotten to meet them - most of them I don't even remember there name (yet) - I've seen over and over again that willingness to do His will, in everything, in so many instances. Inviting us into their rooms to say hello, taking us out to breakfast (at the only American breakfast place in town - I had a bagel, with eggs and bacon, as well as a milk-shake and slice of apple pie, it was great), playing sports, leading prayer, doing Benediction, eating meals together, supporting us in Italian, recommending places to go on trips, being patient with our complete lack of knowledge of the place, just saying hello after Mass each day and totally making us feel welcome. They are great men, and they are men working, and wanting, to be saints! It's awesome to see!
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| The men prostrate after making their promises, before being ordained! |
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| The laying on of hands! |
But, even more amazing than that - yep, it's about to get even better - is the work that they are allowing God to do in them. As I've come to realize over the past couple weeks, especially while on retreat last week, while we have to give life our best efforts - we have to grit our teeth and persevere when the going gets tough, we have to throw ourselves out there and try our hardest in sports, or studies, or friendships, or prayer - even more importantly we need to learn humility and rely on God. Priesthood isn't about me becoming a great preacher, or an inspirational leader, or a kind pastor, or a smart theologian, it's about me becoming Christ. And that folks, is something that is way, way beyond my capabilities. There is no way in 4 years, or in 40 years, I can learn to teach, lead, or love like Christ. He is the true, the ultimate, the Divine, prophet, king, and priest, and while he continues to call men to follow Him radically as priests, it is only through complete reliance, submission, and openness to Him that a man can be transformed and recreated in Christ's image. And, in these 43 men, I see alive in front of me men who are willing to lay down their lives, not only in taking up their own crosses, their own weaknesses, their own struggles, but also willing to let Christ's cross guide, change, sanctify, and anchor them. They are men who have learned to not rely on themselves, to not do it themselves, to not carve their own road, but to rely on Christ, to let Him work through Him, and to follow His call.
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| "May God, Who has begun this work in you, bring it to fulfilment" |
Cardinal Wuerl, who ordained the men this morning, noted that the role of deacon is - as recounted in Acts - to have love and generosity of heart towards Christ and His Church. But, this generosity isn't superficial, or dainty, it's a love that means they are willing to lay down their lives for their friends, for their greatest friend, Jesus Christ. It is a love that means realizing that God, Who "before you were born, knew you", also knows the best plan for your life, and to have the courage to say a humble "yes" to that plan, even when you aren't quite sure what that yes means. Those 43 men had the courage to say "yes" this morning. They were willing to promise to be obedient, to remain celibate, to pray constantly, to, literally, conform their lives to Christ's - who is the model of obedience, celibacy, and prayerfulness - so as to serve Christ Church and His people. This conformation (is that a word?) only happens, reminded the Cardinal, through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. But, that is exactly what ordination is! As with all the sacraments, they are God working through human actions and worldly stuff to enter the world, to pour out His grace. Faith tells us that these men are changed forever, marked indelibly, eternally chosen - by God - to be deacons for Christ. It's a supernatural calling, it's an amazing calling, it's a humbling calling!
Yeah, so let's just say that this morning was great! The music, the liturgy, the stupendous cathedral, the superb young men - they all were great (as were the snacks and socializing afterwards), but above and beyond all that (quite literally) was God's wonderful and powerful love. Let us too, humbly, trustingly, completely, open ourselves up to God!
Yay, a post is complete! In other news, tomorrow I'll be leaving on a trip to San Giovanni Rotundo (where St. Padre Pio was a friar, and where he is now buried), with a couple of other guys here from dioceses in Illinois. It should be quite a lot of fun, and hopefully a prayerful trip as well. And then - drum-roll please - on Monday classes begin at the Gregorian! It's been a wild ride these last couple months but I think things will finally start to settle down once that all gets going (it will be a new challenge, but something that I think I will enjoy very much as well). Please do keep me in your prayers - not only that the classes will start well, but also, and more importantly, that I'll learn to truly place myself in God's hands over these next years - and then, God willing, I'll be laying down on that floor in 3 short years giving myself to Him ever more completely! God is good!
