Sitting at the rehab hospital with my mother,
I listened as she spoke with one of the caregivers.
The caregiver said she had seen me visiting other residents.
Because the nursing home has strict rules,
I explained gently that I was the deacon for our Catholic parish.
Before I could say more,
my mother added proudly,
“My late husband—his father—was a licensed and ordained minister.”
I love my Daddy.
I’m proud of my Daddy.
His faith shaped me.
His example formed me.
His love helped make me who I am today.
But I still remind my mother,
again and again,
that as a deacon,
I too am a licensed and ordained minister—
called, formed, and sent by the Church
to serve, to teach, and to proclaim the Gospel.
Moments like this—
small, ordinary, almost humorous—
pull me back to the heart of the diaconate.
They remind me that ministry happens
in hospital rooms,
in family conversations,
in quiet hallways,
and in the simple places
where people need someone
to show up with the love of Christ.
And today, we celebrate St. Stephen—
the first martyr,
and one of the first seven deacons.
Every year, this feast brings me home
to the center of my vocation.
I love serving God.
I love serving this community.
I love proclaiming the Gospel.
But proclaiming the Gospel
is more than preaching.
It’s how I serve,
what I teach,
and the way I try to live the Gospel
in front of others.
Acts tells us the first deacons
were chosen after Pentecost.
The apostles laid hands on them
so the poor would be cared for,
the community strengthened,
and the unity of the Church protected.
That is the foundation of the diaconate:
humble service
that supports the whole Body of Christ.
But the Holy Spirit did more.
Stephen and Philip show us
that some deacons were also called
to preach boldly.
Scripture says no one could withstand
the wisdom and the Spirit
with which Stephen spoke.
His service and his preaching
were one seamless witness.
And for that witness,
he gave his life.
Jesus tells us,
“You will be hated because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”
Stephen endured.
He served.
He proclaimed.
He trusted the Spirit
all the way to the end.
And so, as I sit with my mother,
as I walk hospital halls,
as I preach, teach, bless, and serve,
I carry Stephen with me.
I carry the first seven.
I carry the quiet legacy of my father.
And I carry the call Christ placed in my heart—
to be a servant of His Gospel
in every place
and every moment.
My prayer is simple:
that I may serve as Stephen served,
love as he loved,
and proclaim the Gospel
not only with my words,
but with my whole life.
May God give all of us
the courage of St. Stephen,
and the grace
to endure to the end.
My Prayer as a Deacon
Lord Jesus,
make my life a quiet place of service.
Let my words speak Your truth,
and let my actions reveal Your love.
Shape me into a living Gospel—
humble in service,
faithful in witness,
and trusting in Your Spirit
to the very end.
Amen.
St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr, pray for us.
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