(Readings)
I
knew God was calling me. I felt it in my heart; but, it was not me who said I
should be a deacon. It was the members of my faith community who chose me,
calling me to this ministry. Brothers, select from
among you reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom. I’m working
on the wisdom.
I
prostrated myself in front of the altar with 15 other men to give my life to
God and his church. Family and friends were there with me. The voices in the Cathedral
rose in the litany of the saints. The people sang - “Pray for us.” I knew I would
not be in this journey alone.
We come to him, the living stone rejected by human beings but chosen
and precious in the sight of God. The stone that the builders rejected has
become the cornerstone. He will build us like living stone into a spiritual
house.
God
is calling us - all different with human weakness and imperfect. In these faults,
we are to be like Christ Jesus, living stone built up into a spiritual temple
to praise God in all we do.
We
do this by being obedient to the faith.
Like
Jesus, as living stones we are to bring God’s good lovingkindness to the world.
We do this by living the beatitudes. We bring God’s good lovingkindness in the corporal
works of mercy: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the
homeless, visit the sick, visit prisoners, bury the dead, and give alms to the poor.
This is good lovingkindness.
Like
Jesus, as living stones we are to proclaim the kingdom of heaven. Jesus said as
you come to a town: Heal the sick who are there and
tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’ And another time, As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is
near.'
Heaven
is near us. The Kingdom of God is in what we do in the world today. We do this
in faith by giving our lives to God, living every day in his presence, and
living a holy life by the example Jesus gave us. I am
the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through
me.
To
be a living stone remember these words of Jesus "Do
not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
Because I am in the Father and the Father is in me. People should see Christ
in us in the world; living the gospel and sharing the love of Christ with all those
we meet.
On
that ordination day, I prostrated myself on the floor with living stones in
Christ around me. Living stones were praying to build me up my spiritual
temple. Living stones were singing to the saints and to Christ –“Pray for us.”
Each of you is a living stone, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people announcing the praises
of the One who calls us out of darkness into His wonderful light. Living stones
built on the foundation of the living stone the world rejected.
Living stones made by being a person of good lovingkindness, being holy
and preaching the gospel by the way they live and love. Amen.
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