Today, on the Feast Day of St Irenaeus, bishop, pastor, evangelist, teacher, prophet, and for being all of those, a martyr. On his feast day, 10 years ago, I was ordained a Deacon. Then and today, like St Irenaeus, I seek to follow Christ, doing the will of God.
As a deacon, I am asked to assist the Pastor in care for the parish and the people. I strive to do God’s will as a spiritual director, as a marriage mentor, and when called to baptize, marry, or bury.
Also, as a deacon, I preach the Gospel; called to be an evangelist. This is the vocation given to deacons at ordination - to proclaim the gospel wherever sent and wherever called. I seek to do God’s will, asking the Holy Spirit for boldness, passion, and an excitement when sharing my faith, the joy of salvation, and love of God.
As a deacon, I am called to be a teacher of our faith. That is an important calling no matter if teaching from the ambo, in the classroom, or a conversation. Our faith is not an irrational or whimsical but one of good and strong Theological thought. I turn to God for the wisdom and strength to do this in the example of my life and love.
As a deacon, I may be called to be a prophet. By the power of God, the Holy Spirit speaks to my heart. I do not prophesy against the church or against belief but only in the realization and truth of scripture.
Sometimes all these things come together. Today, on the Feast Day of St Irenaeus, who defended the faith against worldliness and sin of his day, the Holy Spirit has given me this to proclaim: Our faith is under siege.
The enemy has always attacked the people of God. In the world today, the devil built a wall around our faith and the Church. A siege wall of the secularism and culture of the modern world.
The enemy attacks the Church by targeting priests, religious, and faithful. A breach of the wall is the clergy abuse scandal. Soldiers leaving the fight is evidenced in the shortage of priests and the falling numbers of those attending mass. Famine spreads in unbelief in the real presence of the Eucharist.
The army of the devil is trying to destroy the temple by tearing down its walls. Once faithful believers are carried off as prisoners of the false truths of this secular world. Sin becomes accepted, even expected. In sinfulness, we cannot love ourselves; so we do not love our neighbors. Those trapped by the world love God less and less. The love of sin becomes more.
In a 1969 broadcast on German radio, the future Pope Benedict XVI spoke prophetically of a future where the Church would be smaller. A Church that will move forward but in a different way as a smaller, more distinctive institution.
Our Catholic Christian faith is under siege; but do not fear. The enemy will always leave behind the ones the enemy does not think are important: the poor; the vinedressers, and the farmers. Those the enemy believes are powerless.
But, they are the ones who love God. The ones who care about their faith. The ones who are not afraid of the fear and the suffering the world rains down on them as they seek to follow Christ. They are not powerless. Christ is their power.
Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
When Jesus comes down from the mountain, these will follow him. The Church that remains will fall before Christ like the leper and say “Lord, if you wish, you can make us clean.” He will stretch out his hand and say, “I will do it. Be made clean.”
Ten years ago today, I was ordained a Deacon. I seek to follow Christ doing the will of God, no matter what this world puts before me.
Will you do the same?
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