Diaconal Ordination of Allan Gastardo, OSST
St. Lawrence, Jessup
November 11, 2023
Choosing the First Deacons
Dear friends: Today’s first reading describes how, in the power of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles decided to appoint and ordain co-workers to assist them in their ministry. In the first instance, this was a generous response to a genuine pastoral need. The Christian community, made up of Jews and Greeks, was growing rapidly, so much so that Greek converts were complaining that their widows who were in need were being neglected. To address this, the Apostles, prompted by the Spirit, chose seven reputable men, prayed over them, and laid hands on them to assist in “the daily distribution”, that is, in the charitable assistance the community offered to those in need.
In prompting the Apostles to respond to pastoral need, the Holy Spirit had something more in mind, namely, the Order of Deacons which have assisted bishops and priests through the ages, thus building up the Body of Christ in the unity and diversity of its ministries. Over time the “portfolio” of the Order of Deacons organically expanded to include proclaiming and preaching the Gospel and assisting in the Church’s sacramental life, both of which are linked to the deacon’s role as a minister of charity.
Your confrere, relative, and friend, Allan, has been called and chosen to become a deacon. In the rite of ordination, I shall pray over him and lay hands upon him, an effective sign by which the Holy Spirit will fashion in his soul the image of Christ the deacon, Christ who, at the Last Supper, knelt before the Apostles and washed their feet. I shall ordain Allan to preach the Word of God, to assist at the altar of the Lord and in the Church’s sacramental life, and to engage in charitable ministry to the poor and vulnerable, and to do so animated by the charism of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity and of the Captives. This is who he will be; this is what he will do as a deacon.
How He Will Do It
Allan, in these moments before your ordination, let me address you directly. You are well-versed in the theology and development of the diaconate and in the roles of evangelization, worship, and service you are about to assume. So, I will not presume to instruct you about what you already know. What I will do is to reflect with you on the qualities of mind and heart you are to bring to your three-fold ministry of Word, Sacrament, and Charity. And rather than pulling these qualities out of thin air, I will take my cue from the Opening Prayer, the Collect, of this Holy Mass. Recall what we prayed for: that, as a deacon you would be “effective in action, gentle in ministry, and constant in prayer.” In this moment of grace and joy, let us ask what this means.
Effective in Action
First we prayed that you will be “effective in action”, that is, “effective in ministry”. This prayer covers ground that is very familiar to you in your formation. As a deacon, you’ll have ample opportunity to assess your progress thus far. Thus you will strive to proclaim the Gospel effectively, so that the inspired meaning of the Gospel will resonate in the hearts of God’s people. When you preach, stive to open many minds and hearts to Christ and to his love, helping the people you serve to live as his disciples in the world. When you minister at the altar or preside at baptisms, weddings, and funerals – be intent on helping the entire worshipping community to be drawn into the saving embrace of the Crucified and Risen Lord. In your charitable works, bear effective witness to the Gospel and touch the lives of those in need with the healing balm of God’s mercy. You cannot solve every problem or address every need, but you can accompany the poor and vulnerable with a transforming love. Thus you will effectively contribute to the building up of the Body of Christ and to the strength and unity of the Church, wherever you serve.
Gentle In Ministry
A gruff, pompous, and self-serving deacon is, of course, a contradiction in terms, for the word, diakonia, has to do with gentle and generous service of others. So it is that we prayed that you would be “gentle in ministry”. Here we recall what St. Paul wrote to the Ephesians: “I . . . a prisoner of the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility, gentleness, and patience . . . .” (Eph. 4:1-2). So too in the Gospel the Lord Jesus urges you not to lord your position over others but rather to be among them “as one who serves” (Mt. 20:28). As you go about preaching the word, assisting in the Church’s worship, and serving those who are in need, – strive to imitate Christ “meek and humble of heart.” It is the Christ who invites you to share in his ministry. Your readiness to listen, your patience, your willingness to build bridges, all this and more is what it means to be gentle in ministry. Let me assure you, your gentle spirit will rescue many who are held captive by guilt and sin, by fear and hopelessness, and by an absence of love in their lives.
Constant in Prayer
Finally, in our opening prayer, we asked that you might be constant in prayer. In his 1st Letter to the Thessalonians (5:17) Paul urges us “to pray without ceasing” and in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus taught us by means of a parable “the necessity to pray always . . . without becoming weary” (Luke 18:1). From the beginning, St. John DeMatha founded your venerable Order with his eyes fixed on the immense glory of God’s Trinitarian life, into which you and your confreres strive to be immersed ever more deeply. Even as you pray the Liturgy of the Hours and other spiritual exercises in common, you know how important it is spend time each day in private prayer – making a daily holy hour, prayerfully reading Scripture, praying the Rosary. With the eyes of your soul fixed on the glory of the Most Holy Trinity, you will you find the graces you need to be effective and gentle in ministry.
Intercession of the Saints
On this Saturday morning, let us turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and to your holy founder, St. John DeMatha, and to St. Martin of Tours, asking their intercession that you may always be “effective in action, gentle in ministry, and constant in prayer.” God bless you and keep you always in his love!