One of my most
vivid childhood memories is the singing of the Litany of the Saints at the
Easter Vigil Mass. It must have been 25 years ago at St. Mary’s. I
was 10 years old, and to this day I cannot explain why, out of all of the parts
of this special Mass, my recollection of this event is so strong.This memory
comes to mind every time I heard the Litany of the Saints, which is always
proclaimed at an ordination ceremony.
In less than two weeks I will receive the
grace of Holy Orders as I am ordained a deacon. As this very important moment
in my life approaches, I have an image in my mind of what the ceremony will
look like. There will be a long procession of ministers and clergy, readings
and music that highlight the biblical links to the diaconate, all unfolding in
the presence of my family, friends, deacons, priests and bishops who will have
gathered to bring their own witness to this event.
After
the homily, the bishop asks each candidate (referred to as ordinandi) if we
will commit to a series of promises necessary for this vocation to flourish. We
publicly give our assent by responding “I do” after
each one. Then, we lay prostrate on the ground, just as the priests do at the
beginning of the ceremony on Good Friday. This symbolizes the laying down of
one’s life in service to the
Lord and others. The choir leads and the congregation responds in the singing
of the Litany of the Saints. The bishop will lay his hands on each of the
ordinandi, hand us the book of the gospels, and we are invested with a stole
and dalmatic. And so begins my life as an ordained
deacon.
Yet,
my imagination reverts to the singing of the litany and the laying on the
ground. I have no idea what will be going on in my mind and heart at that time.
I believe that I will be thinking of that moment when I was a young boy, never
dreaming that this was possible. Then I realize that I can’t lay
on the ground or listen to the singing forever. I will have to get up…and
step up to the call of service…and begin the work that
the Church has asked of me.
I
am sure many of you are wondering why I have taken up this path. First of all,
you must choose this path after knowing God has chosen you for it. I can
only hope and pray that every day will resemble the experience of the apostle
Philip, whom we encountered in the first reading. As the days to holy orders
shorten, I try to imagine myself being like him, hopeful that each action will
be worthy of the call, that each gesture will help others know Jesus more fully
in their lives and, as the gospel tells us, show the world the Spirit of Truth,
a truth that the world cannot accept. This is where true joy lies, showing
people their worthiness to follow in the steps of Jesus and live a life of
holiness that every person has been called to.
The
excitement I share comes from knowing that my life in ministry will
never be the same from day-to-day, and will be given new meaning because of
experiences, encounters and prayer. I cannot begin to describe the variety of
emotions and thoughts that I have been through in the past month. When I am
laying on the ground of Sacred Heart Cathedral in a few days, sounds from my
childhood will meet with the beginning of ordained ministry. I ask you to pray
for me during that morning, and hope to see you at the ordination ceremony or
the Mass of Thanksgiving the next day at St. Mary’s.
God bless,
Matthew Jones
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