Deacon’s Corner
Wow! Where has the past year gone?
As we enter Advent Season, we prepare our hearts for the celebration of the birth of Jesus, Our Lord and Savior.
It humbles me to think and to look back over the past year, because on December 3rd Deacon Mike and I are celebrating our first-year anniversary as ordained deacons.
On November 4th, our Diaconate Class of eleven met for a few hours at the Sacré-Coeur Retreat Center in Magnolia, Illinois, where we finished our last year of formation.
I am honored and proud to address all my classmates and brothers in Christ as “Deacon!” Although we had little opportunity for much individual conversations, we did share as a group some of our experiences as the newly ordained.
I was very happy to hear of their experiences and the many blessings we received by means of our ordination, and to see how our Lord is utilizing and maximizing the charisms and talents of my brother deacons in their ministries. In another sense, it was sad to hear that some are underutilized.
It made me think of you who are reading this. You do not need to be ordained clergy to receive the grace and many blessings our Lord bestows on you for using and sharing your talents.
There is no question in my mind that our Lord speaks to us many times throughout each day, with invitations to spend time with Him. Those invites come in so many different ways. He may whisper:
Would you like to pray the Holy Rosary?
Would you like to converse with Me by reading your bible?
Will you attend this year’s Advent Vespers based on Bishop Robert Barron’s book, This is My Body — A Call to Eucharistic Revival?
Would you like to share your talents by volunteering in one of the many ministries at Sacred Heart?
Is He inviting you to make an upcoming Cursillo?
As you know, this list could go on and on and on! We all long for “unconditional love” and “peace in our hearts.” That is what our Blessed Lord wants to give to us. All we need to do is respond to His whispers!
There is no better time than now to respond. It just might turn this Advent and Christmas season into your best!
I look forward to this blessed time of year. See you at the next Mass!
“Jesus, do in me what You must, so as to do through me, what You will!”
~ Deacon Matt