One week ago today I got a phone call from the Assistant Diocesan Director of Ordinands with my results from the Bishops Advisory Panel I attended; now about 3 weeks ago. The news was that the advisors could not recommend me for training for ordination.
Category: Blog
Ponder, pray, think, practise
So perhaps the one question we really need to ask each day is the one posed by a Roman Catholic deacon I know. Every morning he asks "Well God, what would you have me do for you today?"
Deacons are not called to be domesticated any more than angels are: they are called to have a particular and brave role in the life of church and world; they are called to remind us of eternal perspectives, and of earthly responsibilities
He will come, will come,
will come like crying in the night,
like blood, like breaking,
as the earth writhes to toss him free.
He will come like child.
This week, they finally found time to finish the editing of the video and I'm delighted that it has now replaced the outdated video on our web page. I'm particularly delighted that Karl is so clear about the value of having a DD, as we are sometimes faced with incumbents who haven't a clue who we are or what to do with us.
Deacons, you are shepherds of the people of God, along with the priests – leaders who will model the care that the shepherd extends to the sheep. Together, we are all called to expose spiritual dangers, such as those of excess and waste. We must show what the restoration of a just relationship with all creation might look like – how to live as caretakers, how to bring glimpses of shalom.
Deacons, in your corner of the Kingdom, you are called to be the sower. A mustard seed reveals its potency when crushed; joining God in building this Kingdom will not be easy. But it can bring the peace and shalom of community, and it can create a powerful vision of something different that the world has rarely sees –something the world desperately needs.
And yet, if this puts the deacon perpetually in the position of host, a critical dimension is lost. Jesus gave to the Pharisee and to the woman the gift of His wisdom, His grace and His forgiveness. However, Jesus was also guest: He received from the woman and from the Pharisee alike. This recognition fundamentally challenges the imbalance of power between a person with needs and a person (or diaconate) with resources.
It is impossible to try and disconnect the miracles and teaching of Jesus from His heart for justice. At every turn, at every miracle, His words and actions are shaped by a desire to make things right, to reconcile, to restore.
CofE Network of Distinctive Deacons 