Be Passionate, Faithful & Joyful

30 years on this May 21, I was ordained a Deacon for service in the Diocese of Cleveland.

But looking back to that day, my deeply anticipated peak moment, kneeling before my Bishop, Anthony Pilla was momentarily shattered in disbelief!

As I knelt before him so pious and perfectly gestured; I peeked! And saw his hands go up as I closed my eyes. And I waited and waited, thinking he was going to say something like, “By the power of the Holy Spirit, I ordained you deacon”!

And I’m waiting because in the practice the evening prior, I as usual. wasn’t paying attention, looking all over the cathedral, or talking while the MC was rehearsing.

And finally, Bishop Pilla says, “Get UP”!

Get Up? What? Did I miss something? I was in panic mode! Did I get ordained?!

I didn’t realize the words of Ordination are inaudible! I was like, “Now what”? The MC, points and whispers loudly, “Go!!! Go take your seat”! Go! (first instruction was to go!).

Bishop Pilla met with the deacons at our Deacon/Wives Convocation a few months after ordination, and he said, “I have 3 guidelines for your ministry” as he’s pointing his finger. “1. You’re not God, 2. This isn’t Heaven, 3. Don’t be a jerk!”

I still cherish the advice before my first homily from an elder deacon when I was anxious about preaching, when I said to him “I’m not sure I’m worthy”. He said it’s not a question of worthiness, it’s a question of call”. He told me this story, “At the first deacon’s homily an irate parishioner yelled at the pastor after Mass, who does that deacon think he is preaching to us. He’s just a mailman. The pastor said, “What would you prefer a carpenter or a fisherman”?

So, there it is! I’m not God, but I am His worthy servant. This isn’t Heaven, there’s a lot of work to do, and don’t be a jerk; in other words, be kind, be humble, be a servant.

Then Bishop Lennon comes next, and he said to me in the drive from Cleveland to Akron when I was an MC for him, “Deacon, good to meet you, how is your wife and kids? Let me remind you of 3 interesting words of wisdom, “Love your wife, love your family, and don’t ever be late!’ GOT IT! Say no more!

Bishop Perez was next, and he at our first Convocation also gave us 3 guidelines, (I don’t know what it was with Bishops and 3s! Must be a Trinitarian thing?) 1. Be Passionate, Be Faithful, and Be Joyful.

And now here I am with my 4th Bishop, and yours, Bishop Malesic. Here’s what he said at the Ordination of Deacons on May 4. “Be mindful of three things. Care, Comfort, and Compassion with God’s people”.

Care: (Putting a bandage on the cut); Listening to someone who is hurting; presence.

Comfort: (Changing the bandage when needed); offering guidance, sharing the Gospel of our Lord Jesus.

Compassion,:prayer, and walking with them in their pain.

On this Feast of Pentecost, we are reminded that Jesus must go for the Paraclete to come. We too must go. All of us. And the power of the Holy Spirit will be with us by the power of our sacraments of Initiation, Reception of the Eucharist, the power of Confirmation, our sacrament of Ordination, and the outward sign of Matrimony.

At every Mass the last words are to go: one of 4 dismissals are used:

Go forth the mass is ended.

Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.

Go in Peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.

Go in Peace.

I have had the honor and privilege to be invited by Fr. Norm to serve here these past 2.8 years. Thank you, parishioners, for your warm hospitality and support. This is a wonderful parish!

Recently Bishop Malesic said, “We come to go, and we work together, we work together, we work together. Jesus took on our humanity, so we could share in His divinity. He put on our garments and has given His garments to us. We wear the garments in this great exchange”.

So, we come, clothed in Christ, symbolized by white garments we wear in Baptism, Holy Communion, Ordination, and the Bridal dress of Matrimony.

And we go, clothing others in Word, Sacrament, and Charity. Amen.