A Homily for the Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr
Thursday, December 26, 2024
Prince of Peace Catholic Church – 8:00 Mass
Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59; Psalm 31:3cd-4, 6 and 8ab, 16bc and 17; Matthew 10:17-22
Audio Recording
Merry Christmas! Today’s Feast of St. Stephen is a very special feast for me as a deacon. Stephen was one of the first seven deacons to be ordained, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles.
Stephen is also the first martyr of the Church, who was stoned to death for his unwavering commitment to proclaiming the Gospel. Ironically, Saul, who later became the Apostle Paul – the most powerful evangelist of all time – witnessed and approved of Stephen’s stoning prior to his conversion.
Today’s feast seems to be a good time to speak briefly about the role of the deacon in the Church. While today’s feast reminds us that the permanent diaconate is ancient in the hierarchy of the ordained clergy, it was only recently restored by Vatican II after its decline in the Middle Ages.
As such, there are still many, including many priests, who themselves are ordained “transitional” deacons in their ascent to the priesthood, who don’t really understand the role of the permanent deacon as it was intended by the Vatican II. The ministry of the permanent deacon is far more than “functional,” although this is how most people think of the deacon. The fact is that the deacon is not a glorified layman nor is he a “junior priest.” The deacon is a member of the ordained clergy with a unique role.
So many people ask me “just what can you DO as a deacon?” The functional answer is, of course, that the deacon can baptize, witness marriages, preside at funerals outside of Mass and give blessings. He can not be the celebrant at Mass, absolve people of their sins, or anoint the sick. The deacon is also an “ordinary minister” of Holy Communion, meaning that while he does not consecrate the Eucharist, he does distribute Holy Communion to the faithful.
But more important than these functional roles, the deacon is called to minister “in persona Christi Servi,” which means in the person of Christ the Servant. He is configured to a deep identification with Christ, whose sacred character and identity is conferred by the bishops in the sacrament of Holy Orders.
There is clearly a “creative tension” in the deacon’s identity. The deacon is a man with a foot in both worlds, he’s a cleric living a lay life. In the early Church, the deacon was decisively distinguished from the priest. This is true especially in the liturgy, where he assisted the bishop and priest but never himself consecrated the Eucharist. Ordained to serve both in the world and alongside the priest at the altar, the deacon is uniquely positioned to call the people of God to live the mysteries we celebrate, and also to witness to how we glorify God with our lives and serve our neighbors in love.
The deacon is a minister of evangelization and of service. Deacons assist Bishops with their responsibility of spreading the gospel throughout the world, thus enhancing and strengthening the life of the church. By ordination the diaconate is not just one ministry among others, it is truly meant to be a DRIVING FORCE for the church’s ministry of service to our brothers and sisters in Christ. The expectations of the Church for a deacon are high. His ministry is expected to model with integrity and confidence what it means to live an authentic Christian life. He is a sacramental sign of the Church in the world.
The diaconate is an extremely rewarding vocation with many benefits, although they are not financial benefits. Many are surprised when they learn that the deacon is not paid by the Church for his services, with the exception of an occasional stipend for a funeral or a baptism. I like to think that the rewards are eternal, not temporal.
I want to close by saying that I have never been so blessed as I am today to serve as your deacon here at Prince of Peace. Your welcoming and encouragement has been such a powerful confirmation that God truly did call us to serve here. Christine and I feel so privileged to be part of this loving community. We love you and hope to serve here for many years to come.
Saint Stephen, like Christ crucified, poured out his life as an act of redemptive love as a witness to the truth. The life and death of Stephen speaks to the timeless message of the Gospel, whether we are called to die for our faith or simply called to offer our lives daily through continuous acts of sacrificial love.
Through the intercession of Saint Stephen let all of us, by virtue of our baptism, cooperate with the saving work of the Lord through our full and active participation in the life of the Church.
May God bless you.