Price of Ordination

Praying for Omar Galvan on his diaconate ordination

08/12/2020

Ephesians 3:20-21 – To God whose power now at work in us can do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine – to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations, world without end. Amen.

In some important respects the diaconate is a more significant step of Holy Orders than the priesthood, and even the episcopacy. Of course, deacons don’t get to do all the cool sacramental stuff priests and bishops do, like celebrate Mass, hear confessions, etc. Nor are they privileged to wear all the paraphernalia of prelates, marching in miters and carrying crosiers. Nonetheless, it is at diaconal ordination that a man makes the crucial commitments that conform a Christian to be more like Christ the High Priest. At diaconate ordination Omar has to “pay the price” but only later does he “reap the rewards.” The importance of the diaconate can be discerned in four respects.

First, for the first time Omar will hear with his own ears that God is calling him to Holy Orders. Up until now, he has been guessing and hoping he is called to be a priest. And maybe even sometimes hoping he was not called. But after Msgr. Friend declares that Omar is “worthy” to be ordained, the bishop will utter the most important words a man will ever hear, saying: “We choose this man for ministry in the diaconal order.” At that moment, the bishop is not speaking on his own power or on his own behalf, but rather with all the weight and authority that Christ bestowed on the apostles and their successors. The whole apostolic college stands behind those words. Indeed, the bishop speaks on behalf of Christ himself. From now on, Omar does not have to wonder if God wants him to be ordained a deacon, and later a priest; he will have heard God’s voice with his own ears. And we all will have heard it too, Omar, and we will be happy to remind you in case you forget!

The second price you pay is the promise of celibacy. Some may be surprised that it’s at diaconate and not at priesthood ordination that you promise life-long celibacy. But it makes perfect sense. Why? Pope St. Paul VI explained eloquently that celibacy is a life dedicated “not to any human ideal, no matter how noble, but to Christ and to His work to bring about a new form of humanity in all places and for all generations” (Caelibatus sacerdotalis, 24). Jesus had already anticipated this new form of humanity in Mt. 22:30, where our Lord taught: “At the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven.” In other words, Omar, being celibate allows you to embody (quite literally) the "new form of humanity" we will all enjoy in heaven one day. So, on behalf of everyone who will be inspired by your celibate commitment, I say, “Thank you!” This world desperately needs to see happy celibate priests, and to see that sometimes “sex does not sell.”

The third price you pay is the promise to pray the Liturgy of the Hours. Some people may think taking time to pray is always easy and enjoyable, but it isn’t. It can be a chore and a bore. And it can be hard to find time to pray because sometimes we get super busy. William Martin writes that being a pastor is like being a stray dog in a whistler’s convention! Some days it feels like all your parishioners are walking around with whistles. On those super busy days please remember this promise to pray and don’t skip it. I am convinced you will help your parishioners more by praying for them than in any other way. That’s why the Church makes this a “promise” and not just a “suggestion.”

And the fourth price you pay is obedience to the bishop and the pope. I’ll never forget what Archbishop Sartain said when the Apostolic Nuncio called him to be the bishop of Arkansas. He was a priest in Memphis at the time. When the Nuncio asked him to accept that appointment to Arkansas, Archbishop Sartain immediately said, “Yes.” Later he explained to us priests that he had already said “Yes” at his diaconate ordination to whatever the bishop (or the pope) might ask of him throughout his life. So, Omar, when the Apostolic Nuncio calls you to be a bishop, now you know what answer to give him. Obedience should foster a profound love and respect for our bishop and pope. Why? Well, because it underscores the ancient maxim, “Ubi Petrus, ibi ecclesia,” “Where there is Peter, there is the Church.” In other words, your promise of obedience will help you not to “jump ship” out of the bark of St. Peter, the Church.

Now, I readily admit these prices to pay for diaconate ordination can be a little daunting and maybe even seem a little dangerous. That’s why we put our confidence in Christ and not in ourselves. St. Paul assured the Ephesians, and he assures you, Omar: “To God whose power now at work in us can do immeasurable more than we ask or imagine – to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations, world without end. Amen.” Or, as our Protestant friends put it more poetically: “Jesus paid a debt he didn’t owe because we owed a debt we couldn’t pay.” So, don’t worry, Omar, Jesus has already “paid the price” for your ordination.

Praised be Jesus Christ!