You Have A Diaconate "Walking in Newness of Life"
As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. You have been baptized, illumined, anointed with the holy Chrism, sanctified, and washed in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Those who gathered to witness your baptism - the assembly of the Church - heard in St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans that you were made alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord and that, therefore, you and they should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-21). That day and every day since then have been precious opportunities to be alive in Christ, walking in newness of life. This is the greatest of gifts. It is also your daily invitation to realize that you have a diaconate- a call to extend the work of Christ and His Church in the world. We all share this diakonia. It is an essential part of our Christian life. Christ Himself set for us His own example and called us to this shared service: "Whoever would be great among you must be your servant (diakonos) and whoever would be first among you must be your slave; even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:26-28) Just as Jesus Christ came to serve, so all of us in the Church are called to serve. St. Paul boldly reminds us that we are all members of one another, responsible for one another, and given gifts by God which enable us to serve. "For as in one body we have many members, and all members do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them... " (Romans 12:4-6). Our gifts must be used daily for the upbuilding of the Church. This is diakonia. Scripture records the collection which St. Paul made for the Church in Jerusalem as diakonia, ". . . the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints" (2 Cor. 8:4). In this epistle alone there are ample references to diakonia as the sharing of one's possessions- generosity to those in need (2 Cor, 9:1, 12, 13.). Further, St. Paul refers to his apostleship itself as diakonia: "Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry (diakonia) . . ." (Romans 11:13). The record in Acts of the selection of Matthias to the ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell, employs this very term, diakonia, as ministry. (Acts 1:25) St. Luke speaks about the provisions made for Christ and the Twelve by some women who accompanied them:
"Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the Kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities. Mary called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means." (Luke 8:1-3)This providing for them, or rather ministering unto them, is termed diakonia. When the angels ministered to Christ during His forty days in the wilderness, the term diakonia is used to describe their service (Mark 1:12).
Diakonia is an essential part of our life in Christ - rich, varied, but shared service as we, baptised Orthodox Christians, commend ourselves and each other and all our life to Christ, our God. Diakonia is the ministry of Christ Himself, the ministry of the apostleship, the ministry of the angels, the ministry of charisma, the ministry of generosity. Diakonia is all the good that we do as we "walk in the newness of life." Diakonia summarizes the Christian life itself. It stands as a trait of the whole priesthood, whose very raison d'etre is service - service to God and to creation's return to the Creator. It was so normal - so propertherefore, that the liturgical office of deacon from the very beginning incorporated the service of the altar with the service to meet the practical needs of the Church and to upbuild Her.
You, by the very fact that you are interested in the periodical "The Orthodox Educator," are most likely involved in the life of the Church. Perhaps you are a Church school teacher, a member or even a leader in the parish council or parish organizations, brotherhoods, sisterhoods, involved in youth work, choir, etc. It is so important thatyou realizeyou havea ministrya call to service- a diaconate in your parish. And your diaconate should reflect those examples of diakonia which we have just cited from the NewTestament. Just as the ordained diaconate must remain true to these models, so too must the diaconate of each baptised Orthodox Christian. And the most vivid model for you to bring to mind daily as the `icon' of your diaconate is that of Christ Himself at the Last Supper as He girded Himself with a towel and washed the feet of His disciples. "When He had washed their feet, and taken His garments, and resumed His place, He said to them, 'Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them." (John 13:12-17)
Let us say that at this point you "know these things" - you understand Christ's model, you wish to be faithful to it, you know and realize yourtalents, and you want to serve. You accept your responsibility to serve. You accept that you have a diakonia. This realization and acceptance is already a miracle in and for the Church. Each time one faithful member of the Church comes to the understanding that he or she has a diaconal mission in the parish - a miracle is already being performed. If you the reader, can sense that you are a branch and Christ the vine; if you can see that you are a sheep in God's flock - the Church- and Christ is your Shepherd; and if you can feel the loss should one sheep be lost - then you will understand how valuable, unique, and needed your diakonia is. Your service to and the example of your involvement in your local parish is your diaconate. Our world and our Church need you and your diaconate. Why? Because more than ever Christ comes to you, to us, to our parishes - to those called by His name - to receive Him. ". .. I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me. Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to thee?' Then he will answer them, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to the least of these, you did it not to Me."(Matthew 25:4245).
You have to motivate real, authentic Christian diakonia in the local parish - and this service must be personal. Let's be honest. So much of our service in parishes has been limited to caring for the physical building and its budget. A great deal of time and effort - and talents - are given to projects which unfortunately have become habitual, expected, and seemingly needed: bingo, raffles, bazaars, food and bake sales, catering, etc. Although the care for the stability of any parish is needed and very diaconal, it should be met differently. If the financial stability of our parish family is sufficiently a regular part of our personal, household budgets, then our time and effort and talents can be fully given to the Church for Her upbuilding and for our own spiritual growth. Onlythen can we, as a parish, fulfill a diaconal service to worship together, pray together, prepare for and receive the Holy Eucharist often, educate one another in the Faith, give time to be together in Orthodox fellowship, visit the sick, the shut-ins, those in mental institutions, help to feed the hungry, clothe the poor, and conduct outreach to our communities which are full of men and women who are spiritually lost. Then our diaconate will be personal and Christ centered. Let's face it, most people today live in incredible isolation - selfcontained existence with no room for anyone else. Your diaconate has to expose this isolation and reach out to fill it with Christ and the Orthodox Faith. The first step is your own spiritual growth through personal prayer and regular liturgical and eucharistic participation. Inseparable from this is your generous sharing of gifts, time, talents, and love with the Church. Then, and only then, can you offer the necessary leadership in shaping the direction which your local parish takes as the Body of Christ to let its light so shine before men that they may see its good works and glorify Our Father.