by Deacon Leon Suprenant
The heart of the deacon’s identity and spirituality is “service.” In fact, the Greek work “diakonia,” from which we get the word “deacon,” means service. The document establishing the norms for the restoration of the permanent diaconate says that “with sacred ordination, [the deacon] is constituted a living icon of Christ the servant within the church.”
Therefore, the deacon must pattern his life on Christ the servant, who lived totally at the service of God, for the good of all.
And yet, in a real sense this spirituality of service is really the spirituality of all Catholics. Stated differently, all Christians participate in Christ’s kingly office. And in his kingdom, royal authority is not about secular power, but about servant leadership.
So, how do we go about developing and living a “spirituality of service”?
Much of it entails drawing upon our baptismal grace as children of God and partakers of the divine nature. So in that regard, we all draw upon the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and reconciliation, daily prayer, Scripture reading and acts of charity.
And we do these things in the context of our own unique, personal circumstances — what we call our “state of life” — as we strive to bring every aspect of our lives under the authority of Christ the King.
But given that context, I think there are some elements of the deacon’s lived experience that would be of particular assistance to all Catholics. Here are a few.
Silence. It’s important that we all find time in the day to be silent before the Lord, to wait upon him. We know deep down that time with him isn’t “wasted.” And yet, we have such great difficulty disconnecting from all the noise of our busy lives. It’s something that deacons build into their days, to allow for the Liturgy of the Hours as well as private prayer.
Listening. Silence creates space in two important ways. First, it opens us to hear God’s Word as it comes to us in sacred reading. Second, it opens us to truly listen to others. Before we can serve anyone well, we usually need to listen to them first and accompany them on their journey. A servant church is definitely a listening church — a synodal church.
Integration. Deacons must learn to integrate the diaconate into all areas of their lives. Deacons are not deacons only on weekends or when they’re at church. They remind us that our baptismal calling likewise has to be integrated into every aspect of our lives — from family and work to entertainment choices and social interactions. A compartmentalized faith simply cannot bear good fruit.
Mercy. The deacon’s ministry par excellence consists in works of charity and mercy, especially tending to those who fall through the cracks or live on the margins. The deacon’s life and ministry encourages all of us to expand our concept of mercy, so that no one is forgotten or rejected.
Families that foster these things are truly centers of charity, mercy and service.
