9 December 1989
Quercianella, Italy

My dear Deacons,

There is a point in this morning's Gospel which has special relevance for all priests and deacons. St. Matthew makes a clear allusion to the hierarchy in this morning's Gospel. According to the evangelist Jesus called the twelve disciples and gave them certain powers. When we examine the parallel text in St. Mark's Gospel, we find clearly expressed the purpose for which Jesus set up the hierarchy. In the third chapter of St. Mark's Gospel we read: "Jesus called to Him those whom He desired, and they came to Him and He appointed twelve to be with Him and to be sent out to preach and to have authority to cast out demons." (Mk 3:13-15). Have you noted the order? The hierarchy was set up first of all in order that those chosen may be able to be "with Jesus." The second purpose, for which the hierarchy has been instituted, is the ministry of preaching and the casting out of demons.

Your service as deacons covers three areas: the liturgy, preaching and charity. The foundation of these functions, however, must be a close personal union with Jesus Christ. No matter how busy our lives may be, it is necessary, if we wish to discharge well our functions as deacons or priests, that we find time to be "with Jesus" in the silence of reflective personal prayer. In the western world we can become so taken up with the work of the Lord that we forget the Lord of the work. The three general functions of the liturgy, preaching and charity, can so absorb a man's energies and his time that he becomes unable to speak to Our Lord in the silence of deep prayer.

In the Gospel of today Our Lord reminds us of the truth, "freely have you received, freely give." (Mt 10:8). We can communicate the power of Christ and His consoling word to others only if we ourselves have laid ourselves open to receive the power and consolation of that word of Christ in the intimacy of prayer every day. In a word, our first response to the invitation of Our Lord to become members of His hierarchy is summed up in the response to today's psalm: "Blessed are those who wait on the Lord." (Ps 146). It is by waiting on Our Lord in the silence of prayer, that we will receive an outpouring of His Spirit, that spirit of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, and of knowledge, of fortitude, of piety and of fear of the Lord.