Make disciples of all nations, baptizing then in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:19-20)
Do you hear our Lord Jesus Christ calling you to serve him; his Church; the Body of Christ; and all of God’s people with a lifestyle dedicated to service, love, justice, the Word of God and the Liturgy? God may be inviting you to the lifestyle and ministry of deacon, a special vocation called forth by the Holy Spirit. The seeds of all vocations are sown during the Sacraments of Initiation and nurtured to maturity in the life of the Church. Authentic vocations to ministry should be a dialogue between God and human beings, between the love of God who calls and the freedom of individuals who respond lovingly to God.
A vocation, from the Latin word for “to call,” is more than a strong feeling. It is a divine call to God’s service, to the Christian life described in the passage above from the Gospel of Matthew. God, who formed humans out of love, calls us to love others in return. Deacons are called to love intensely by being living icons of Jesus Christ the Servant.
If you think you are called to the lifestyle of an ordained deacon, you are urged to make yourself as knowledgeable as possible about the Order of Deacon. For more information and resources available, visit www.camdendeacon.org or call the Office of the Diaconate at 856-583-2858.