Readings and Commentary: [3]
Reading 1: Acts 6:1-7
As the number of disciples continued to grow,
the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews
because their widows
were being neglected in the daily distribution.
So the Twelve called together the community of
the disciples and said,
“It is not right for us to neglect the word of
God to serve at table.
Brothers, select from among you seven reputable
men,
filled with the Spirit and wisdom,
whom we shall appoint to this task,
whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer
and to the ministry of the word.”
The proposal was acceptable to the whole
community,
so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith
and the Holy Spirit,
also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon,
Parmenas,
and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
They presented these men to the Apostles
who prayed and laid hands on them.
The word of God continued to spread,
and the number of the disciples
in Jerusalem increased greatly;
even a large group of priests were becoming
obedient to the faith.
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Commentary on Acts
6:1-7
This
account from Acts is considered to be the institution of the diaconate or the
Order of Deacons. There is a clear delineation of roles. The apostles retain
their pastoral role as shepherds of the faith (through “prayer and ministry
of the word”), while assigning the service role (distribution of food and
material to the needy) to Stephen and his six brother deacons. It is noteworthy
to observe that Stephen and Philip especially began their own service of the
word as well, but in an evangelical rather than liturgical way.
Understanding
the roots of the imposition of hands is key to understanding the rationale for
its use as an ordaining function. While this was a Hebrew tradition for
designating a person for a task, it was later adopted by the Church as a mark
of ordination and (confirmation) sacramental selection by God. ("From that
time on the apostles, in fulfillment of Christ's will, imparted to the newly
baptized by the laying on of hands the gift of the Spirit that completes the
grace of baptism.”) [4]
CCC: Acts 6:6 2632; Acts 6:7 595, 1569
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19
R. (22) Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we
place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Exult, you just, in the Lord;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the Lord on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place
our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Upright is the word of the Lord,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place
our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
See, the eyes of the Lord are upon those who
fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place
our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps
33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19
Psalm
33 is a hymn of praise. In these strophes, we hear the note of thanksgiving for
God’s salvation and complete faith in God’s mercy. The final strophe (v. 18-19)
hearkens to a time of great tribulation where the Lord’s saving hand was
clearly seen. (“The eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear him, upon those
who hope for his kindness.”) This song also can also be applied to the
virtue of the seven deacons (See Acts 6:1-7 and 1 Timothy
3:12-13 "Upright is the word of the
Lord, and all his works are trustworthy”).
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Gospel: John 6:16-21
When it was evening, the disciples of Jesus went
down to the sea,
embarked in a boat, and went across the sea
to Capernaum.
It had already grown dark, and Jesus had not yet
come to them.
The sea was stirred up because a strong wind was
blowing.
When they had rowed about three or four miles,
they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming
near the boat,
and they began to be afraid.
But he said to them, “It is I. Do not be
afraid.”
They wanted to take him into the boat,
but the boat immediately arrived at the shore to
which they were heading.
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Commentary on Jn
6:16-21
This
is the fifth sign of Jesus’ identity as the Son of God from John’s Gospel. We
see Jesus sharing God’s power (see also Job 9:8). The
disciples are in a boat at night and the sea is up (“The sea was stirred up
because a strong wind was blowing”). They were clearly frightened by their
situation. We recall that a good number of the disciples were
professional sailors (fishermen), so the storm being described must have been
very severe. The Lord appeared to them, walking on the water and said: “It
is I, do not be afraid.” Immediately they were relieved and wanted to take
him aboard but before they could do so they arrived at their destination.
CCC:
Jn 6 1338
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Reflection:
We have choices again today as to which part of
Scripture we reflect upon. While the story from the Gospel is compelling
because of all the neat metaphors built into the story (the disciples’ fear and
how the Lord’s presence calmed them; their need to bring him into the boat; the
Lord’s identity revealed as he assumed power reserved to the Father), the
deacon must address the reading from Acts.
In the passage proclaimed today from the Acts of
the Apostles an important event is defined in Scripture. Most biblical
and Church scholars agree that the appointment of the seven Hellenists
represents the establishment of the Order of Deacons (the diaconate) in the
Christian community.
The Letter to St. Timothy later fleshes out the
selection criteria for deacons (1 Timothy 3:12-13), but here the apostles
select these men to provide service to the community. They pray over them
and impose hands upon them, calling them pointedly to service.
Since the modern permanent diaconate was
reestablished at the Second Vatican Council, the diaconate has grown faster and
in different ways than was anticipated in Sacrum
Diaconatus Ordinem. Permanent deacons are, for the most part, now widely
accepted as the “servant clergy” they were intended to be. There are some
notable exceptions. Unless I missed something, the Knights of Columbus
still do not recognize deacons as clergy at the national level, and many of the
older religious orders are still in denial, seeing the permanent diaconate as
some sort of lay apostolate with delusions of grandeur. But the true servant
finds these kinds of pushbacks a grace from God. They remind him that what
he does in ministry, for God’s greater glory, sets him on the proper course, in
the footsteps of his Savior who was also not always held in high esteem. And,
as we will see later in the story of St. Stephen, deacons should not expect an
easy road.
St. Paul says it best in his First Letter to the
Corinthians: “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same
Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are
different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6) Perhaps what we
need to remember most is that Christ came to serve all mankind, and that
service was not intended to generate honor for those who serve, but for the God
in whose name that service was done. If we can keep that squarely in
focus, we will be with him who died as his final service to us.
Pax
[1] The Picture is “St.
Stephen is Consecrated Deacon” (detail) by Vittore Carpaccio, 1511.
[2]
S.S.
Commemoratio[3]
The
readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm
and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is
for private use only.[4]
CCC
1288.
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