ANNUNCIATION
OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
25 March 2023
Ordination to the Diaconate
Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary
Laudetur Jesus Christus!
Praised be Jesus Christ!
You men have an
ideal day for your ordination as deacons. I can think of two reasons in
particular for saying that, both of them bound up intimately with the nature
and importance of the Feast of the Annunciation. Both reasons have to do with the
Blessed Virgin Mary, most assuredly. They also touch upon the instrumental role
which you men will play in the work of salvation in our world. Granted for all
of us here present, our role in this work was already set in the Sacraments of Baptism
and Confirmation. The Church teaches that this work takes on a new character with
your ever-growing share through the Sacrament of Holy Orders in Christ’s
mission. As of today that share is a deacon’s work of proclamation, diakonia, and
martyrion, which draws life and strength from the Sacrifice of Calvary. You
have two reasons then for special rejoicing today!
We’re taught that once upon a time in history,
in the history of Christianity, the year started not on January 1, not on the 1st
Sunday of Advent, but on March 25th, 9 months before Christmas and
the Birth of the Savior. Famous words of St. Bernard of Clairvaux explain the
importance of today’s feast as the starting point. The saint begs Mary to
hesitate no longer but to say yes to the Archangel Gabriel, sent by God to ask
her consent to bring about salvation through the Virgin Birth of our Redeemer
and King. In the ancient liturgical rhythm of vigils and feasts it was only
proper that the mysteries of the Lord’s Birth and of His Cross and Resurrection
be preceded by greater vigils tied to the cosmic mystery of the earth’s return
from the dead of winter to the life and hope of spring. Whether the spread of
the Gospel to the southern hemisphere or other influences brought about the uncoupling
of the two calendars (Church and State) or how the restriction of the vigil of
Christmas to Advent came about, it all happened very subtly and very wisely.
Nothing has been lost of St. Bernard’s cry on March 25th to Mary to
say yes to becoming the Mother of God, without taking anything away from Advent
as it leads us well to the celebration of the Nativity. So your ordination
today is fortuitous and suggests countless points of meditation on the new sharing
in and through the Mother of God that you have in Christ’s work.
Secondly on this
Feast of the Annunciation, I would argue that a deacon’s proclamation of the
Gospel (think of St. Philip the deacon, in the Acts of the Apostles), a
deacon’s service to the Church (diakonia, think of St. Lawrence for the Church
of Rome), and a deacon’s witness unto spilling his blood for Christ (think of
St. Stephen, the protomartyr) are all cloaked in the mantle of the Blessed
Mother and her whole-hearted yes to the Archangel Gabriel.
For your time as
deacons bind yourselves intimately to Mary! Place yourselves at her feet and
learn from her! Learn from her message on behalf of her Son at Cana: “Do
whatever He tells you!” Learn from her constant witness of obedience to the
Will of the Father in service to her only beloved Son! Draw close to the
mystery of her heart pierced through time and again unto the consummation of
her sacrifice with His on Calvary!
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Rejoice! You men are intended to be deacons of the Annunciata!
Nos cum
Prole pia, Benedicat Virgo Maria!
PROPERANTES ADVENTUM DIEI DEI
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