Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. (Psalm 32)
Today’s First Reading from the Acts of the Apostle describes a situation very common in the modern Church. There are too few ministers to fulfil the essential works of the Church: feeding the hungry and preaching the Word of God. Neither of these Messianic works must be neglected, and both proclaim the Kingdom of God. The solution at the time was to ordain seven men as deacons (which means servant) to feed the hungry widows.
Over time, the work of deacons became liturgical, away from the heat, dust and grime of corporal works of mercy, but the work remained constant, down through the ages. “The poor you will always have with you,” as Jesus said.
That command to relieve suffering in this world has certainly never been rescinded, for both men and women. A burning question arises now since we live in a suffering world of war, famine, and refugees, where women and children are most vulnerable:
Why are women not being ordained deacons?
