It’s springtime at the seminary and with that comes ordinations. Five of Steven’s housemates were ordained to the transitional diaconate.
One of the most common questions that Steven gets as a seminarian is, “Are you a deacon yet?”. There are three different levels of holy orders. The first is the level of Deacon, the second is Priest and the third is Bishop.
Seeing people that he knows be ordained brings with it a more human aspect of Holy Orders. Before Seminary, priests seemed like people who were different. Now, the guys who he lives with are becoming ordained.
Having the chance to witness this offered an opportunity of seeing their peace and their joy. Also it is a chance to see that there are different charisms.
This is also a check in for Steven. Steven is in the ‘on deck’ circle for next year. It’s OK to come in with a different set of skills. Look at charisms of others but you also need to recognize your own talents.
Seeing the challenges ahead has lead to a deeper trust in the Lord. You may not have same skills as everyone else but must learn to trust in the Lord that he will provide the Grace to do what is needed of you.