{"id":7432,"date":"2017-05-13T10:29:47","date_gmt":"2017-05-13T15:29:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/legionariosdecristo.org\/?p=7432"},"modified":"2025-08-12T19:52:34","modified_gmt":"2025-08-12T19:52:34","slug":"deacon-mission-mystery-humble","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/subdir.legionariosdecristo.org\/en\/blog\/2017\/05\/deacon-mission-mystery-humble\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00abThe deacon’s mission is to remind us of the mystery of humble God\u00bb \u2013 Diaconal ordinations in Rome"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\u00abThe<\/a>Today, May 13th, Cardinal Angelo Comastri, Archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City and Vicar General of His Holiness for Vatican City, ordained seven diocesan seminarians from the Pontifical International College Maria Mater Ecclesiae<\/a> (PCIMME) and six Legionaries of Christ at the altar of the Chair of St. Peter in the Vatican Basilica.<\/p>\n

The celebration, part of the 25th Anniversary of PCIMME, was attended by a large number of Legionary priests and some diocesan and religious priests, PCIMME seminarians, Legionaries from the communities in Rome, consecrated members of Regnum Christi, and lay consecrated persons living in Rome, as well as family members and friends of the new deacons and some members of Regnum Christi in Italy.<\/p>\n

The new deacons are: from the diocese of Neyyanttinkara, India, Fathers Bruno Xavier and Lijo Francis Saji Pushpam; from the Archdiocese of Trivandrum, India, Fathers Davidson Jestus and Manish Peter; from the Work of Mary Mother and Queen of Unity, Ecuador, Father Eddy Alejandro de la Torre Hurtado; from the Archdiocese of Abuja, Nigeria, Father Peter Ehinomhen Okojie; from the Diocese of Sons\u00f3n-Rionegro, Colombia, Father Sebasti\u00e1n Toro Toro; from the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ, Fathers Michael James Baggot (United States), Jos\u00e9 Rigoberto Cano (Mexico), Sadrac Salvador Hern\u00e1ndez (Mexico), Marcos Gerardo Salazar M\u00e1rquez (Mexico), Rodrigo Mart\u00ednez Murillo (Mexico), and Luis Gustavo D’Suze Santos (Venezuela).<\/p>\n

We thank God for the gift of these new deacons for His Church. The Lord, who guides our steps and our history, knows well the meaning of this celebration, in which we remember the efforts, work, sacrifices, and generosity of these new deacons and their trainers and companions<\/em>, commented Father \u00d3scar Turri\u00f3n, rector of the Pontifical College Maria Mater Ecclesiae.<\/p>\n

\"\u00abThe<\/a>The photo gallery of the diaconal ordinations can be seen here<\/a><\/h4>\n

Below is the Spanish translation of the homily delivered by Cardinal Angelo Comastri<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The Evangelist John, at the end of his admirable prologue, states something that at first glance seems impressive, but is true. John says: \u00abNo one has ever seen God\u00bb (Jn 1:18). And it is true. We can see the traces of God, the effects of God’s presence, but we cannot see God’s face.<\/p>\n

There is a psalm, Psalm 18, which says: \u00abThe heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the work of His hands.\u00bb A great scientist, Isaac Newton, used to say that just looking at the star-filled sky was enough to be enchanted by the universe. You need to be blind not to recognize the author; you need to be naive not to worship Him. We see the effects, but we do not see God’s face. Carlo Linnaeus, a great botanist, perhaps the greatest of all time, said: \u00abWhen I study flowers, I see God’s signature and almost glimpse God’s step.\u00bb But God is not visible.<\/p>\n

John said: \u00abNo one has ever seen God; the one who has revealed Him is the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father.\u00bb He has told us about God. He has revealed God to us. Jesus, and this is the heart of our faith, is the Son of God who became man, took on our humanity to tell us, with His humanity, the mystery of God, to make it visible to us.<\/p>\n

\"\u00abThe<\/a>Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus has revealed to us a characteristic of God that no one could have imagined; He has made known to us a characteristic of God that no religion could have thought of at all. Jesus has revealed that God is humble. This is an impressive characteristic of God.<\/p>\n

As early as Isaiah, in the Old Testament, we find a question, a query from God: \u00abTo whom shall I look?\u00bb (Is 66:2). And God answers: \u00abOn the humble\u00bb (Is 66:2). Clearly because God and humility are naturally attracted to each other. The life of Jesus is a whole revelation of God’s humility. Humility that is part of love. It is an unrenounceable characteristic of love.<\/p>\n

In Bethlehem, we see Him full of humility. The angels tell the shepherds to go to Bethlehem: \u00abAnd this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger\u00bb (Lk 2:12). This is the throne on which God has appeared in the world, because God is humble.<\/p>\n

At the Last Supper, Jesus also began to wash the disciples’ feet. Peter himself was unprepared for this gesture and reacted by saying to Jesus: \u00abYou will never wash my feet!\u00bb (Jn 13:8). That is, I do not accept you in this humility. But Jesus responds: Peter, \u00abif I do not wash you, you have no part with me\u00bb (cf. Jn 13:8). That is, if you do not accept this characteristic of God, which is unrenounceable, you understand nothing of God. Peter experienced difficulty, but he managed to accept the mystery of humble God.<\/p>\n

\"\u00abThe<\/a>Dear deacons, you have the task of reminding us of this characteristic of God. We are all tempted; pride is always at the door. The diaconate has this wonderful mission: to remind us that God is humble, to remind us that Jesus came to serve and to give His life. How important this mission is! And the diaconate is the foundation of all priesthood. And it is a characteristic that must always remain in all manifestations of your life.<\/p>\n

The saints understand this wonderfully. Think that Saint Augustine, in Book VI of his Confessions, wrote that he found it difficult to find Jesus because he was not seeking Him from humble to humble. And Augustine also said that demons were born because of pride. God created all good, including demons, who were created as good beings, angels. Pride has transformed them into demons.<\/p>\n

Think of Saint Francis, who said, in his praise of virtues, that on earth, one could not find a person who had a single virtue without first having humility. And while praying silently, he reached this exclamation, addressed to God: \u00abYou are humility.\u00bb<\/p>\n

Dear future deacons, you have a great task in the Church. A task that you must always perform in a lively and strong way: to remind us of this characteristic of God so that we can also always follow this path, because it is the path in which we can find God and manifest God with our lives.<\/p>\n