Being or doing; a week in review reveals

It's a quiet Tuesday morning and I am relaxing at home after an amazingly busy few days.  Most of my activity since last Thursday has revolved around my ministry.  In less than a week I will have officiated at a wedding, assisted at a baptism, conduct a memorial prayer service for a recently deceased inmate from our Catholic community at Rayburn Prison, not to mention assist at two of the Sunday masses and presiding at Benediction this past Friday.  Now if you have read this blog over any period of time you know one of my diaconate mantras: it's not what we do but who we are!  Well, being a deacon, an ordained ministry of the Catholic Church is indeed who we are.  We fail to convey to the faithful that we serve as a Permanent Deacon all the time.

I believe that we are considered "deaconly" when we are seen fulfilling our various duties and ministries.  And yes, sometimes this results in us being very busy.  The wedding that I witnessed Friday night required much planning and work long before Friday night.  Sometimes that includes preparation done quietly from home or the office in addition to meeting with the couple, assessments, planning, rehersals; not to mention just simply being in prayer for the couple that this will be a life long comittment.  The baptism I assisted at requires some planning too.  There is the baptismal seminar, checking and double checking on the god-parents selected and making sure everything is ready for the Sacrament itself.

All of this "doing" occurs all the time we are "being".  Somewhere in the middle of preparing for these busy days I am still husband, father and employee.  I work a full time job, I've been married 34 years and am a proud father of 2.  In these past few days of busy ministry, I've worked my job, took a day trip with my daughter and had a nice quiet dinner with the mrs. And we had a great visit with 2 friends for the holiday weekend.

Sometimes it is easy to sense among co-workers, friends and yes, even family, that we are "off the clock" when not at church or conducting some type of "service".  Maybe we do not do a good job of being.  It should be understood, that at all times and in all places, we are deacons.  Just like we would never think of a Priest as not being "priestly" deacons should not be considered deacons just because they are at work, Wal-Mart or the family picnic.

Because of my "being" the indelible mark of my ordination and the graces received, I am always "being" a Permanent Deacon in His Catholic Church.  And for that I say again, Thanks be to God!

I like the busy-ness of these past few days because it means I can fulfill my being in the doing.  But I take great pleasure too in the times not so busy because it does not change my "being".