Brother Deacons

"The good you do today will often be forgotten. Do good anyway!" This particular quote, part of a longer "prayer" is credited to St. Mother Teresa. This helps me to soldier on, particularly, in my ministry as a Deacon. Before I was ordained a wise Deacon told me your work is not for appreciation & thank-you's because it's never about "you". So much of what the Deacon does is never even seen, except of course by He who sees everything. The Deacon, if he is faithful, responds to need, no matter what, and does so under the vow of obedience. The Deacon, if he is faithful, will do things and go places that others just will not do(you know, it's not my job) or will not go(a prison, let 'em rot, let someone else go there). The Deacon, if he is faithful, knows at the deepest recesses of his heart, if his ministry is 100% on Sunday morning, or at big fancy celebrations as opposed to in the streets, entering a jail, walking back into a nursing home or hospital because there is one more soul who needs presence, lending a hand and getting dirty at a food bank, homeless shelter or habitat build. The Deacon, because he endures what Christ endured on earth as an icon of Christ the Servant, is often not recognized, under appreciated and even tossed aside when something "shinier" or someone "more important" comes along. Deacons endure this with grace, because He came to serve and not be served; therefore, we serve and never count the cost. Mother Teresa's prayer goes on, "give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway!"