Acts 6:1-7

Acts 6:1-7

As the number of disciples continued to grow,

the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews

because their widows 

were being neglected in the daily distribution.

So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said,

“It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.

Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men,

filled with the Spirit and wisdom,

whom we shall appoint to this task,

whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer

and to the ministry of the word.”

The proposal was acceptable to the whole community,

so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit,

also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas,

and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism.

They presented these men to the Apostles

who prayed and laid hands on them.

The word of God continued to spread,

and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly;

even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I contemplate today how you care for your people by appointing ministers and servants. I pray today for the Church’s bishops, priests, and deacons that they may serve humbly and faithfully.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Patriarchs, Fathers, Firstborn Sons: When we contemplate the ordination of the first deacons in the Church, it is good to see how their ministry was prefigured in the Old Testament. When the deacon proclaims the Exultet at the Easter Vigil, he references how he is numbered among the Levites. But the Levites have their roots in the firstborn sons of Israel. But even before the institution of the Levites as the ministers of the tabernacle and temple, there was a priesthood and ministry exercised by the patriarchs, the fathers of families, and the firstborn sons. When we read the Book of Genesis, we see the patriarchs such as Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob building altars, saying prayers, offering sacrifices, and pronouncing blessings. In Egypt, the father of each family exercised a priestly role when they slaughtered the lambs and presided over the Passover. On the night of the Passover, the firstborn sons were redeemed – they were spared from death and bought back as wholly belonging to the Lord God – through the blood of the Passover lamb. The lamb served as a substitute that died in their place, so that the angel of the Lord “passed over” the houses marked with the lamb’s blood. This was a profound act of redemption and consecration tied to Israel’s identity as God’s “firstborn son” (Exodus 4:22-23) and to the original patriarchal priesthood.

2. High Priests, Priests, Levites: Something changed, however, when Israel worshipped the golden calf. The priesthood was stripped from the twelve tribes and the firstborn sons and restricted to one tribe, the tribe of Levi. The high priesthood was reserved for the sons of Aaron, and eventually only the sons of Phineas and Zadok. The priesthood was reserved for the descendants of Aaron. Ministry in the Mosaic Tabernacle and the Solomonic Temple would be carried out exclusively by the tribe of Levi. The distinction between the high priest, the Aaronic priests, and the Levite assistants is, on the one hand, grounded in the ancient distinction between Patriarch, father, and firstborn son, and, on the other hand, a prefiguration of the New Covenant distinction between bishop, priest (elder), and deacon.

3. Bishops, Priests, Deacons: We see how God cares for his people in the First Reading. There was an injustice that needed to be addressed: the widows of the Hellenists – Jewish converts who spoke Greek – were being neglected in the daily distribution (or service) of food and money. The Apostles addressed the problem by asking the people to choose seven reputable men, filled with the Holy Spirit and with wisdom, for the task of serving the people. Wisdom is a gift from the Holy Spirit and will enable them to act in a just manner in their duties. The seven men were presented to the Apostles, and they laid hands on them. The laying on of hands was and still is a symbolic and sacramental gesture of consecration and commission. It confers the grace of the Holy Spirit and is linked with the sacrament of ordination (1 Timothy 4:14). The seven men were commissioned to serve, not just in the administration of temporal goods, but also in preaching (8:5) and baptizing (8:12). They were called “deacons,” based on the Greek word for service (diakonia). Like the seven men chosen for service in the Acts of the Apostles, deacons today receive the first degree of Holy Orders. The Sacrament of Holy Orders conforms them, not to Christ the Head as a priest, but to Christ the Servant as a deacon. Deacons do not receive the ministerial priesthood, but rather assist the bishop and priests in the celebration of the divine mysteries, in the distribution of Holy Communion, in assisting at and blessing marriages, in the proclamation of the Gospel and preaching, in presiding over funerals, and in dedicating themselves to the various ministries of charity (CCC, 1569-70). The sacramental grace strengthens them in their dedication to the People of God in the service of the liturgy, of the Gospel, and of works of charity (CCC, 1588).

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd who cares for your flock. You guide me to restful waters and refresh my soul. You have prepared a banquet before me and guide me along right paths. I fear no evil because you are with me. Bring me to dwell in the eternal house of the Lord all my days.

Living the Word of God: Today’s First Reading is a call to humble service. First, we recognize that we are creatures and that without God we can do nothing. Second, we are challenged by Jesus' words: “The greatest among you will be your servant” (Matthew 23:11); “If anyone would be first, he must be the last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35). At the end of our lives, if we have been faithful to God’s grace and welcome his mercy, we will hear his words of welcome: “Well done good and faithful servant... enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21).