Discernment Assignment 3
The question of What is a deacon? and What does a deacon do? can easily be related to each other on multiple levels. On a surface, if not obvious level, one can easily state that a deacon is one who serves. That makes the answer to What does a deacon do? simple. A deacon is one who serves. It is important to recognize that even though this definition is simple, that in no way diminishes its validity. One would not have to think too hard about how ineffective a deacon's ministry would become if he lost sight of this simple truth. A deacon serves.
To stop at the simple definition would risk missing the point of why a deacon serves. Service for the sake of helping others is a noble undertaking, but it is not why a deacon serves. A deacon serves because of a love of Jesus Christ and having received "a great grace, that of a new friendship with the Lord" (Buelt, 2011, loc 156). The service of a deacon is out of love for Jesus Christ, and thus has the ultimate goal of bringing people to a personal encounter with the Lord.
In order to take a deeper look at the role a deacon has in the life of the world, a comparison can be drawn with the apostle Andrew and his role in evangelizing his brother Simon Peter. Andrew and Simon Peter were brothers, therefore neither was "other". We know that Andrew and Simon Peter toiled together as fishermen. This life was not the "holy" appearing life of the priests and scribes. This was difficult work. They likely bled together from the blisters their hands endured pulling on the rope nets. Andrew was not coming from a place of holy appearance when he evangelized his brother. He was one with his brother in their work. That is what a deacon does. He lives and serves in the world.
In the Gospel of John, we hear John the Baptist proclaim in reference to Jesus "Behold, the lamb of God" (John 1:36). Andrew's evangelization of his brother came about because Andrew "heard John speak" (John 1:40). One can only evangelize if he is quiet enough to hear when God speaks.” A deacon cannot confess the faith if his life is filled with noise and banter, if it is filled with things that distract and keep him from the God who speaks as 'sheer silence'" (Buelt, 2011, pg. 39). That is what a deacon does. He spends time in prayer.
After hearing the proclamation of John, Andrew goes to his brother and shares with him the greatest news one can share with another. Possibly with the joy and childlike abandon that the father showed in the parable of the prodigal son when he ran to his youngest son, Andrew found his brother Simon and declared "we have found the messiah" (John 1:41). The messiah. The long awaited messiah. The one who will "preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord" (Luke 4:18-19). That is what a deacon does. A deacon proclaims the good news of salvation to the world.
After bringing his brother to a meeting with Jesus, Andrew appears to take a backseat to his brother. Jesus has big plans for Simon Peter and Andrew does does not express frustration about his brother's favored status, at least none that was recorded by the evangelists. This example follows that of Jesus, who became “anonymous, completely unrecognizable to men, counted among sinners” (Buelt, 2011, pg. 92). Thus, “the less a deacon is recognized for his ministerial success, the more he serves as Christ himself, who at his baptism stood anonymous and unrecognizable even before John” (Buelt, 2011, pg.93). That's what a deacon does. He welcomes serving in anonymity.
Finally, and most importantly, Andrew was on earth, and now in heaven Jesus’s friend. He selflessly introduced Simon Peter to Jesus Christ, because “we have found the messiah” (John 1:41). The one Israel has been waiting to arrive. He knew that his brother would love his new friend Jesus and Jesus would love his brother Simon Peter. An antiphon from the liturgy of the hours spoken on St Andrew's feast day states that "The Lord loved Andrew and cherished his friendship." That is who a deacon is. He is cherished by the Lord.
Sources
Buelt, E. L., & Chaput, C. J. (2011). A new friendship: The spirituality and ministry of the deacon
Catholic Bible, Revised Standard Version