I was visiting a parish today and one of my brother deacons was the homilist. As you know, today is Good Shepherd Sunday, and Deacon John began with an engaging recalling of his boyhood experiences with a sheep herd, a delightful story of a newly appointed bishop, and then skillfully, sincerely, honestly, lovingly and very effectively preached on the world-wide scandal in the Church of priests and bishops who have neglected their flocks and scattered their sheep because of their sexual perpetration of minors.
Deacon John, I commend you for what you did today in speaking the truth with love. You exercised your prophetic ministry as deacon. In that one hour, you evidently lived the three-fold munera of the diaconate: Servant of Charity, Servant of Liturgy, and Servant of the Word.
Bless you!
