Role Models

4^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Cycle B

DT 18:15-20

1 Cor 7:32-35

MK 1:21-28

 

We all have many roles to play, don’t we?

We all wear a lot of hats. We are man or woman, husband or wife, parent, child, employee and boss, friend. And then there are they myriad of other roles we take on with our activities, sports, volunteering, organizations we belong to, and oh yes, our faith. It is really hard to juggle them all, isn’t it? It is really hard to separate them and give them each the attention they deserve at any particular moment. Life can seem so out of control at times, and we are pulled in all directions at once. And it doesn’t seem to be getting any better as the world gets smaller and larger at the same time.

Deacons are a strange breed, a mix of the profound and the profane. We are sort of the missing link. We are clergy and we are secular. We are in the world and outside it. We serve as a bridge between the world and the Church. We bring the needs of the world to the Church and we bring the gospel to our everyday lives. And while some would think that is sort of cool – we get the best of all worlds – it can actually be sort of confusing and difficult to pull off.

I often think that priests have it easier, even though they are always on call and might find it difficult to have personal lives. But a priest knows what he is and what his focus is on at all times. He is always a priest, always has a single role to focus him. People always see him as a priest and their expectations of him are based upon that role. I find it difficult oftentimes to know which hat to wear at which time.

I find it easy to focus on my life as deacon when I serve in the liturgy, especially on weekends like this one when I preach and serve at every Mass. At these times I can be single minded and I find I can really concentrate on and enter into the mystery. At these times I feel very close to God and his people. But other times, such as when I am traveling for work or am involved in some important project, it is hard to remember that I am a deacon and keep my eyes on who I really am and should be doing.

Being a deacon shouldn’t be what I do, it should be who I am. Intellectually I understand and believe that this isn’t my part-time job but the overriding purpose of my life, but in practice it’s easy to forget. When I was ordained I was permanently changed, and I committed myself to a life of service. That life and belief should change how I look at all my other roles, especially when it comes to my relationships. I should be a better husband and father, employee and boss, friend and counsellor, because I am a deacon. Most of the time it doesn’t happen. Most of the time I lose sight of who I really am.

You know, you’re no different than me. When you were baptized you were permanently changed, and you were consecrated to a life in Christ. Your faith should change how you look at your other roles, especially when it comes to your relationships. And you should be a better father or mother, husband or wife, child, employee and boss, and friend. And I think most of the time that doesn’t happen for you as well. Most of the time you lose sight of who you really are.

I think that is what St. Paul is talking about today. He is talking about being single minded in the Lord. For some people Paul’s model can work, especially for young people who are beginning to discern their life’s vocation. And it can work well for those who have already chosen to dedicate their lives solely to God, such as priests and religious. Most of us don’t have that luxury. We have been living our lives this way for a long time, and we can’t just jettison our families or our careers without disrupting everything. For us to do so would be worse than maintaining the status quo. But I don’t think Paul is calling everyone to that type of life.

I don’t think Paul is judging which life choices are better or worse than others. He is simply stating the fact that some folks find it easier when their focus is singular. Later on in this same letter Paul gives the Corinthians the analogy of the Body of Christ, where he states that every role in the Church has a necessary function and value. And the end result for all disciples is that, no matter our vocation, everything should be focused on Christ.

Last week we heard St. Mark’s story of the calling of the first apostles along the Sea of Galilee. When Peter and Andrew, James and John were called personally by Jesus they left everything behind and followed him. It seems that they jettisoned their families and careers and all their responsibilities and roles to follow him.

I imagine the reality was a bit different. I think for them it was a bit more like us and our experience. They all lived at the time in Capernaum by the sea. Chances are that was not the first time they had heard of Jesus. It was a small place. And probably they would hang out with Jesus frequently, but still handled their other responsibilities as before while they were close to home. And we don’t know if the apostles had wives and children, and if they were left at home or traveled in the company of the disciples. I can’t imagine that their families were not as captivated by Jesus as they were. The spark of faith that sprang up from the apostles ignited the entire world. Why would it not have started within their own families and among their own friends and associates?

Isn’t it the same with us? We are all called to follow Jesus. That call usually comes through other people. Peter was introduced to Jesus by his brother Andrew. Our faith was introduced to us by our parents as children or through the example and witness of someone we know. Whatever our state in life, we have all been called to live in the Kingdom with our King as the center of our lives.

As with everything in our busy lives, it takes an effort to keep our priorities straight. The difference with our role as disciples is that everything else flows from it. If we focus on Jesus then everything else will fall into line. “Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” How many times have we heard that, and still we try to organize and control things ourselves, the way we want them? And how many times have we fallen short and have to re-correct our path?

If we treat our discipleship as just another task to check off in our day planner, we will always find ourselves having to rebalance the books. A disciple shouldn’t be what you do, it should be who you are. It is the underlying framework for your entire worldview, that affects all your activities and all your relationships.

Sound difficult? It really isn’t. It’s just a single decision. You decide on who you want to be and how you want to live. No need to micromanage your life. Make the decision and cede control. You decide who is the center of you life – you or God. If you choose yourself all the responsibility and effort is on your shoulders. And all the consequences. If you choose God everything else will fall into place. But you have to trust Him. You have to pray, truly pray, and study, truly study, so you can know, truly know Him, so you can serve, truly serve Him.