Bishop Patrick J. Zurek's Homily, June 3, at St. Mary's Cathedral

Today we are celebrating the Ordination of a Deacon and of a Priest. It is also the Vigil of the Solemnity of Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, early disciples and on Mary, Mother of the Lord. Today’s consecration of these men takes place through the gift of the Spirit to them. 
 
In the Narrative of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan Woman at the well, Jesus uses the symbol of water to describe the incredible diversity of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers. As Jesus thirsts for her faith, He offers this gift to this non-Jewish woman.  He tells her.
 
“The water that I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to Eternal Life.”  (Jn. 4:14b) 
 
This will be a new kind of water that is living, leaping water, welling up for those who are worthy to receive it because of their faith in Christ. It is life giving. It is a perfect symbol to describe the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a faithful follower of Jesus; hence, a perfect symbol for the Spirit. Why? Because all plants and animals need water to survive; yet, although water is always the same, it produces difference effects in different plants.
 
For example, in the Olive tree it produces luscious and rich oil. In a pecan tree it produces the nut we all love so much. In the Lemon tree, the flavorful tart juice that enhances so many drinks and foods. The Lime tree produces the juice that is the basis of a good margarita. In a tree ripened peach, the incredible and delicious peach nectar. Water is necessary for the production of the cattle that become our delectable beef steak. Water produces the pork that is the foundation of the sausages we love so much here in the Panhandle. Yet the rainwater that comes down from the skies is always the same; it is not one thing today and another tomorrow!
 
“In the same way the Holy Spirit, whose nature is always the same, simple and indivisible, apportions Grace to each man as he wills. Like a dry tree which puts forth shoots when watered, the soul bears the fruit of holiness when repentance has made it worthy of receiving the Holy Spirit. Although the Spirit never changes, the effects of His action, by the will of God and in the name of Christ, are both many and marvelous.”  (St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop, Catechetical Instruction, [Cat. 16, De Spiritu Sancto 1, 11-12.  16: PG 33, 931—935, 939-942])
 
In his letter to the Ephesians St. Paul writes of the work of the Spirit producing different gifts in the faithful believer.
 
“The Grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. He gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for the building up the Body of Christ.” (Eph. 4:7, 11-12)
 
Shane and Grant, the Spirit has truly revealed his presence in each of you in a very particular way for the common good of the Holy People of God. He “comes with the tenderness of a true friend and protector to save, to heal, to teach, to counsel, to strengthen, and to console.” (St. Cyril, ibid) For you, Shane, the Spirit provides the Grace of Diaconal Service; for you Grant, Priestly Ministry in persona Christi.
 
And in a most singular way he has manifested his presence by personally Calling the both of you to sacred ministry within the Church, which is the Body of Christ.
 
This calling that you have both received has a very significant characteristic. You are both coming from the very people to whom you will be sent to minister. You are personifying the Charism of the Diocesan Priest! Several years Father Bill Steel, a priest in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston was to give a presentation of this Charism of the Diocesan Priest. However, on the day of this scheduled talk, he had a funeral. It was also raining heavily that day. He arrived late for the presentation. He began… and then noticed that his black slacks were spotted with the red soil of northern Harris County.
 
He paused.  Then he said: 
 
“This is the Charism of the Diocesan Priest! This red mud on my slacks tells me that I have a special charism. It is to minister to the people who live on the land of my diocese. I must minister to all of them; regardless of the culture, the language or the customs of these people.” (Father Bill Steel, St. Mary’s Seminary Formation Director, Houston, Texas)
 
You were both born here and raised here. You are truly sons of the Panhandle… of the Diocese of Amarillo. You know these people. You are related to most of them! At the Seminarian Convocation that you just concluded, I saw the reddish powdered soil not only on the vehicles what we used, but also on your shoes and slacks, shorts and your feet. You are well suited to minister here!
 
My dear people:  since these two men, our brothers are about to be advanced to the Order of Deacon and the Order of Priest, consider carefully the nature of the rank in the Church to which they are about to be advanced. They are to serve Christ the great Teacher, Priest and Shepherd, by whose ministry his Body, the Church, is continually being built up here on earth into the people of God and the temple of the Holy Spirit. Priests and deacons, joined to the priestly office of Bishops, will be consecrated, as Jesus prayed in today’s Gospel, for the preaching of the Gospel, the sanctification and nourishment of God’s people and for divine worship, especially in the Lord’s sacrifice. With the help of God, they should go about all these duties in such a way that you will recognize them as true disciples of him who “came not to be served, but to serve.”  (Mt. 20:28)
 
Shane, since by your own free choice you present yourself for the Order of the Diaconate, you should be a man of “good reputation, filled with wisdom and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:3) as were those first chosen by the Apostles for the ministry of charity that we read in the First Reading.
 
You will commit yourself to the Celibate state: know that celibacy is both a sign of pastoral charity and an inspiration to it, as well as a source of spiritual fruitfulness in the world. As such you will cling to Christ more easily with an undivided heart.
 
From now on you are not only a hearer of the Gospel but also its minister. Hold the mystery of faith with a clear conscience so that on the last day you will be able to hear the Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.” (Mt. 25:23)
 
Now Grant, you are to be raised to the Order of the Priesthood. You will exercise the sacred duty of teaching in the name of Christ the Teacher. Impart the Word of God with great joy. Meditating on the law of the Lord, see that you believe what you read, that you teach what you believe and that you practice what you teach. Let the holiness of your life be a delightful aroma to Christ’s faithful, so that by word and example you may build up the house of God which is God’s Church.
 
Likewise you will exercise in Christ the office of Sanctifying. For by your ministry the spiritual sacrifice of the faithful will be made perfect, being united to the sacrifice of Christ, which will be offered through your hands in an unbloody way on the altar, in union with the faithful, in the celebration of the sacraments. Understand, therefore, what you do, and imitate what you celebrate. As celebrant of the mystery of the Lord’s death and resurrection, strive to put to death whatever in your members is sinful, and to walk in newness of life. 
           
Remember, when you bring men and women into the Church through Baptism, and when you forgive sins in the name of Christ and the Church in Penance; when you comfort the sick with the Holy Anointing, when you offer prayers of praise and thanks to God through the Liturgy of the Hours throughout the day, not only for the People of God but for the whole world—remember then, that you are taken from among men and appointed on their behalf for those things that pertain to God.  Carry out this ministry of Christ the Priest with constant joy and genuine love. 
 
Finally, my dear son, you will discharge the office of Christ, Head and Shepherd.  United with me, your bishop and subject to me, strive to bring the faithful together into one family, so that you may lead them to God the Father through Christ in the Holy Spirit. Keep always before your eyes the example of the Good Shepherd who came “not to be served but to serve” (Mt. 25:23), and to “seek out and save what was lost.”  (Lk. 19:10; Mt. 19:11)
 
/s/Most Reverend Patrick J. Zurek, Bishop of Amarillo, Ordination of Mr. Shane Wieck as a Transitional Deacon and The Ordination of Deacon Grant Spinhirne as a Priest, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Amarillo, Texas, June 3, 2017