Deacon Jonathan Lam and his wife, Huyen, with their children Gabrielle, Isabel and Jordan. (Courtesy Deacon Jonathan Lam)
Hawaii’s permanent deacons
By Deacon Jonathan Lam
Special to the Herald
Occasionally, people ask me to describe the life of a deacon. I just smile and say, a deacon’s life is just as normal as everyone else’s! But now, I would like to humbly draw a few images of the deacon below.
There are calls that can only be heard with the heart, because they are the call of love. There is a call through the awareness of the weakness of human life, because the call comes from deep within the heart. The call motivates us to seek the truth in serving those who are suffering: It is the call to become a person who serves our brothers and sisters through God’s grace.
The path of serving our brothers and sisters will change our outlook on life. The journey that leads us on the path of serving others is closely linked to almighty God, to daily life with family, and to our parishes and the people we meet.
Along the way, there will be times of joy, restlessness, reflection and long sleepless nights praying to almighty God regarding right and wrong decisions and of deep love and faith in gratitude to God.
Have you ever pondered what the life of a deacon is like? The deacon carries a humble heart in service, because he must live in the harmony between his own daily life and the spiritual life of serving others in God’s grace. It can be clearly stated that through service, the life and nature of the person who receives the vocation as deacon will change dramatically according to the union and providence of God.
Every day in the life of a deacon will be a journey in the process of serving brothers and sisters in Christ. Along with the journey of serving others, the deacon also has responsibilities to his family.
The combination of daily life and spiritual service will become a new grace in the life of the deacon and this is because the deacon receives spiritual strength from the Holy Spirit.
It is the experiences of everyday life that will help deacons gain a deep awareness of the life of faith. Through that awareness, the deacon can effectively preach the word of God through daily life experiences.
The depth of the deacon’s life of faith will transform his perspective of the relationship between husband and wife, with his children and those around him. Love will be more abundant in the deacon’s feelings. Charity will grow in the deacon’s heart through reflection and God’s grace.
Through the calling of serving others, the deacon will encounter times of difficulty, times of success, times of joy because of his service, times of concern for the standards of his service, and time to listen to God’s voice deep in his heart.
What is the calling of being a deacon? To reflect on this question, I must deeply listen to the calling in my soul. The calling to be a deacon transforms my life into a new chapter of destiny. The calling causes me silent crying at night. The calling opens my heart to the melody of love from God. Among all the hardships and obstacles on the journey, I can persevere through hope and faith.
If you ask me what the life of a deacon is, then I invite you to try walking on the path that is filled with love and grace from God. You will find the answers through serving others in God’s love.
Deacon Jonathan Lam serves at the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa in Honolulu. He, his wife Huyen and their children Gabrielle, Isabel and Jordan are members of the parish’s Vietnamese community.