From the Rite of Institution to Acolyte, these are the words offered for the Bishop to speak to the candidates at the end of the Homily. (The instructions say “Then all sit, and the Bishop gives the Homily, which he concludes by speaking to the candidates in these or similar words:”)
Dear sons in Christ, as people chosen for the ministry of acolyte, you will have a special role in the Church’s ministry. The summit and source of the Church’s life is the Eucharist, which builds up the Christian community and makes it grow. It is your responsibility to assist Priests and Deacons in carrying out their ministry, and as special ministers to give Holy Communion to the faithful at the liturgy and to the sick. Because you are specially called to this ministry, you should strive to live more fully by the Lord’s Sacrifice and to be molded more perfectly in its likeness. You should seek to understand the deep spiritual meaning of what you do, so that you may offer yourselves daily to God as spiritual sacrifices acceptable to him through Jesus Christ. In performing your ministry bear in mind that, as you share the one bread with your brothers and sisters, so you form one Body with them. Show a sincere love for Christ’s Mystical Body, God’s holy people, and especially for the weak and the sick. Be obedient to the commandment which the Lord gave to his Apostles at the Last Supper: “Love one another as I have loved you.”
My husband was instituted as an acolyte last fall as a step in the process of becoming a deacon. I thought this was a particularly beautiful exhortation that certainly has a lot of applicability to all Catholics and was lovely to stumble across during Holy Week.
Prayer Questions:
How can I be moved with pity like Jesus is for those in need?
How does Jesus want me to sincerely love Christ’s Mystical Body?
In what ways is Jesus calling me to “Love one another as I have loved you” today?
How can I be a source of unity in a broken world?
Possible Readings for the Mass:
Small Catholic 
Leave a comment