Mosaic from the side alter
HOLY ORDERS call our attention to another dimension of God's action in our lives. We are not just part of a family. Every family, every marriage, is part of a larger community and the quality of that community affects the quality of marriages, friendships, and individual lives.
Holy Orders reveal that God acts in the communities of which we are a part by raising up leaders who strive to be disciples in such a way that others see discipleship in their own lives.
Ordained persons, in other words, do not just call people to follow Christ. They truly lead when they help others to see the action of Christ in their relationships, work, and play. They do this because they have first seen it in themselves. By continually calling a community to discipleship, they remind non-ordained persons that they are responsible to act in a similar way in their circle of relationships.
