Faith and Purpose
A Talk by the Rt. Rev. Peter M. Buss Jr.
at his Ordination into the
Third Degree of the Priesthood
I am among you as the One who serves. (Luke 22:27)
I
’d like to talk to you today about Faith and Purpose. You heard me declare,
as a part of the ordination service, my faith, and my statement of purpose.
Having just been through that exercise, I wish it on all of you – not that you
would carefully craft a statement so that you can go through a ceremony
as I did, but that you feel the power and peace in contemplating the most
important truths upon which you base your life, and consider (again) why the
Lord put you on this earth.
At some point, all of us human beings wonder about certain big things.
Among them is, “Who is God?” and “Why am I here?” Religion exists in part
to answer those and other big life questions. I want us to focus a bit of attention
on these two today. They are essential components of our faith.
Let’s talk first about God. You heard teachings about the Lord God the
Savior Jesus Christ, who is the one God of heaven and earth. We also heard
earlier a beautiful vision of the Lord: like a bright angel in a splendid cloud
inviting all into His embrace so that He can lift them up to heaven. (True
Christian Religion 339)
Just as beautiful is the story we hear in the New Testament, which describes
what the Lord does:
Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be
considered the greatest. And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise
lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called
‘benefactors.’ But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you,
let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater,
he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am
among you as the One who serves.” (Luke 22: 24-27)
“I am among you as the One who serves.” When we come to understand
the Lord, we realize that all He cares about is helping us. That’s it. All of His
350