ORDINATION OF JOEL MACHARIA INTO THE DIACONATE BY: ARCHBISHOP MAKARIOS DATE:12/05/2019 VENUE: @ HOLY RESURRECTION ORTHDOX CHURCH Your Eminence, Standing in front of the Beautiful Gate, waiting to cross it for the first time in my life in order to receive ordination to the Holy Diaconate through your hands, I cannot describe what goes through my heart and my mind except in a typical Orthodox apophatic way. • Indeed, I do not feel excited that I have finally reached a milestone in my life, fulfilling a personal dream, for it is a dream of God that I will be fulfilling, by responding to His call, to leave everything behind at my mature age and prepare myself for this moment, and for all the moments that will follow in the years of my service to His people. JOHN 15:16 “you did not choose me but I the lord appointed you that you should bear fruit….” • Nor do I feel satisfaction that I managed to overcome the many obstacles, for I felt the call so strong that I could not afford no