> [[327-the-apostolate-of-example|← 327. The Apostolate of Example]] | [[-divine-intimacy-toc|TOC]] | [[329-the-road-to-our-eternal-home|329. The Road to Our Eternal Home →]] --- # 328. Apostolic Works PRESENCE OF GOD - O my God, make me worthy to collaborate with You in spreading Your kingdom of Love. ## Meditation 1 The interior apostolate of prayer and suffering in virtue of its intrinsic efficacy and fruitfulness possesses A preeminence over all other forms of the apostolate, to such A degree that, even without any exterior activity, it is sufficient to make those who practice it eminent apostles. Nevertheless, works are also necessary in society and in the Church; God wills them, and indeed He ordinarily intervenes in the world through the activity of His apostles. Side by side with the interior apostolate of contemplatives, the exterior activity of pastors and the faithful is needed for the diffusion of the life of grace in souls. The ministry of the priesthood is necessary for the administration of the sacraments; missionaries are needed to convert infidels; we must have schools and teachers for the christian formation of youth; to christianize society, we need social works and workers, professional men and women who will be apostles in their own walks of life. In the field of the apostolate, as St. Paul says, there are many duties, many offices of varied importance and value, but they all proceed from one and the same Spirit, the Holy Spirit, who “divides to everyone according as He will,” and at the same time, orders them all to one end: the growth of the mystical body of Christ (1 Cor 12,11). Just as one member of the human body has need of the others, “and the eye cannot say to the hand, I need not thy help, nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you” (ibid.12, 21), so neither can contemplatives say to those in the active life, “your works are not necessary”; nor can the latter say to the former, “your prayer is of no avail.” Neither can the supporters of the various kinds of apostolic activity consider one to be more important than others; but with mutual appreciation, all should work in A Spirit of solidarity, helping one another, each one trying to carry out His own functions with the greatest possible perfection. From the love with which each one discharges His own duties and, at the same time, remains united to the others, will result the universal good of the Church, which the apostle should seek above and beyond any of His own personal works or interests ## Meditation 2 The first place in the apostolic ministry belongs, beyond all doubt, to the Bishops who are the direct successors of the Apostles, to whom Jesus officially entrusted the charge of evangelizing the world: “Going, therefore, teach ye all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” ([[matthew-28#^matthew-28-19|Mt 28,19.20]]). Next to this apostolate of the Hierarchy, reserved for the clergy, there is the apostolate of the laity, who are invited by the Church to collaborate with the Hierarchy. The Bishops guide, govern, draw up the plans; and under their direction the faithful are called upon to lend their assistance. It is evident, therefore, that the authentic apostolate, the only one which is in accord with God’s plan for the salvation of mankind, is that which is exercised in harmony with the directives of the Church. He who wants to work in the Lord’s vineyard, independently of those whom God has chosen to direct and govern it, is not worthy to be called an apostle. Activity of this kind would not only fail to further the ends of the apostolate, but it would also be prejudicial to them. First on the list of collaborators with the Hierarchy are the persons consecrated to God by the vows of religion, that is, religious men and women dedicated to the works of the apostolate, and the members of Secular Institutes. Next are the members of Catholic Action groups, and finally, there is a place for all Christians who, privately or as members of a group, practice some form of the apostolate. It was not by chance that Pius XII, in the Encyclical _Mystici Corporis_, speaking of the collaboration of the faithful in the apostolate, made special mention of fathers and mothers of families; indeed every Christian who works to bring the spirit of the Gospel into his own sphere of action—whether it be the home, the school, the office, or the hospital—is a true collaborator with the Hierarchy. Furthermore, the same Pope declared: “This apostolic work, performed according to the spirit of the Church, consecrates a layman as a kind of minister of Christ; this is what [[augustine-of-hippo-saint|St. Augustine]] meant when he wrote: ‘O brethren...you, too, in your own way, ought to be ministers of Christ by leading a good life, giving alms, and preaching His name and His doctrine. In this way the father of a family also will fulfill his duty as a cleric in his own home, and to some degree the duty of a bishop, serving Christ, in order to be with Him in eternity’” (Encyclical: _Summi Pontificatus_). It was in this sense that St. Peter, addressing himself to the faithful, did not hesitate to say: “You are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood” (1 Pt 2,9). ## Colloquy Grant that i may no longer think whether i am to gain or lose but let my one aim be to serve and please you knowing your love for us i willingly renounce all my pleasure in order to please you alone by serving my neighbor and proclaiming to others the truths which will do good to their souls i shall not worry about any loss i may suffer i wish to have only my neighbor's good in mind and nothing further in order to give you more pleasure my god i want to forget myself for others and i am ready if need be even to give up my life as did many martyrs. “This, I think, must be one of the greatest comforts on earth, to see good coming to souls through one’s own agency. Happy are they, O Lord, to whom You grant these favors!” ([[teresa-of-avila-saint|T.J.]] Con). “My God, fortunate is he who has tasted how sweet it is to work for the salvation of souls! He is not afraid of cold or heat, hunger or thirst, offenses or insults, no, not even of death. “O Lord, give me crosses and thorns, persecutions of all kinds, if only I can save souls, and my own among them. _Da mihi animas, coetera tolle_: give me souls, Lord, and take all the rest. “Only when I know that the devil has given up plotting against souls, shall I cease trying new ways of saving them from his deceits and snares. “O Lord, I wish to make a complete sacrifice of my life to You, to work for Your glory until I draw my last breath, bearing patiently all adversities and contradictions in my work. Help me to spend all my strength for the salvation of souls” (St. John Bosco). # References T.J. - [[teresa-of-avila-saint|Saint Teresa of Avila]] Con - [[tj-conceptions-of-the-love-of-god|Conceptions of the Love of God by Saint Teresa of Avila]] --- ![[bibliography#^biblio-di]] > [[327-the-apostolate-of-example|← 327. The Apostolate of Example]] | [[-divine-intimacy-toc|TOC]] | [[329-the-road-to-our-eternal-home|329. The Road to Our Eternal Home →]]