30 May 2011: Being an apostle of apostles

To fill the world with light, being the “salt and light” (cf Mt 5:13-4), was how Jesus described the mission of his disciples. To bring to the ends of the earth the good news of God’s love. We, Christians should devote our life to doing it.

Yearn not to be alone; but encourage others to help in this divine task of bringing joy and peace to men’s hearts. “Insofar as you progress, attract others to go along with you, desire to have companions on the road to the Lord.” (St Gregory the Great) (“In Evangelia homiliae”, 6, 6 [PL 76, 1098])

As our Lord tells us in a parable, the sower of weeds came “while men slept” (Mt 13:25). We so easily allow ourselves to be carried away by selfishness and superficiality, getting wrapped up in thousands of passing experiences, that we avoid facing the real meaning of the world and life. Lethargy smothers man’s dignity and makes a slave of sadness!

There is one case that we should be especially sorry about: Christians who could do more and don’t; who could live all the consequences of their vocation as children of God, but refuse for want of generosity.

We are partly to blame, for the grace of faith has been given to us to be shared with others. (cf Mt 5:15-6) We cannot forget that their happiness in this life and in the next is at stake. The christian life is a divine wonder with immediate promises of satisfaction and serenity -- provided we know how to recognize the gift of God (cf Jn 4:10) and be generous, at all costs.

We must awaken the people who have fallen into the fearful sleep our Lord denoted. Remind them that life is not a toy but a divine treasure which must grow. We must also show the way to those with good will and desires, but don’t know how to practice them.

Christ urges us to be not only an apostle, but an apostle of apostles, bringing them along, so that they in turn will encourage others to make Jesus Christ known. How can we bring this knowledge to others?

Naturally, simply, living as we do in the middle of the world, devoted to our professional work and the care of our family, sharing the noble interests of men, respecting the rightful freedom of every man. We must desire to help people of every condition and background to realize that ordinary life can be holy and full of God.

Our Lord is calling us to sanctify the ordinary tasks of every day, for the perfection of the Christian is precisely found there. Thus, we give those around us the example of a simple and normal life which is consistent, although it has all the limitations and defects which are part and parcel of the human condition.

The christian apostolate -- that is, an ordinary Christian living as just one more person among equals -- is a great work of teaching. Through real, personal, loyal friendship, we stir in others a hunger for God. We help them discover new horizons by the example of our faith lived fully, with a loving forceful word of the divine truth. Be daring!

Count on the help of Mary, ‘Queen of apostles’. Without ceasing to be a mother, our Lady is able to get each of her children to face his own responsibilities. Mary always does the immense favor of bringing face to face with the example of the Son of God, those who come close to her and contemplate her life.

[Let us ask Our Lady, ‘Regina Apostolorum’ (‘Queen of Apostles’), to make us understand better that the apostolate is a joyous undertaking, although it may demand sacrifice. Let us ask her for an awareness of our responsibility towards all our fellowmen, especially those we meet daily. (cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 6:377)]

Ref: Cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “Christ is passing by”, 147

` ` ` MAY DEVOTIONS ` ` `

Mary, Queen of the Apostles -- “... if we take Our Lady’s hand, she will make us realize more fully that all men are our brothers; because we are all sons of the God whose daughter, spouse and mother she is. Our neighbors’ problems must be our problems. Christian fraternity should be something very deep in the soul, so that we are indifferent to no one. Mary, who brought up Jesus and accompanied him through his life and is now beside him in heaven, will help us recognize Jesus as he crosses our path and makes himself present to us in the needs of our fellowmen.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Christ is passing by”, 145)

Let us offer our Mother: ‘A kind word, a friendly conversation, a helping hand to persons with whom we live or work.’

Ref: Fr Charles Belmonte and Fr James Socias (Eds), “Handbook of Prayers”, 1988, p314

The Rosary, a Gospel Prayer

W J Harrington, OP, in presenting his book, “The Rosary: A Gospel Prayer”, said: “The Rosary is a thoroughly biblical, Gospel prayer. The reason is by no means only because the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ and the greatest part of the ‘Hail, Mary’, come straight from the gospels. It is because almost all the ‘mysteries’ of the Rosary come straight from the gospels.

“The ‘Joyful Mysteries’ are taken from the first two chapters of St Luke; the ‘Sorrowful Mysteries’ are based on the passion narrative of the four gospels; and the ‘Glorious Mysteries’ reflect the close of the gospel and its overflow into the new age of the Spirit and the Church.”

Pope Paul VI, in “Marialis Cultus”, 2 February 1972, said: “The Rosary is a Gospel prayer, as pastors and scholars like to define it ... As a Gospel prayer, centered on the mystery of the redemptive Incarnation, the Rosary is therefore, a prayer with a clearly Christological orientation.”

“Upon arriving, the angel Gabriel said to Mary: ‘Rejoice, O highly favored daughter! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.’” (Lk 1:28)
“Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out in a loud voice: ‘Blest are you among women and blest is the fruit of your womb.’” (Lk 1:41-2)
Ref: Rev Joseph A Viano, SSP, “Two Months with Mary”, 1984, p52

• Dedication of the church of “Monte Vergine”, near Naples, built in the year 1126 by St William, founder of the order of “Monte Vergine”; and repaired in 1519. — John Juvenal, lib. vii., de Antiquitatibus, c. 3. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Dedication of the Church of the Virgin’s Mountain (1126). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
• Dedication of the Church of the Virgin's Mountain / “Monte Vergine”. Naples, Italy. ~1119. Monastery founded by St William. Home of a Black Madonna. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. Mexico. 1966. (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. Mexico. 1966. Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, religious order. www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)