Nov 15 Fri
What is the main necessity for the apostolate?
The goal of the new evangelization is to enable every person to come into contact with Christ, and to make the Church more capable of transmitting the Gospel of salvation in a persuasive and comprehensive way.
This mission, which extends to the life of the Church, will be "new" not in its content but in the interior impulse, open to the grace of the Holy Spirit, which constitutes the power of the Gospel and always renews the Church; "new" in the search for ways that are appropriate to the times and situations; and "new" because it is necessary even in countries that have already received the proclamation of the Gospel.
Jesus gave an imperative command to the Apostles: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned."
This command is accompanied by extraordinary powers: "These miracles will accompany those who believe: in my name, they will cast out demons…"
Matthew is more explicit in the content of the apostolic mission: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."
What formation did Jesus provide the disciples for such a great mission? It is worth meditating on this. The dimensions of the apostolic mission are grandiose, almost excessive: to go to all the peoples of the earth, to teach a new doctrine, to baptize those who believe, to teach them moral behavior. It is shocking to contemplate what this mission entails: they must learn languages, adapt to many cultures, overcome frontiers, encourage others to change their religion and abandon many traditions, preach rigorous customs of life, and be ready to die to carry out this mission.
From a human point of view, this seems like a disproportionate task. While it is true that the most important force at their disposal is divine grace, the formation Jesus provides the disciples also matters, as it is not advisable to leave them without this human preparation, and Jesus does not do so. Moreover, the formation he gives them will serve all the apostles of all times.
The apostolic formation is preceded by previous ones. It would be difficult to reach everyone if the apostles lacked human virtues, were not sufficiently prayerful and holy, or if their doctrinal education were insufficient. No one gives what he does not have.
On one occasion, Jesus gave them an important lesson: "When he saw the crowds, he was filled with compassion for them because they were weary and lowly, like sheep without a shepherd." He then shows them that prayer must precede the apostolate: "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into the harvest." He does not tell them to act more effectively or to organize themselves better, but to pray for apostles. The first requirement for an effective apostolate will always be prayer, because the fruits depend on God's grace.
Excerpts from St John Paul II
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