Being useful to Christ. The example of Jesus Christ inspires us to live our lives filled with constant little sacrifices.
When Andrew and Philip, excited by the glory their Teacher had gained, went to tell him that even the Gentiles wanted to see him, Jesus Christ immediately corrected their purely human optimism. He exclaimed, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified," referring to the establishment of his kingdom on earth. However, it would not be as they had imagined. As St. Augustine said, "Christ was not the King of Israel to collect taxes, raise armies, and visibly fight against his enemies. He was the King of Israel to guide souls, offer advice about eternal life, and lead those full of faith, hope, and love towards the Kingdom of Heaven."
Therefore, although the Lord could have chosen many other means, he chose to die on the Cross. "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." St. Josemaría asks each one of us, "Don't you want to be a grain of wheat, to die through sacrifice, and yield a plentiful harvest?"
"Apostles are Christians who know that they are grafted onto Christ, identified with Christ, through Baptism; enabled to fight for Christ, through Confirmation; called to serve God with their activity in the world, through their participation in the royal, prophetic and priestly functions of Christ, which enable them to guide others towards God, teach them the truth of the Gospel, and contribute to their redemption through prayer and expiation."
"Christians who are ready to serve become guides, teachers, and priests for others. They are for those people, other Christs, or rather, as I usually tell you, Christ himself. However, let me emphasize that it's not about pursuing our personal ambitions. Instead, it's about being useful to Christ, so that he can act. It's also about being useful to others because Christ came not to be served, but to serve."
"Consider a nail, for example. If you encounter no resistance when hammering it into a wall, what can you expect to hang on it? Similarly, if we don't allow God to strengthen us through sacrifice, we will never become instruments of our Lord. On the other hand, if we choose to embrace difficulties willingly and use them for the love of God, then in the face of what is difficult and unpleasant, when things are tough and uncomfortable, we will be able to exclaim with the Apostles James and John: Possumus! Yes, we can!"
Let us ask our Mother, the universal Co-redemptrix, in union with Jesus Christ, to help us let go of all resistance to personal sacrifice so that our apostolate may bear abundant fruit.
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