May 12 Monday
What is the main apostolate of Opus Dei?
The Ethiopian was reading a passage from the Bible. Then Philip, beginning with this Scripture, told him the good news of Jesus; he helped him to know Jesus, the incarnate God, and begin to love him.
Today, we celebrate the feast of the Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, Bishop, who presided Opus Dei. Like every Christian, we must spread the good news of Jesus. We must get rid of ignorance through an abundance of revealed doctrine, the truth of Christ. “The Christian apostolate - and I'm talking about an ordinary Christian, living as just one more man or woman among equals - is a great work of teaching. Through real, personal, loyal friendship, you create in others a hunger for God and help them discover new horizons, naturally, simply: with the example of your faith lived to the full, with a loving word which is full of the force of divine truth."
In the Work, “whatever the external forms our apostolates may adopt, they always tend towards one end: that of giving doctrine." We must teach doctrine, taking advantage of every occasion, and making opportunities where none exist.
Saint Josemaría told us: “Build up a store of good doctrine and fill your heads with clear ideas. Absorb our God-given Christian spirit in its fullness so that you can give to others from your abundance. To teach good doctrine, you have to possess it; nobody can give what they don't have. We can’t wait for some inspiration from God, who does not need to give it to us. He has already given us the practical human means: work and study. We must study; we have to learn."
“Ours should be the piety of children and the sure doctrine of theologians."
“If the world has come from God, if He has created man in his image and likeness, and given him a spark of divine light, the task of our intellect should be to uncover the divine meaning embedded in all things, even if this can be attained only by dint of hard work. And with the light of faith, we can also perceive their supernatural purpose, resulting from raising the natural order to the higher order of grace. We can never be afraid of developing human knowledge, because all intellectual effort, if it is serious, is aimed at truth. And Christ has said: I am the Truth."
“The Christian must have a hunger to know. Everything, from the most abstract knowledge to manual techniques, can and should lead to God. For there is no human undertaking that cannot be sanctified, which cannot be an opportunity to sanctify ourselves and to cooperate with God in the sanctification of the people with whom we work. The light of the followers of Jesus Christ should not be hidden in the depths of some valley, but should be placed on the mountain peak, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."
As well as doctrinal formation - indeed, as an integral part of it - we also need the gift of tongues. “Such a gift of tongues does not mean knowing many languages, but knowing how to adapt oneself to the capacities of one's hearers."
“It's not a question of 'simplifying the message to get through to the masses', but of speaking words of wisdom in clear Christian speech that all can understand.
This is the gift of tongues that I ask our Lord and his holy Mother for all their children."