3 — COLLABORATORS OF GOD

Presence of God. — Lord, take me, that I may be worthy to collaborate with You in spread of your kingdom.

Meditation

1 — Speaking of apostolic work, St. Paul says: Dei sumus adjutores (1 Cor. 3:9): we are cooperators, collaborators of God.

Apostolate therefore is not personal activity, fruit more or less valuable of one’s own resources and initiatives. It is not activity one can carry out according to one’s own views, much less with one’s own strength. Any form of apostolate is collaboration in one work of redemption and sanctification God carries on through centuries in world.

God alone can redeem and sanctify — He who possesses holiness in Himself, He who is Creator and source of grace. “One is mediator of God and men” (1 Tim. 2:5): one alone is Redeemer and Sanctifier, Jesus, Incarnate Word. All others, even greatest saints and even Our Lady, are apostles only insofar as they collaborate in Christ’s work. We, as St. Paul says, merely lend our activity to God: “I planted, Apollo watered, but God gave increase. Therefore neither he that plants is anything, nor he that waters, but God that gives increase” (1 Cor. 3:6-7).

Work of farmer is certainly necessary for field to bear fruit; yet it is not sufficient. Rain and sun are needed, favorable season is needed. Likewise, given plan established by God for salvation of men, apostle’s activity is necessary, but not sufficient: God alone can give increase. As God alone can make sun shine or send rain to fertilize material field, so God alone can give grace to fertilize field of apostolate.

St. Paul was so convinced of this truth that, addressing Corinthians, he exclaimed: Dei agricultura estis, Dei aedificatio estis (1 Cor. 3:9). Although he had first generated them to faith, he does not say: you are my children, my field; but “you are God’s field, God’s building.” Apostolate is not human work, but divine work, to which man lends collaboration as humble instrument.

2 — If apostle is instrument of God, he is not material instrument, as pen in writer’s hand, but living and personal instrument endowed with intelligence and will. Therefore he must place himself voluntarily at disposal of divine Artist, seeking to harmonize — better, synchronize — his way of thinking, willing, and acting with divine way, that is, with divine methods and wills.

Each of us will be apostle in measure he is docile instrument in God’s hands, so that God may use him as He wills.

Here too we must fix gaze on Jesus: his humanity was instrument Word used for redemption of human race. Jesus’ humanity has no personal subject distinct from Word; his will, intelligence, affections, body are instruments of Word, which He uses with fullest freedom and through which He accomplishes work of love for salvation of men.

In analogous way apostle — though having own personality always distinct from God, even in highest states of mystical union — must give himself to God as most docile instrument, as pure capacity totally placed at his disposal. Everything apostle has received from God — intelligence, will, natural and supernatural gifts — he must freely offer to Him so He may use them as He wills for spread of his kingdom.

Whether God employs him in great and visible works or humble and hidden works, whether He uses him to proclaim his word publicly or to illumine souls in secret, whether He employs him in intense activity or immolates him in prayer and silence, it matters little, provided all his powers and whole life are placed at service of souls.

As work of personal sanctification, so also work of sanctification of others — that is, apostolate — resolves itself into problem of docility and availability to grace, to will of God. Consequently it resolves into problem of death to self, to everything in one’s thoughts, will, and conduct that can in least contrast with God’s thought, will, and conduct.

Colloquy

“My God, I know very well You do not need anyone to accomplish your sanctifying work, and yet You wish to be helped in divine cultivation of souls, just as You permit skilled gardener to cultivate delicate and rare plants while reserving to Yourself care of making them fruitful. Oh, how many souls would reach eminent holiness if they were well directed from first steps!

“My God, greatest honor You can do to a soul is not to give it much, but to ask much of it. Therefore, when You give me suffering for salvation of souls, You treat me as one of your privileged. Was it not by suffering and dying that You too redeemed world? O Jesus, I aspire to happiness of sacrificing my life for You, but martyrdom of heart is no less fruitful than outpouring of blood, and already now this martyrdom is mine. How beautiful, O Lord, is part You have reserved for me, part worthy of apostle!

“O Lord, yes, I desire to work with You for salvation of souls. I have only one day of this life to save them and thus give You proof of my love. Tomorrow of this day will be eternity; then You will repay me a hundredfold joys I sacrifice for You.

“How sweet, O Jesus, to help You by our little sacrifices to save souls redeemed by your Blood, who, not to fall into abyss, await only our help.

“How happy I would be if at point of death I could have one soul to offer You! There would be one soul snatched from fire of hell and blessing You for all eternity” (T.B.G. St. 5; Lt. 184, 171, 23).