28 — THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE APOSTOLATE

Presence of God. — O Holy Spirit, invade my soul and transform me into a chosen instrument for God’s glory and the salvation of souls.

Meditation

1 — The heart of apostolate is love. St. Therese of the Child Jesus understood this very well when, after reviewing all possible vocations and recognizing they were still not enough to satisfy her immense apostolic desires, she concluded: “At last I have found my vocation! My vocation is love!... In the heart of the Church, my Mother, I will be love! Thus I shall be everything” (St. 11). But where to draw such full and fruitful charity? We must not forget that the principal source of charity is the Holy Spirit, the personal term of the love of Father and Son, the eternal breath of their mutual love. This Holy Spirit has “been given” to us, is “ours,” dwells in our hearts precisely to pour into them that supernatural charity which makes us burn with love for God and souls: “The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost, who is given to us” (Rom. 5:5). By communicating to men the flame of divine charity, associating them to his infinite love, the Holy Spirit is secret animator and sustainer of every apostolate; “He,” teaches Pius XII, “by his heavenly breath of life, is principle of every vital and efficaciously saving action... in Christ’s Mystical Body” (Myst. Corp.). He is the soul of the Church. Do we want to be apostles? Let us open, throw wide open our hearts to outpourings of the Holy Spirit, so that his charity may invade and penetrate us to the point of absorbing into itself our poor love. When the love of a soul is united to the “living flame of love,” which is the Holy Spirit, until it “becomes one thing with it” (cf. L.F. 1, 3), then it becomes life-giving love in the heart of the Church. Only thus is realization of the great ideal possible: “in the heart of the Church, I will be love! Thus I shall be everything.” To reach this supreme summit of love and apostolate, day by day, moment by moment we must follow impulses of the Holy Spirit, open ourselves docilely to his action, let ourselves be directed and governed by Him. Above all we must conform to movement of his infinite charity, which with total fullness rushes to the Father and Son and then pours itself out upon souls to draw all into the Blessed Trinity.

2 — Apostolate was inaugurated in the Church on Pentecost day when the Apostles, “filled with the Holy Ghost, began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak” (Acts 2:4). Before then the Twelve were poor men, dull, weak, full of fear. But behold, the Holy Spirit takes possession of them and transforms them into men of fire, ready to give life itself to bear witness to the Lord.

As then, so today the Holy Spirit can renew the great miracle; as then, so today He can - indeed wants to - take poor men, weak women, and transform them into ardent apostles. What is condition He requires? A docility so fine, so delicate, that it becomes full availability before his operative presence, his impulses, his initiatives. This requires in the apostle a true sense of dependence on the divine Paraclete, a sense that must be translated in practice into diligent care to remain, even amid activity, in continual contact with Him, always attentive to inspirations and ready to follow them. Like the wind, the Holy Spirit “breathes where He will; and thou hearest his voice, but thou knowest not whence He cometh and whither He goeth” (Jn. 3:8). His inspiration can surprise us amid activity no less than in prayer. We must therefore learn to deal interiorly with Him even while outwardly dealing with creatures. This attitude is particularly necessary in direct contact with souls; then more than ever the apostle must invoke the Holy Spirit, remain under his influence, and let himself be guided by Him. Souls belong to God and must be directed not according to one’s own spirit, but according to Spirit of God. Full availability requires great faith, great confidence in omnipotent and transforming action of the Holy Spirit. Only thus will the apostle have courage to let himself be used for any work, while recognizing himself unfit for it; only thus will he have courage to face with generosity any sacrifice, while feeling all his weakness. The Holy Spirit has not been given you in vain. He is in us and, provided we give ourselves totally to Him, He can transform us into “chosen instruments” for God’s glory and for salvation of souls.

Colloquy

“O Jesus, I would like to enlighten souls like prophets and doctors. I would like to traverse earth preaching your Name and planting your glorious Cross in unbelieving soil, O Beloved! But one mission alone would not suffice me: I would at one and same time announce Gospel in all parts of world and as far as remotest islands. I would like to be missionary not only for some years, but I would like to have been one from creation of world and to continue being one until consummation of ages.

“But I understand that all cannot at once be apostles, prophets, and doctors; I understand that most perfect gifts are nothing without love, that charity is the best way to reach You, my God! It is charity that gives me the key to my vocation. I understand that if Church has body composed of various members, the most necessary and noblest organ is not lacking. I understand she has a heart and that this heart burns with love. I understand that only love makes her members act and that, if love were extinguished, apostles would no longer announce the Gospel and martyrs would refuse to shed blood. I understand also that love includes all vocations, that love is everything and embraces all times and all places, because it is eternal!

“O Jesus, my Love, at last I have found my vocation! My vocation is love! Yes, I have found my place in bosom of Church, and this place, O my God, has been assigned me by You; in the heart of the Church, which is my Mother, I will be love!... Thus I shall be everything; thus my dream will be fulfilled” (T.B.G. St. 11).