Apostolate, Zeal
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The Disciples of Jesus Baptize.
The apostolate is a Mission whose purpose is to proclaim the truth of the Gospel to the nations. Zeal is the disposition (state of mind, intentions) of the apostle or disciple to fulfill his Mission with determination, without tiring or becoming discouraged in the face of Trials.
In "The Gospel as It Was Revealed to Me"
Proclaim Jesus
- Proclaim Jesus.[1]
- As a disciple, I succeed at nothing. - Do not be discouraged, Judas. These are the Struggles of the apostolate. More defeats than victories. But defeats here. Up there, they are always victories. The Father sees your good will and even if it does not succeed, He blesses you nonetheless.[2]
- Is there still anyone who thinks that the life of the apostle is easy and that to be an apostle, that is to Believe he is one, someone often thinks they deserve an easy life, without sufferings, without hardships, without failures![3]
- Launching, at Jesus' initiative, of the apostolic preaching begun by Judas at Kerioth.[4]
- James says: "Defeats upon defeats!... It seems to me that we are cursed..." Jesus puts his hand on his shoulder: "Do you not know that this is the lot of the best?"[5]
Spiritual dispositions
- The apostolate: gratitudes and gratifications: The satisfaction of the apostle, considered as the only encouragement to work, denotes a lack of apostolic formation, lowers the apostolate which is a spiritual matter to the level of an ordinary human work. One must never fall into the idolatry of the ministry.[6]
- Bartholomew: With all my love I have not known how to renew myself, and understand you, and follow you. I followed you only materially. But You wanted us to follow you spiritually and to understand you in your perfection to become capable of perpetuating you - Do not be discouraged, Bartholomew (Nathaniel) the Apostle. Your Jesus knew that you were men and He demands nothing more than what you can give.[7]
Apostolic zeal
- Everything is disturbing for the Soul that is at work: curiosity, inconsiderate zeal, intransigences as well as exaggerated pity.[8]
- Apostolic zeal: The apostle must not claim to obtain everything.[9]
In other works by Maria Valtorta
Notebooks from 1945 to 1950
Catecheses of May 4 and 5, 1945:The fatigues of the apostolate!... They are more exhausting than those of any other work! They take away the light from the clearest day and the gentleness from the sweetest food. Everything becomes ashes and mud, nausea and gall. But, my Soul, these are precisely the Hours when we take on the fatigue, the Doubt, the misery of the people of the world who die because they do not possess what we have. These are the Hours when we do the most. I already told you last year.