APOSTOLIC SPIRIT

You are being asked to become a Society of Apostolic Life in the Church. This life must be lived with an Apostolic Spirit. It is the Spirit that was present at the time of the Acts of the Apostles and created the apostolic life, teachings and spirit.

In the Apostolic Spirit, God, Our Father, sent His Son as our Redeemer; thus, we are to help bring forth the fruits of that Redemption. Our Father sent His daughter and the Holy Spirit to build the Church. We are being asked to serve with them. Our Father of Mercies seeks to manifest His kindness towards mankind. Your spirit is to receive His gifts. Following and treading in Our Lord and Our Lady's footsteps is to be a living, visible sign of Jesus and Mary.

The Apostolic Spirit acknowledges Jesus as the Author of all, rendering Him humble thanks in canticles with the Virgin Mary - Praise Him, make Him known, extol Him and love Him. Therefore, constantly keep present in your memory the mysteries of the life of Jesus. Your sole desire should be union with the Crucified, containing within yourself His sorrows, renewing His Passion, His insults, His injuries, all with hymns of honor for His mockery and personal injuries. Profess His Divinity, His Humanity, His Holiness, His Miracles, His works and His teachings. Ask all of the angels of Heaven to join you in gratitude for all He suffered. Be open to experience Jesus anew as the Way, the Truth and the Life. He has placed you on the sure path, granting you His assistance, pardoning your sins and raising you from your failings. He is waiting for your repentance and inviting you to His highest mercy. He will reward you from His own hand and defend you through His angels, giving you Himself as a pledge of nourishment for Eternal Life. Do not hinder the work of Jesus and all He wants to accomplish in you. Be assured of His fidelity and His hundred-fold reward. Cease not your prayers, petitions and penance that the Lord will bring forth all of Jesus' victories.

In the New Pentecost, the Apostolic Spirit of participation in the Divine Spirit Himself and His gifts, brings the disciples to aspire fervently to Him, He enkindles, lightens and consumes all that is terrestrial, and calms and raises them to a new union and participation with God Himself. This union of charity overcomes and dispels evil spirits. He witnesses the mysteries of faith and eternal life by our conversion through His presence. With burning words like a flashing fire, He reaches to the souls and every one of them a response and a heartfelt spirit of thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God that He called and drew them to His Eternal Life.

The Apostolic Spirit is the imploring of Divine Mercy and the receiving of the fruits of Redemption for the salvation of all in Divine Providence. It is the offering to all the riches of Our Father's mercy, pointing out to them the way of life and death; knowing that without penance there is no grace; without reform, there is no pardon; without pardon, no glory. You must be fully cooperative to all the helps and inspirations, callings and blessings of the Lord, for God has ordained all for our good and can bring good even out of evil. Clamor to Him for His mercy upon all. Our Lives depend on His Divine Providence and not on the acquiring of material possessions or money. Let us therefore, have confidence and let several be appointed of approved life and virtue to receive the alms offered for the sake of the Lord. His Providence ordains all things for our instruction and in this light of our life of virtue, nothing is small; for this life of virtue builds like links in a chain. Divine Providence enables you as disciples to be pleasing to Him in all of your thoughts, words and actions; and to be fruitful as He decreed, acknowledges that He, your Lord is the Beginning and End of all Creation to Whom we become even more indebted.

As disciples in your Apostolic Spirit, you are being asked by Our Lady to stand in her humility and charity, in seeking the manifestation and exaltation of the name of the Trinity in the Church and in all creation. You are being asked to gather into the faith many, through her care and intercession; to imitate her relationship with Jesus in living out the Paschal Mystery in the Church. In wisdom and prudence you must realize how precious it is to merit God's reward and crown of glory. The Apostolic Spirit of Our Lady was not to lose a moment in conferring favors upon the whole Church and each of her members. She consumed herself in praying and beseeching Jesus for them in exhorting, instructing, counseling and distributing graces to the children of the Gospels. Her heavenly knowledge and charity for us is no less powerful in heaven - She is no less our Blessed Mother. Her love is just as ardent and when we hasten to her in humility and prayer, we experience her intercession and protection just as does the Apostolic Church. She receives all and listens and gives to all words of life and life. She saw that these gifts that were given were distributed to the poor and needy. The sick receive her kindness. She served and confirmed all in her grace for she knows the hearts, affections, inclinations and conditions of all. In your apostolic spirit, confess Mary as your Mother, teacher, and queen of all holiness and perfection in your life. Imitate and follow her and let no time, day or hour of life be bare of good works. Show yourself a disciple, follower and child of Mary, Our Blessed Mother, and the fruit of her prayers. All who travel the seas should carry Our Lady's image and in since faith and devotion look to her for help in its perils.

It is indeed a great sorrow that knowing Mary to be Mother, advocate and protectress, even ready to guide and assist and help all to eternal life, that we force her to remain idle for want of calling on Her. By this neglect, many, many souls are lost. Few are those who ask her help in comparison to those she could, and is willing to help.

Mary's kind and merciful love exceeds all malice, attains justice, and inclines Our Father's goodness towards men. Keep in your heart a devout and loving memory of the mystery of Mary in imitating of Christ in His Paschal Mystery; bless and magnify the all-powerful Lord and sacred miracles He accomplishes for Mary and for all.

Free your heart more and more each day in an apostolic spirit so that as your years advance you will be more and more detached, free from physical things so that when Jesus calls you, you need not seek in vain for the necessary freedom and prudence. Above all at the time of death, invoke and call on Mary that she may intercede and draw God Our Father's mercy on those who are dying, and defend them from dangers in their last hour. Ward off and furnish them help against the cruel enemies that seek the perdition of their souls. Gain special graces for them and present their souls to the Lord Most High.

In the Apostolic Spirit, meditate day and night what Jesus did for His Church. Love, respect and esteem the Church with your whole heart. Enjoy her treasures. Gather from her the treasures of heaven. Seek to unite her with yourself and to unite yourself with her. Find your refuge and salvation in her, making her your consolation in your works, hope in your exile, and light and truth to guide you. Imitate and follow Mary, the Mother of the Church in your tireless solicitude for her. Pray for the Church that she may live the evangelical law. Be aware of the dangers threatening the Church and pray without ceasing for the salvation of all. Always defend the Church with Mary who shall crush the head of the ancient serpent. Through her you shall acquire the eternal blessings that the devils have lost. Fight the enemies of Christ. Free the Church from all heresy and error. Hold in great veneration the counsels and laws of the Church and obey what they resolve and establish. The Church is like a new Paradise planed by Jesus, Our Savior. It has the rivers of grace and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In the very midst of the Church stands Mary, the Tree of Life. Work, therefore, according to your powers of Divine Grace to advance the Church, to improve the universal reign of Christ, to spread the faith, to further the welfare of families and nations, and to bring souls to God's grace and friendship.