Everyday Actions: Means to the Apostolate
Everyone according to the respective possibility of his proper state and condition work for the propagation of the Faith … All cannot be preachers, but all can pray; the others with their talents and science; … the others with their personal work, … [and] others with their arts and professions. (OOCC, XI, pp. 250 - 251)
For St. Vincent, while the everyday situations provide us with the opportunity to be apostolic, a person’s everyday actions become the means to the apostolate. A person’s prayerful life can increase faith of the one who encounters him, enkindle in another the spirit of reconciliation with God, and instill in the third a call to serve the Lord. A good example given by a person can inspire the other to give up his evil behavior. A good suggestion given at the opportune moment helps a person to bring about genuine growth in his life. The timely material help given to the poor, besides satisfying their physical need, can help them to raise their heart and minds to God for his love and care. Actions such as a kindness shown, a help rendered, a word of consolation said, an exhortation given, care given to the sick, can often lighten the burden of the persons involved, making them turn to God with a sense of gratitude and acceptance of his will with patience. An act of compassion manifests the compassionate heart of God to the one who experienced it. St. Vincent Pallotti lived every moment of his life performing diverse actions and used all of them as the means to the apostolate. When the apostolate is expressed through the means of everyday good actions, it becomes the practical and efficient means to bring good to God’s people and to bring glory to God.
Do I acknowledge everyday actions are the means to the apostolate? Do I use my everyday ordinary actions as the means to the apostolate? Do I perform each of my actions with the sensitivity that it is going to be a means to the apostolate? What do I need to do to make my actions the true means to the apostolate?
He who plants and he who waters are equal, and each shall receive his wages according to his labor. For, we are fellow workers for God. (I Cor. 3: 8)