There Is No Apostolate without the Cross
Jesus says: (Gesù Our Teacher, Vol. 1) – My children, here I am amongst you with the divine light that goes from my Heart to inundate you and make you instruments of good in the world.
Today I want to bring you back into the land of Palestine as on that day in which, surrounded by my beloved ones, I asked them this question: “Who do you say I Am?”.
At Peter’s reply: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”, I gave him the task of leading the others, making him the foundation stone of the Church, against which not even the infernal powers would have power.
I would like also to repeat to you the same question and reward your answers with a special gift of zeal, that permits you to be true apostles in the world.
Peter had spoken well. Although he had followed Me briefly and had learnt my teachings like the others, and yet he knew Me better than the others. He was, therefore, able to give light to the others.
You come here and it still happens as in those times. There are those in this place who are filled with God and those who remain empty. There are those who receive so much abundance as to be able to make a gift to others and there are those who lose the teaching or the word at the first gust of wind. And yet a deep knowledge of the Son of God is necessary for you.
It’s true that the light depends above all on the purity of the intentions and the purity of heart with which you receive it, but it is also the desire to deepen the truths of faith that renders you worthy of learning.
I do not desire great theological studies from you, which often fills one with pride and makes it so that simple men feel like supermen. I want for you to approach Me with the simplicity of children desirous of the Father’s help. I desire that the purity of habits and the ardent love of your hearts prepare your souls for your encounters with Me, Son of the living God and of Mary.
The simplicity of the lessons and the depth of the teaching: just as I give it to you, you must receive it!
There are those amongst you who receive and transmit my Word. There is still in the Church the foundation Stone: the Pontiff who, assisted by the Holy Spirit, continually directs and instructs the children which the Lord entrusts to him like little sheep from the Father’s sheepfold. Whoever rebels against him is not in the light of God. For him, pray again and always and always receive with devotion and affection whatever he addresses you in my name, in the name of Jesus, Son of the living God.
I want to bring you back again to that encounter to remind you how Peter, urged by that affection which bound him to Me, while I was foretelling my disciples the passion that awaited Me, incited Me to flee from suffering and death. “Go far away, Satan”, I answered him. And he quietened down.
Children, if you want to be a light to others, if you want to be apostles, you have to encounter a lot of sufferings, which will resemble a little of what I had to undergo. Whoever is around you could also seek to induce you to rebel against suffering. Learn how to perceive the temptation and the work of the Evil One in this.
There is no apostolate without Calvary: a cross on the shoulders and a crucifixion, often in a spiritual and moral sense and only sometimes in a material and physical sense.
Learn to say, with my help, to whoever wants you to give up the fight and make you run away from suffering and difficulties: “Go far away, Satan”, since for each mission to which the Lord calls you there is a lot of help and a lot of grace; and the many worries and difficulties are a sign of the importance of your mission and the greatness of the reward. Know that every tear that you shed has a double effect: that of payment and purification, for yourself and for others.
Society and the family has need of purification. The Church itself needs a wash-basin of suffering. Learn to understand and collaborate.
May my most sweet Mother, who on this day on a hill of the Eternal City did so that, in granting the desires of two holy couples, by means of the snow indicated the limits of the basilica to be constructed, teach you to practice and spread that candour of which the family, society and the Church require.
Children, I bless you again and I give you with a large heart the most beautiful graces.