©By Grace soileau
Graphics scan off one of my old Catechist certificate.
The Bible dictionary describes Apostles as "Twelve men chosen by Christ to enjoy special jurisdiction and to teach." There were many people who formed part of Jesus' entourage. The Bible is a book about people like you and I who followed the Lord. It is about men and women of faith who followed God's Call. We can read about how God worked in their lives and how they responded to God's call. These people can inspire us by their lives and their examples can strengthen our faith. These people gave their faith and their love for Jesus the best that they had. Some giving their life for this up this faith and for love of Jesus. We are all call to witness for Jesus and be his Apostles, all in our own way however small. APOSTOLATE The Catechism of the Catholic Church has this about apostolate: (863) "Since, like all the faithful, lay Christian are entrusted by God with the apostolate by virtue of their Baptism and Confirmation, they have the right and duty, individually or grouped in associations, to work so that the divine message of salvation may be know and accepted by all men and women throughout the earth." (905) Lay people also fulfill their prophetic mission by evangelization,"that is, the proclamation of Christ by word and the testimony of life." For lay people, "this evangelization...acquires a specific property and peculiar efficacy because it is accomplished in the ordinary circumstances of the world." This witness of life, however, is not the sole element in the apostolate; the true apostle is on the lookout for occasions of announcing Christ by word, either to unbelievers...or to the faithful. The article below was written by a Priest in February 1992 and was printed in our local newspaper. Since I clip and keep many articles I now have them to use for the net. I kept it because it made me think of myself, I wanted to be an apostle but I am so imperfect.
APOSTOLATE The Catechism of the Catholic Church has this about apostolate: (863) "Since, like all the faithful, lay Christian are entrusted by God with the apostolate by virtue of their Baptism and Confirmation, they have the right and duty, individually or grouped in associations, to work so that the divine message of salvation may be know and accepted by all men and women throughout the earth." (905) Lay people also fulfill their prophetic mission by evangelization,"that is, the proclamation of Christ by word and the testimony of life." For lay people, "this evangelization...acquires a specific property and peculiar efficacy because it is accomplished in the ordinary circumstances of the world." This witness of life, however, is not the sole element in the apostolate; the true apostle is on the lookout for occasions of announcing Christ by word, either to unbelievers...or to the faithful.
The article below was written by a Priest in February 1992 and was printed in our local newspaper. Since I clip and keep many articles I now have them to use for the net. I kept it because it made me think of myself, I wanted to be an apostle but I am so imperfect.
If there ever was an imperfect apostles it is I! I am just a stubborn old woman! Just ask any one of my family members, they are very honest. My family, especially my husband and our youngest daughter keeps me in line and will just come out and say hey old woman, "YOU ARE NOT BEING A VERY GOOD CHRISTIAN."(only 4 or 5 times a days) When someone ask me to do something for them I do it, not always perfect but I put my best into it and I will go out of my way to do it for them. When someone tells me they will do something I except it to be done, and get very angry and upset (one of my many faults) when they don't do it. I don't expect more from them then they do from me. One thing that I know is that I love Jesus and thank him for always being part of my life. I don't remember at what age I got to know Him and I have no memory of Him not being there, He was just always there. When I was a very young child and people would tell me I was lucky, my answer was, "no I am not lucky, I choose Jesus and his Blessed Mother Mary to be part of my life and they are there for anyone who wants them as part of their life." Not that long ago someone told me that maybe Jesus choose and called me. It me feel so special to think that our Lord Jesus would have called me to him and I heard. How very blessed I am that Jesus would want me, this imperfect person. Thank you, Jesus and dear Lord Jesus I love You
Note: This is something I added after I visiting 2 sites that I could have enjoyed but for some of the text. I have always respected other people Christian Faith and you will not find on any of my pages anything against other Christian Faith but I am tired of going to these sites where the first thing they write was they were Catholic but never got anything out of it. The other faith is so proud to write "we have this new person and he or she used to be Catholic" I just don't understand people who like to tell you that they were Catholic but they never prayed, attended Mass, read the Bible or try to learn more about their "Catholic Faith". Someone comes along and talks these people into going with them to a bible study of another faith and they like tell you "I have found the Lord, have you". I got news for them "THE LORD WAS NOT LOST, THEY WERE THE ONES THAT WERE LOST". Wake up it takes more than just saying you are Catholic and love Jesus, you have got to show up and take part at Mass, go to Confession, receive Communion and let Jesus know you love him. Remember you will not get more out of anything than you put into it. When you love someone you give them all you can and sometimes more than you can. I know when you love your family you will do whatever you can to make them happy why not do it for Jesus, and do it all for love. Help plant a seed of God and love in someone life without bashing another person Faith. I truly believe that Jesus would want that of us.