The Call To The Apostolate

Brothers in Christ,

Today we celebrate the Seventh Day, within the Octave of the Nativity of our Lord! Jesus, the Christ continues to be our joy. Come, "let us sing to him in praise, Alleluia.” 

Sing to Him, sing His praise, proclaim all His wonders deeds. 1 Chr. 16:9

Christmas is the season for song, for God's love reaches from heaven to earth, and from earth to heaven in the incarnation. Let us spend this last day of the year in profound Thanksgiving, and praise for the extraordinary gift of our salvation in Jesus Christ.

My heart, is ready. O’ God;

I will sing, sing your praise.

awake, my soul;

awake, lyre and harp.

I will awake the dawn.

I will thank you, Lord, among the peoples,

among the nations I will praise you,

for your love reaches to the heavens

and your truth to the skies.

O’ God, arise above the heavens;

May Your Glory shine on earth!

All glory, be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, 

as it was, in the beginning, is now and will be forever.

Amen.

“Prepare the way of the Lord.”

This cry, of Saint John the Baptist is implicitly a call to the Apostolate, to that apostolate practiced by Saint John himself, when he tried to prepare the hearts of his brethren for the coming, and for the work of the Messiah, Jesus Christ Himself. The God Man.

This invitation is addressed to us, too, not only by St. John, but also by Jesus, who wants to make of every Christian a collaborator in His work of Redemption. Yes, we know that Jesus alone has merited the vast, precious treasury of grace necessary to redeem and sanctify the whole human race. Yet he has not disdained our humble cooperation; rather, He has positively willed "to have need of us.”  Pope Pius XII says in his Encyclical Mystici Corporis "it is manifestly clear that the faithful need the help of the divine Redeemer…. Yet, this, two, must be held... Christ requires the help of His members... This is not because He is indigent and weak, but rather, because He has so willed it for the greater honor of His spotless Spouse.”

My brothers, may God continue to bless The Apostolate Catholic Men’s Fellowship and all other Apostolates of which we are members. We must remember that the greatest Apostolate is the one that flies under the banner of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We must all take serious, the call from our Lord to work in His vineyard, day and night never becoming weary, and always, depending upon His Grace which He lavishly pours upon us.

Thank you for all you do, May God continue to bless all of our efforts. I look forward to all that is to come in the New Year….

Merry Christmas and Happy Blessed New Year!

Onward and Upward in Christ,

Gilbert Alderete President,
Catholic Men’s Fellowship of California
gilbertalderetecmf@gmail.com
626-841-9090