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195.1
First Point
Although Jesus Christ died for everyone, the benefit of his death
is, nevertheless, not effected in everyone, because all do not make the
effort to apply it to themselves. The response of our will is necessary on
our part in order to make it effective. Although the death of Jesus Christ
was more than sufficient to wipe out the sins of all, and be complete
reparation for them, since God has reconciled us to himself by Jesus
Christ, nevertheless the grace that Jesus merited for us effects our
salvation only insofar as our will is brought to correspond with it. It is
up to each of us to achieve and complete the work of our own redemption.
This is what made Saint Paul say very well, speaking of himself, I
accomplish what is lacking in the passion of Christ. Is there something
lacking, then, in the passion of Christ? Nothing, certainly, on the part
of Jesus Christ, but on the part of this holy Apostle, as well as everyone
else, what was lacking was the acceptance of his will, the union of his
sufferings with those of Jesus Christ as one of his members suffering in
him and for him.
Since you are obliged to help your disciples to save themselves,
you must engage them to unite all their actions to those of Jesus Christ,
our Lord, so that their actions, made holy by his merits and by his
consecration, are able to be pleasing to God and a means of salvation for
them. This is how you must teach them to benefit from the death of Jesus
Christ, our Lord, and to make effective in them the advantages and merits
of his death.
195.2 Second
Point
Since you are ambassadors and ministers of Jesus Christ in the work
that you do, you must act as representing Jesus Christ himself. He wants
your disciples to see him in you and receive your instructions as if he
were giving them to them They must be convinced that your instructions are
the truth of Jesus Christ who speaks with your mouth, that it is only in
his name that you teach, and that it is he who has given you authority
over them.
They must also be convinced that they themselves are a letter which
Jesus Christ dictates to you, which you write each day in their hearts,
not with ink, but by the Spirit of the living God, who acts in you and by
you through the power of Jesus Christ. He helps you triumph over all the
obstacles that oppose the salvation of these children, enlightening them
in the person of Jesus Christ in order to make them avoid all that could
be displeasing to him.
In order for you to fulfill this duty with as much perfection and
exactness as God requires of you, frequently give yourselves to the Spirit
of our Lord to act in your work only under his influence, so that your own
spirit may have no part in it. This Holy Spirit, then, will come upon them
generously, so that they will be able to possess fully the Christian
spirit.
195.3 Third Point
All your care for the children entrusted to you would be useless if
Christ himself did not give the quality, the power, and the efficacy that
is needed to make your care useful. As the branch of the vine cannot bear
fruit of itself (our Lord says), unless it remains attached to the stem,
so neither can you bear fruit, it you do not remain in me. This will be
the glory of my Father, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.
What Jesus Christ says to his holy apostles he also says to you
that you may understand that all the good you are able to do in your work
for those entrusted to you will be true and effective only insofar as
Jesus Christ gives it his blessing and as you remain united with him. It
is the same for you as it is for the branch of the vine, which can bear
fruit only if it remains attached to the stem and draws its sap and
strength from the vine. This is also the source of all the goodness of the
fruit.
Jesus Christ wants you to understand from this comparison that the
more your work for the good of your disciples is given life by him and
draws its power from him, the more it will produce good in them. This is
why you must ask him earnestly that all your instructions be given life by
his Spirit and draw all their power from him Just as he is the one who
enlightens everyone coming into the world, he also is the one who
enlightens the minds of your students and leads them to love and to
practice the good that you teach them.
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