Monday, October 24, 2005
AA18: Strength In Numbers
People are naturally social. Recognizing that, AA notes God has naturally emphasized that in the plan of salvation:
"... it has pleased God to unite those who believe in Christ into the people of God (cf. 1 Peter 2:5-10) and into one body (cf. 1 Cor. 12:12). The group apostolate of Christian believers then happily corresponds to a human and Christian need and at the same time signifies the communion and unity of the Church in Christ, who said, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20)."
AA18 continues, stating the realms of family, parish, and diocese have both formal and informal efforts. The two (or more) heads are better than one principle is at work:
For the associations established for carrying on the apostolate in common sustain their members, form them for the apostolate, and rightly organize and regulate their apostolic work so that much better results can be expected than if each member were to act on his own.
Committees aren't mentioned, but:
In the present circumstances, it is quite necessary that, in the area of lay activity, the united and organized form of the apostolate be strengthened. In fact, only the pooling of resources is capable of fully achieving all the aims of the modern apostolate and firmly protecting its interests.
And adaptability is a virtue:
Here it is important that the apostolate encompass even the common attitudes and social conditions of those for whom it is designed. Otherwise those engaged in the apostolate are often unable to bear up under the pressure of public opinion or of social institutions.
Nothing much else comes to mind in the comment category for me. How about you?
