Co-Workers in Redemption

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.”
(Gen. 2:15) In the beginning man and woman worked but it was with ease and delight for they were in right relationship with God, each other, and all of creation. After the sin of Adam man continued to work, but now it was toilsome and difficult: “…cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life…in the sweat of your face you shall eat bread” (Gen. 3:17, 19). With the triumph of the Incarnation of Christ and the Redemption He has won for us man is still invited to work – to be co-workers in the redemption of souls through the mission of the Church.

In The Soul of the Apostolate, Dom Jean-Baptiste Chautard, O.C.S.O. lauds the many good works the faithful have offered throughout the centuries. He notes that these works have been ordained by God for the benefit of our own souls and the salvation of others. They have, he asserts, reached an intensity in our time which is unlike that of any other in the Church’s history. Yet Dom Chautard offers a note of caution. All of these works must have Christ as their “life-principle” and be grounded in the Interior Life.

What is the “Interior Life” we rightly ask? Dom Chautard defines it as a state of the soul by which our natural inclinations are ordered rightly and we are acquiring the ability to judge and direct all things according to the example of Christ’s life revealed in the Gospel’s and Tradition. We can look at it as a twofold movement: 1) moving away from sinful inclinations of body and soul, and 2) moving towards union with God through loving conversation with Him.

As Marian Sisters, we are constantly striving to grow in this Interior Life. While all of the times of prayer adorning our daily schedule assist us in this endeavor, two are particularly helpful: our morning meditation and our daily examen. Through our meditation, we converse with our Divine Bridegroom about an aspect of His life and make a resolution to imitate the virtue He models for us. By our examen, we pause for a few minutes to reflect on our progress in Divine Charity – how have we let God’s grace prevail in our thoughts, words, and actions, and how have we failed to respond to His invitations?

These aids slowly but surely help each Sister to conquer her faults and grow in union with God by His divine grace. With these helps, we can continue our apostolic works seeking always to be co-workers in redemption by having Christ as the principle of all we do for the glory of God. These practices, though, are not only for Religious Sisters! Is there a way you can incorporate daily meditation and an examination of conscience into your life? With time and perseverance you will find that your activities also become more fruitful and your relationship with God more profound and loving.

Fiat Voluntas Tua!